In the circle of financial PR, where markets swing wildly, regulations shift on a dime, and fintech stories demand sharp storytelling, success is based on timeless skills. Drawing from our 15+ years at the crossroads of financial journalism and PR for fintech and crypto leaders, we've honed approaches that work for everyone, from newcomers to seasoned players. 

These qualities aren't elite secrets, but they help to keep teams ahead of the curve, build media trust, and turn client goals into resonant narratives. When used consistently, they also strengthen internal collaboration and ensure that messaging remains aligned across multiple communication platforms.

Here, we share 5 journalistic tips that help us daily in our PR work and will certainly serve you the same purpose. Let's explore how they can play out and practically be used in professional environments. 

5 Journalistic Skills for PR Pros

1. Gathering a News Digest on a Daily Basis

Inside joke: journalist’s morning doesn’t start with coffee; it starts with reading the current e agenda and gathering a digest while identifying the hottest topics worth covering. And it should be the same for a PR professional. 

This tool will help you and your PR team regularly stay up-to-date with market news, be aware of current events and even enhance your work with clients and use newsjacking properly. Additionally, a well-prepared digest allows teams to anticipate trends, identify emerging risks, and proactively suggest story angles that align with ongoing industry conversations.

2. Making Pitches That Journalists Want to Open (and Read)

Every PR pro knows that there is no such thing as a perfect pitch. They depend on the purpose of your letter to a journalist, the proposed format, and even geography. But what works ten out of ten times is brevity.

Your pitch should be concise and coherent while answering 3 main questions: what, where, and when. Tier-1 journalists receive at least 50-70 letters per hour, so don’t waste their time — get straight to the point.  

Over time, we have also witnessed how rapidly evolving technologies and communication channels reshape the way stories are consumed, so that adaptability becomes critical as expertise. Grab attention with catchy headings and use the power of dynamic storytelling. Personalising pitches by referencing a journalist’s previous work can also significantly increase response rates and demonstrate genuine understanding of their editorial focus.

3. Knowing Your Market

Every journalist specialises in a certain topic and has extensive knowledge in certain markets – insurance, finance, or medicine. Often, journalists switch to PR for companies specialising in niche industries. 

Experience, expertise, and the ability to quickly grasp the topic are amazing journalistic skills that can be applied in PR to effectively incorporate the client’s message into a certain media. A deep understanding of industry terminology, regulatory nuances, and audience expectations also helps PR specialists translate complex concepts into accessible and engaging narratives. 

4. Multitasking and Respecting Deadlines

Multitasking and respecting deadlines is a journalistic set of skills that will be of everyday use for a PR specialist as their job is not solely pitching. PR today is an intersection between content, building trustworthy relationships with journalists and clients, brand management, and adaptation to SEO and digital media formats. 

Thus, a PR specialist that respects the time and effort of others can go a long way. Effective time management systems, prioritisation techniques, and clear communication within teams further enhance productivity and reduce the risk of errors during high-pressure situations.

5. Working on Your Stress Resistance

Following the previous point, surviving without mastering a journalistic ability to work under constant pressure and short deadlines is impossible. PR is a complex field where you always need to be ready to tackle unforeseen circumstances, and the best way to succeed here is to keep your head cool. 

Besides, working on your stress resistance will gradually help to prevent burnout at work. Developing healthy work routines, maintaining realistic expectations, and fostering supportive team environments can significantly strengthen resilience over time.

Conclusion

Summing up, I would like to note that a widely accepted conception that PR today only requires pitching is misleading. PR in finance and crypto especially has outgrown the "pitch-and-pray" myth. Today, it's a symphony of skills borrowed from journalists, content wizards and digital natives. At our company, blending these has powered campaigns for fintech leaders while helping brands communicate complex ideas with clarity and credibility.

Embrace this holistic view, and you'll think like the media, clients, and audiences. Experiment with one skill weekly; track metrics like placement rates or engagement. In an era of AI tools and instant news, human journalistic instincts remain your differentiator — building careers that don't just survive market turbulence but shape it. Ready to level up? Your next big win might start with today's digest.