How I Pitch Journalists for Organic Features (Without PR Agencies or Paid Placements)
For a long time, I believed getting featured in a magazine required either a PR agency, paid placements, or knowing the “right people.”
Over time, I realised something far more powerful exists—traditional, organic PR done thoughtfully.
This blog is a transparent breakdown of how I pitch journalists and editors myself, using research, timing, and storytelling—without spamming inboxes or sounding transactional.
If you’re a founder, creator, or brand trying to earn earned media the right way, this is for you.
Step 1: Start With Research (This Is Where Most People Go Wrong)
Before drafting a single email, your first job is research.
Not:
“Let me email Vogue”
“Let me pitch Cosmopolitan”
But:
Who writes for them?
What do they write about?
Why would my story matter to them?
What to look for:
Feature writers
Lifestyle editors
Culture writers
Gifting / fashion / design contributors
Best platforms to find them:
LinkedIn (search publication name → people → editor/writer)
Publication mastheads (online)
Instagram bios (many writers list their role clearly)
Make a small list. Even 5–7 well-researched contacts are better than 50 random emails.
Step 2: Finding Their Email (Without Being Awkward)
If you can’t find an email address publicly, don’t panic.
The best way?
Instagram DMs—short, respectful, and direct.
You’re not pitching here. You’re just asking for permission to pitch.
Example:
Hi, hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out from Kam & Kalm—we’ve put together a short end-of-year gifting pitch and I’d love to email it to you. Could you please share your preferred email address?
That’s it.
No over-explaining. No attachments. No desperation.
Step 3: Drafting a Clear, Thoughtful Pitch (Not a Sales Email)
Editors don’t want product catalogues.
They want stories, relevance, and timing.
Your email should answer three silent questions:
Why now?
Why this?
Why you?
Here’s the exact email I sent to journalists for end-of-year and Christmas features:
Hi xxx,
I hope this note finds you well. I’m Kamya Gupta, founder of Kam & Kalm, a boutique design and print studio built on the belief that every feeling deserves to be beautifully kept.
We specialise in handcrafted coffee-table books, travel memoirs, wedding memory boxes and personalised keepsakes — pieces designed to bring emotion, design, and tangibility back into modern living.
As the winter holidays approach aalong with the wedding season and the year comes to an end, people everywhere are looking for gifts that feel intentional, personal, and meaningful.
I’d love to introduce you to Kam & Kalm’s keepsake ecosystem, created to help people preserve the moments, journeys and celebrations that defined their year.
Our studio has crafted bespoke pieces for clients including Google, and veteran design collector Leena Poddar, along with couples, families and travellers across the globe.
What We Create
1. Coffee Table Story Books
Custom Handcrafted memoirs that transform birthdays, milestones, love stories, and family histories into elegant, design-forward books meant to live on your coffee table.
2. Travel Books
Thoughtfully sized at 7×9 inches, with 50 curated pages (up to 70 photos), available in Matte Laminated and Writable Canvas editions — complete with QR-embedded videos and a cloth keepsake pouch.
Perfect for year-end travel recaps and meaningful holiday gifting.
3. The Wedding Story Box
Our signature, original concept — a contemporary alternative to bulky albums.
A curated set of four handcrafted books, each narrating a chapter of a wedding. Available in Standard and Luxe velvet-touch editions.
4. Keepsake Boxes
Custom-made memory boxes for brides, partners, new parents, travellers or families — designed to hold letters, photos, and mementos in one refined space.
Why Kam & Kalm Matters This Season
December is when people:
• look back at their year
• seek meaningful gifts
• create travel diaries
• prepare for wedding season
• want personalised, thoughtful options
• begin archiving memories
• start building keepsakes for 2025
Kam & Kalm sits naturally at the centre of this moment — offering design-led, handcrafted, personal keepsakes that outlive trends.
About Kam & Kalm
Founded in 2025, Kam & Kalm is a boutique design and gifting studio that blends storytelling, craftsmanship and emotion.
Every piece we create is guided by quiet luxury, intentional design and the belief that some moments deserve to be kept forever — beautifully.
Press Materials & Visuals
You can access high-resolution images, product folders and press assets here:
Link to Assets
Each keepsake is made-to-order, crafted in-house, and ships pan-India within 2–4 weeks.
If you're curating a wedding gifting feature, end-of-year gifting story, a 2024 reflection feature, or exploring the rise of tangible memory, I’d be delighted to share more details or collaborate further.
Warm regards,
Kamya Gupta
Founder — Kam & Kalm
kamya@kamandkalm.com
@kamandkalm
Why this works:
It introduces the brand holistically
It clearly defines what category you belong to
It ties into year-end reflection and gifting
It makes the editor’s job easier with one clean press folder
Step 4: Understand Editorial Calendars (This Changes Everything)
Traditional PR works best when you pitch ahead of time.
Some rough guidelines:
Valentine’s / Love / Gifting: Pitch in January
Wedding season: Pitch 4–6 weeks before peak months
Christmas / Year-end: Pitch by early November
Travel features: Pitch before holiday seasons
Always ask yourself:
What is this editor likely planning right now?
Then align your pitch accordingly.
Step 5: Follow Up (Without Invading Their Inbox)
Follow-ups are important—but how you follow up matters more.
❌ Don’t:
Send daily “hey hey”
Ask “did you see my mail?”
Sound impatient
✅ Do:
Follow up after 3–5 days
Keep it under 3 lines
Be polite and unobtrusive
Example:
Just following up on my earlier note in case it slipped through. Sharing the press folder here again for easy access.
That’s it.
Editors appreciate restraint.
Step 6: Accept Silence (It’s Part of the Process)
Not getting a reply doesn’t mean:
Your pitch is bad
Your brand isn’t good enough
You did something wrong
Editors receive hundreds of emails a day—especially during festive seasons.
Sometimes your pitch lands:
At the wrong time
After a story is already closed
During a publishing freeze
Consistency matters more than one outcome.
Final Thought
Traditional PR is not about chasing visibility.
It’s about earning attention.
When you:
respect journalists’ time
pitch with clarity
align with their calendars
and tell stories worth telling
…features follow—organically, honestly, and sustainably.
This is how I approach PR for Kam & Kalm, and this is what I’d recommend to any brand building something meaningful.
