Our PR & Podcast Outreach Process — What to Expect
A friendly walk-through of how we run PR campaigns and podcast outreach for authors: target list building, custom pitches, response rates by media type, what realistic placement looks like, and exactly what's included at each tier — with honest expectations about success rates.
PR outreach is a numbers game played at low success rates. A pitch acceptance rate of 5-15% is industry-typical; anyone promising 50% is either redefining what 'placement' means or pitching outlets so low-quality the placement carries no value. This page sets out exactly what we pitch, who we pitch to, what realistic responses look like across podcasts/print/digital outlets, and how the engagement runs from outreach through interview-prep to follow-up. We're transparent about success rates because the realistic ones still produce meaningful book sales — and inflated promises set authors up to feel like the campaign failed when it actually performed normally.
1Before You Order: Are You Actually Pitchable?
Not every book is PR-ready. Pitches land when there's a story angle journalists or podcast hosts can use; books without a hook beyond 'a writer wrote a book' face structural rejection regardless of pitch craft. We assess pitchability at intake — and tell you honestly if the campaign is fighting gravity.
💡 Pro Tips
- Strong pitch angles: timely tie-in (book intersects current news), unusual author background, contrarian thesis, exclusive data/research, established platform (existing audience signals media legitimacy)
- Genre-specific factors: non-fiction is generally more pitchable than fiction (clearer hook for journalism); literary fiction with prizes/recognition pitches well; genre fiction pitches via genre-specific podcasts and review outlets
- Memoir is highly pitchable IF there's an external hook (overcoming circumstance, expertise, public role); not pitchable for 'general life-reflection' memoirs without external angle
- Children's books pitch via genre-specific outlets (school libraries, children's-book reviewers); rarely via mainstream press
⚠️ Important
- Don't expect mainstream press coverage (NYT, Guardian, BBC) without an exceptional hook + established platform — anyone offering you those for £797 is misleading
- Don't pitch a book 6 months after release — most outlets only cover books in the first 90 days post-publication
- Don't run PR before book is publicly available — embargoed pitches are higher-effort and only work for outlets used to embargo workflows (not most podcasts)
2The Three Tiers and What They Actually Are
Our three tiers represent campaign volume, not campaign quality. Every tier uses the same pitch craft, target-list research, and follow-up discipline; the differences are how many outlets we approach and how broad the campaign reach extends.
Media Starter (£297 / $377) — 10 pitches
Targeted at authors with a niche genre or specific topical angle. 10 carefully-selected outlets (typically 5-7 podcasts + 3-5 review/interview outlets). Best for first-time PR or testing the waters before larger investment.
Visibility Builder (£497 / $627) — 25 pitches
Standard-tier campaign covering 25 outlets across podcasts, online review sites, regional press, and niche industry publications. Most authors land here — sufficient volume to expect 2-5 placements at industry-typical response rates.
Authority Campaign (£797 / $997) — 50 pitches
Premium tier for authors with platform momentum or topical timing. 50 outlets including national-tier podcasts, mainstream digital outlets (Lit Hub, Electric Lit, Forbes for non-fiction), industry publications, regional press, and genre-specific review surfaces. Expected outcome: 5-10 placements with at least one mid-tier outlet.
⚠️ Important
- Tier price covers pitching + outreach management; it does NOT include placement guarantees (no PR firm guarantees placements honestly — Amazon for Authors got sued by their own clients for promising guarantees they couldn't keep)
- Add-ons: extra press release £297 / $377 (industry-distributed via PR Newswire / similar); media training £250 / $317 (for first-time interview authors)
- Tour costs (travel for in-person podcast recordings, signing-tour coordination) are out of scope; that's a separate publicist engagement
3How the Process Works — Step by Step
Every PR campaign follows the same five-step rhythm. Total project time is 6-8 weeks from intake to wrap-up: 1 week prep, 4 weeks active outreach, 2-3 weeks follow-up and interview-coordination tail.
Intake + angle development (week 1)
You complete the intake form: book, author bio, key talking points, ideal media targets you've identified, off-limits topics, availability for interviews. We develop 3-5 pitch angles tailored to different media types (podcast hosts care about story; review outlets care about literary merit; general press care about news hook). You sign off on the angles before pitching starts.
