You’ve been wanting to pitch Business Insider for a while now…
In fact, several potential story ideas might be bouncing around in your head. Perhaps you’re looking to land a big byline to move your freelance writing career forward. Or you want to secure media coverage to amplify your business or personal brand.
Whatever your goal is, you’re in the right place.
This past year, I’ve written six stories for Business Insider as a freelance writer. They’ve ranged from this feature on Elna Cain to a record-breaking announcement about Daniella Pierson, founder of The Newsette.
I understand firsthand how significant a Business Insider feature is in skyrocketing your credibility. But unfortunately, the pitching process can be really convoluted, holding a lot of people back from sharing their transformative stories.
To answer all of your questions in one place, I put together this mini guide to help you pitch Business Insider and demystify the pitching process. Make sure to read it thoroughly to maximize your chances of getting featured!
1. Browse Business Insider
Before you do anything, please — please! — browse through the existing stories on Business Insider’s site. Use the “search” function to type in keywords related to your topic and make sure a similar story hasn’t already been covered.
The other purpose of this step is to find potential gaps — that is, what is no one talking about yet in your niche or industry?
I’ll use one of the examples above to illustrate this point. Last year, I pitched Elna Cain’s story because of her unique journey from stay-at-home mom with no formal writing experience to running a thriving six-figure freelancing business and working with clients like Walmart, Go Daddy, and Zapier. Based on my search, no other freelance writers had yet shared their specific lead generation strategies for landing lucrative clients. I ended up using this as my main angle (more on determining yours below).
2. Decide Which Editor You’ll Pitch
Given how massive of a vertical Insider’s business section (aka Business Insider) is, several editors work with freelancers. Head to Business Insider’s main pitching page to find the editor who corresponds with the category your topic falls into. For example, there’s an editor who specifically focuses on thought leadership pieces, and several others who seek pitches from freelancers covering real estate, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and various additional subtopics.
Your pitch can be phenomenal, but if it doesn’t land in the right inbox, it’s not going to receive the attention it deserves.
3. Perfect Your Pitch
Ahh, now for the fun part. (No, I promise… it is fun!) Yup, now we condense everything into a succinct, polished pitch. Your pitch is your selling point, and it should leave the editor eager to know more.
Here are seven points I keep in mind when writing pitches.
Understand your audience
First of all, who is your story for? We know that Business Insider is geared towards entrepreneurship, tech, and the economy, but you want to dig a little deeper than that. Do you want to speak to aspiring Gen Z content creators? Millennial moms looking to build a lucrative side gig?
Business Insider editors are looking for actionable insights and fresh perspectives. So, when determining your story idea, get as narrow as you can. And ask yourself: what are your audience’s pain points? What problems can you help them solve?
To use the Elna Cain example, I thought her story would appeal to freelance writers, as well as mompreneurs. I wanted to highlight Elna’s unique backstory while also sharing her top three lead generation tips to give readers clear-cut strategies.
Another thing: Business Insider is big on as-told-to pieces, so consider whether you’ll use this format (and mention it in your pitch if so).
Start with a catchy subject line
Your subject line is your first impression. Make it count!
Take a few minutes to play around with headline iterations. Try to incorporate a “how” into it, as this is the essence of what you will be sharing in your article. And if you’re comfortable, mention your (or the interviewee’s) age and/or salary if relevant. Business Insider is big on dropping numbers, and this can boost the credibility (and attention-grabbing potential) of your pitch. I’ll share a screenshot below as an example.
Pro tip: When you write out your subject line, format it as “PITCH: [Your Proposed Headline]”
Use a compelling opening statement
Introduce yourself in a sentence or two at the beginning of the email, then dive right into the story idea.
Like your headline, the opening statement — or “hook” — of your pitch holds a ton of power. Remember, the main goal is to get the editor to keep reading your pitch by opening a curiosity gap.
To do this, start off with an interesting fact, question, quote, or anecdote.
Example: Did you know that Latinas are starting businesses faster than any other demographic? In fact, Latina-owned businesses currently represent 40% of all new businesses in the United States. Yet, how is it possible that they’re still only receiving less than 2% of venture capital funding?
Answer the two big “why”s
Why #1: Why is this story relevant right now? The media runs on relevancy! Tie the story into a trending topic, current events, or a heritage/awareness month if possible.