Target-list research (week 1-2)
We build the outlet list from scratch for your campaign — not pulled from a generic database. Researchers identify host names, recent topics they've covered, contact preference (Twitter DM vs email vs form), pitch deadline lead times. List is delivered for your review; you can flag outlets to skip (existing relationships, conflicts).
Custom pitches + outreach (weeks 2-5)
Each outlet gets a customised pitch — same pitch sent to 25 different podcasts is the #1 reason for blanket-rejection. We write per outlet, referencing recent episodes, framing the angle to that outlet's audience. Pitches go out in waves; we track open/response rates and adjust pitch craft mid-campaign if response rates lag.
Response handling + interview coordination (weeks 4-7)
When responses come in (interview accept, schedule a recording, reply with questions), we coordinate logistics on your behalf: scheduling, timezone alignment, prep documents. Some outlets ask for a 30-minute pre-interview brief — we handle those too. You show up to the recording prepped.
Wrap-up + placement summary (week 8)
Full report: outlets pitched, response rates, placements landed, interviews scheduled, links to published placements. Plus follow-up suggestions: which outlets passed but might re-engage in 6 months, which interviews could be repurposed (clips for social media), and recommended next-PR-window timing if you have book 2 in the pipeline.
4Realistic Response Rates
PR outreach response rates are a function of outlet quality, pitch craft, author profile, and book hook. We share our honest historical numbers so you can calibrate expectations against the tier you're commissioning.
💡 Pro Tips
- Niche / genre-specific podcasts: 25-40% response rate (most willing to feature authors in their genre)
- Mid-tier industry podcasts (10k-100k downloads/episode): 10-20% response rate
- National-tier podcasts (100k+ downloads/episode): 5-10% response rate
- Online review outlets (Lit Hub, Electric Lit, Goodreads featured): 5-15% response rate (heavy editorial gatekeeping)
- Regional press (local newspaper, local radio): 30-50% response rate (lower bar for local-author angle)
- National mainstream press (NYT, Guardian, BBC): under 5% response rate without exceptional hook + platform
- Mid-tier digital outlets (Forbes, Inc., Fast Company for non-fiction): 5-15% response rate (need clear topical hook)
⚠️ Important
- Response rates are NOT placement rates — a 'response' might be 'we don't book unsolicited authors' (a polite no); placement is when the interview/article actually runs
- Placement-to-pitch ratio at 25-pitch tier: 2-5 placements typical (10-20%)
- Anyone promising 50%+ placement rates is either pitching outlets so low-quality they accept everyone, or padding placement counts with non-meaningful surfaces
5What Counts as a 'Placement'
Placement definitions matter because they determine whether the campaign actually moves the needle on book sales. We use strict definitions and report against them, not soft metrics that pad numbers.
Podcast interview (counted)
Recording happens, episode publishes with your book mentioned + linked. The placement counts when the episode goes live, not when the recording is scheduled — some interviews don't make it past edit room.
Article / feature (counted)
An article or feature about you/your book runs in the outlet, with the book named and ideally a purchase link. Mentions in roundup pieces ('15 books to read this autumn') count if the book is named individually rather than just listed.
Review (counted)
An editorial review appearing on a recognised review site (Lit Hub, Electric Lit, BookPage, NetGalley editor's pick, etc.). User reviews on Amazon/Goodreads do NOT count.
Quote / mention (sometimes counts)
Brief mention in a larger piece — counts if quoted, doesn't count if just listed in 'further reading'. We err on conservative side in reporting.
Social-media share by host (does NOT count)
A podcast host tweeting about an author after recording but before episode publishes is not a placement; it's a goodwill signal.
6Pitch Craft (What Makes a Pitch Land)
We pitch differently for podcasts than for review outlets than for press. Same book; entirely different framings. Authors often want the 'one perfect pitch' but the reality is per-outlet customisation matters more than pitch perfection.
💡 Pro Tips
- Podcast pitches: lead with what topic you'd be a great guest on (not 'I wrote a book'); reference 1-2 recent episodes with hosts you'd resonate with
- Review outlets: lead with the book's literary merit + comp titles; emphasise unique angle (debut, unusual structure, social topic)
- Press / journalism: lead with the news hook (tied to current events, exclusive data, contrarian thesis); book is a 'hook for the story', not the story itself
- Industry publications: lead with author credentials + topic expertise; book becomes the artefact of the expertise
- Subject lines decide open rates — pitches with names, hooks, and personalisation open at 30-50%; generic 'Author available for interview' subject lines open below 10%
⚠️ Important
- Don't blanket-pitch — same email to 25 outlets is the #1 reason for cold rejection
- Don't follow up more than twice — the first follow-up at 5-7 days is welcome; the second at 14 days is borderline; a third is annoying
- Don't email production assistants when the host has a personal email or contact form — gatekeepers exist for a reason
Need to refine your book description for the press kit?
Your description appears in every pitch we send — it's the 100-word framing that hooks (or loses) a podcast host's attention. Use our free Amazon Description Generator to refine the version that goes into press kits and pitch emails. Strong description copy lifts response rates 15-30% by giving journalists the angle they can't write themselves.
7Interview Preparation
Once an interview is scheduled, the next leverage point is preparation. A well-prepped author converts a podcast appearance into book sales; a flat one walks away with goodwill but few clicks. We prep authors against 5-10 likely questions per interview and give a one-page brief on the host/outlet's audience.
💡 Pro Tips
- Pre-interview brief: 1-page summary of host's recent topics, audience demographics, your angle for this specific outlet
- Likely-questions list: 5-10 questions the host is likely to ask based on their pattern; prep talking points for each
- Talking-points sheet: 3 things you want to land regardless of question flow (book hook, audience promise, where to buy)
- Practice: at least one rehearsal call before the actual interview, especially for first-time interview authors
⚠️ Important
- Don't read from notes during recordings — listeners hear the difference; better to know your 3 points cold and improvise the rest
- Don't oversell the book in interviews — talking about the topic with curiosity converts better than pitching
- Don't forget the CTA — every interview should end with where listeners can find you and the book; ask hosts to include the link in show notes
8Press Releases vs Direct Outreach
Press releases (PR Newswire, Business Wire, etc.) and direct outreach are different mechanisms with different uses. Press releases get distributed to wide outlet lists but don't drive direct response; direct outreach gets specific responses but reaches fewer outlets.
💡 Pro Tips
- Direct outreach (our default): tailored pitches to ~10-50 specific outlets; expect responses, conversations, placements
- Press release distribution: industry-wide announcement; useful for SEO ('book launch news' results), award announcements, milestones — but RARELY drives placements on its own
- Hybrid approach: direct outreach for the campaign + a single press release at launch for SEO + announcement record
- We include press release writing + distribution as a £297 / $377 add-on (one release per campaign)
⚠️ Important
- Don't expect press release distribution alone to generate book sales — it's a record-keeping mechanism more than a marketing one
- Don't pay for low-quality 'distribution' services that promise hundreds of pickups — those pickups are usually low-quality syndication sites that don't drive traffic
9Follow-Up Discipline
Follow-up is where most authors give up too early. The first response from an outlet is often not a no — it's silence. Persistent professional follow-up at 5-7 day intervals converts 10-25% of initial silences into responses.
💡 Pro Tips
- First follow-up at 5-7 business days: brief, references the original pitch, adds a new angle ('also wanted to mention X')
- Second follow-up at 14 days (only if no response to first): 'last note' soft signal, tee up a reason to revisit ('let me know if better timing arises')
- Stop after 2 follow-ups: silence at this point is a no
- Out-of-office responses: if the host is travelling, schedule the follow-up for after their return date — automated boundaries beat aggressive timing
- Re-pitch in 6 months: outlets that passed once may accept later if the timing/angle changes
10A Small Note on PR Realism
PR is inputs and process discipline, not outcomes. We control how good the pitches are, how well-targeted the outlet list is, how well-coordinated the follow-ups run; we don't control whether the host happens to have a slot, whether the editor is in the mood for an author interview that week, whether competing news bumps your placement. The numbers compound across campaigns — an author whose book 1 lands 4 placements has 4 reusable warm contacts when book 2 launches; book 3 the network gets bigger again. We design campaigns to compound long-term, not to spike on one launch.
Ready to commission your PR campaign?