Why #2: Why are you the one to tell this story? First of all, consider what new perspectives you’re adding to this conversation. This is also your chance to brag — so if you have experience or credentials that are worth mentioning (or that connect to your story), do so here!
Keep it brief!
Your pitch should be about 300 words. Include enough information so that the editor understands the general premise of your story, but do not send a completed draft.
Mention who you will interview in the piece, as well (if it’s not about you).
Include writing samples
At the very end of your pitch, before signing off, provide a brief bio in which you mention your writing experience and/or expertise and add an in-text link to your portfolio.
No portfolio? If you have existing bylines in other publications (yes, Medium counts!), you should most definitely link these.
Follow up after two weeks
Given the barrage of emails editors receive, they can end up unintentionally missing pitches.
I’ve found it helpful to reach out after two weeks if I still haven’t heard back. Keep the follow-up simple. Something like, “Hi, [editor’s name]! I’m following up on this story idea I sent to you a couple of weeks ago. I’d love to know your thoughts,” gets the point across.
Stick to 3–4 Key Takeaways in Your Business Insider Pitch
As I said before, Business Insider is all about the “how.” Many of their readers are looking to start their own entrepreneurial endeavors or gain access to exclusive career tips from authority figures. In your pitch, list three or four key points you plan to share with the readers.
For example, in this piece on Alexis Barber, I focused on how she built her own six-figure brand as an influencer alongside her 9-to-5 job at YouTube. Her three key main takeaways were determining a pricing strategy, understanding when and how to pitch brands, and considering the pros and cons of a niche.
How Much Does Business Insider Pay Per Article?
This will vary depending on your expertise and which editor you’re working with. I’ve received between $350-$400 per piece.
Who Do I Send My Business Insider Pitch To?
I’ve personally worked with Lauryn Hass, based in the NYC office, and Kiera Fields, based in the UK office.
Make sure to check out Business Insider’s pitching page for a comprehensive and updated list of editors.
The Benefits of a Business Insider Byline
Here are a few of the perks you can expect by landing your name in Business Insider:
- PR connections: I receive 4–5 pitches from publicists weekly asking whether I’d like to work with their clients on future stories. Though I turn most of these requests down, I’ve kept in touch with a few of the publicists just in case there’s a good fit for a story idea in the future. And it’s helpful to be on their radar, as well.
- Lead generation: A Business Insider byline is also huge for driving potential clients to your products or services. You can add a credibility banner to your website or landing pages to showcase that you were featured in the publication. You can mention it in your bio across your various social media pages, too.
- Thought leadership: Along with the last point, a Business Insider byline can solidify your expertise in your niche. As one of the “go-to” people in your field, you can skyrocket your brand.
TL;DR: A Business Insider byline opens up a lot of doors!
A Few Extra Suggestions
A lot of the time, Business Insider editors are looking for time-sensitive pitches. If you don’t have a Twitter account, I’d highly recommend subscribing to Sonia Weiser’s newsletter, Opportunities of the Week. In this twice-weekly newsletter, Sonia shares dozens of calls for pitches, which often include some from Business Insider editors that are relevant to a trend or current event.
This newsletter is only $4 to subscribe per month and it’s the reason why I connected with a Business Insider editor in the first place.
If you do have a Twitter account, you can follow certain Business Insider editors to keep up with pitch call-outs. Here are a few:
- Shriya Bhattacharya @ShriyaB_NYC
- Kiera Fields @KieraFields7
- Lauryn Haas @laurynhaas
- Bob Bryan @RobertBryan4
- Grace DeGraaf @grace_degraaf
- Laura Casado @laurapcasado
Pitching Template + (Accepted!) Business Insider Pitch Example
Writing for Business Insider can feel a bit daunting at first, but I hope this guide assures you that you can (and should!) send that pitch.
Your story — whether it’s your own or someone else’s — can impact a lot of people and boost your own brand in the process.
If you want to delve deeper into the pitching process, I put together this free 11-page guide, The Freelance Writing Roadmap. In it, you’ll find a pitching template, as well as an example of a pitch that helped me land a story in Business Insider.
Oh, and if you land a Business Insider byline, send me a link to the story when it goes live! I’d love to check it out.
Happy pitching!