If your book is publicly available (or has a confirmed launch date within 2 months) and you have a clear angle for journalists or podcast hosts, pick a tier — Media Starter (10 pitches), Visibility Builder (25 pitches), or Authority Campaign (50 pitches). Not sure if your book is structurally pitchable, or which angle would land best? Book a free consultation first.
Common Questions
Can you guarantee placements?
No — and any PR firm offering placement guarantees is misrepresenting how the industry works. We control pitch quality and outreach discipline; we don't control editorial calendars, host scheduling, or whether competing news bumps your placement. Realistic placement rates: 2-5 placements at the 25-pitch Visibility Builder tier; 5-10 at the 50-pitch Authority Campaign tier. Anyone promising 50%+ placement rates is either pitching outlets so low-quality they accept everyone, or padding placement counts with non-meaningful surfaces.
What's a realistic response rate?
Depends entirely on outlet tier. Niche/genre podcasts: 25-40%. Mid-tier industry podcasts (10-100k listeners): 10-20%. National podcasts (100k+ listeners): 5-10%. Online review outlets (Lit Hub, Electric Lit, etc.): 5-15%. Regional press: 30-50%. National mainstream press (NYT, Guardian, BBC): under 5% without exceptional hook + author platform. Note: response rates are NOT placement rates — a polite no is a response, not a placement.
Do you write the pitches custom for each outlet?
Yes — that's most of the work. Same pitch sent to 25 outlets is the #1 reason for blanket rejection. Each outlet gets a customised pitch referencing recent episodes (for podcasts) or recent articles (for press), framing the book's angle to that outlet's specific audience. We pitch differently for podcasts than review outlets than press — same book, entirely different framings. The customisation is what separates HMD outreach from automated mailmerge services.
How long after my book launches can I still pitch?
Most outlets only cover books in the first 90 days post-publication — after that, the book becomes harder to position as 'news'. There are exceptions: timely tie-ins (book intersects current events), award wins, paperback releases, anniversary editions, and sequel-driven re-coverage all open windows beyond the launch quarter. If you're commissioning PR more than 90 days post-launch, we'll flag at intake which strategies remain viable for your specific book and which outlets are likely to pass.
Will you handle interview prep?
Yes for scheduled interviews. When an outlet accepts and we coordinate the booking, we deliver a one-page interview brief covering: host's recent topics, audience demographics, likely questions (5-10 we expect based on the host's pattern), and a talking-points sheet (3 things you want to land regardless of question flow). For first-time interview authors, we recommend the £250 / $317 media training add-on — covers practice interviews, question handling, and the 'don't read from notes during recordings' mechanics most amateurs miss.
What happens if no placements come from the campaign?
Honest answer: it can happen, especially for fiction without a strong external hook or for books at the niche end of the market. Our wrap-up report will be transparent about response rates, what worked, what didn't, and what could change for a future campaign (different angle, different outlet tier, timing). We don't offer refunds for unmet placement targets because no PR firm honestly can — outcomes aren't fully controllable. We DO offer a re-pitch window: outlets that passed once may accept on a follow-up campaign with a new angle 6 months later, and those follow-ups are typically priced at 50-60% of the original tier.
Ready to start? Head to the PR & Podcast Outreach service page to pick a tier — Media Starter (£297, 10 pitches), Visibility Builder (£497, 25 pitches), or Authority Campaign (£797, 50 pitches). Or book a free consultation if you want a pitchability assessment + angle development before committing. We'd rather flag structural issues at intake than collect fees on a campaign with low odds.
What's your next move?
If your book is publicly available (or has a confirmed launch date within 2 months) and you have a clear angle for journalists or podcast hosts, pick a tier — Media Starter (10 pitches), Visibility Builder (25 pitches), or Authority Campaign (50 pitches). Not sure if your book is structurally pitchable, or which angle would land best? Book a free consultation first.
Or contact support if you have questions before ordering.
Free Tools
Amazon Description Generator
Refine the 100-word framing that goes into every press kit and pitch email — strong copy lifts response rates 15-30%.
Book Title Generator
Subject lines that include the title outperform generic 'Author available for interview' lines on open rate.
Amazon KDP Keyword Research
Same keyword research that drives KDP discoverability also signals topic-relevance for journalists searching for sources.