When it comes to successful pitching, leave the bells and whistles behind: keep it short and to the point.

Always keep in mind that journalists are constantly pressed for time. When sorting through mountains of emails and faxes or endless streams of phone calls, journalists can be especially responsive to messages that cut through the clutter merely by the virtue of being quick. Editors react the same way, as they often demand that reporters provide a brief synopsis of a story proposal before signing off on it.

Therefore, when pitching a journalist, operate like one. Journalists are trained to produce a concise, punchy lead that hooks the reader into wanting to read more. Leaving a journalist with a similar impression from a single sentence email before a straightforward release is often far more effective than a fireworks display involving Powerpoints, charts and a 5,000-word biography on your company’s newest hire.

At a panel hosted by the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society, journalists had a simple message when it comes to King Kong-size press kits and prolix press releases: “Enough is enough.”

Over the years, there’s been a growing trend in PR circles towards the creation of press releases that rival a Tolstoy novel in verbosity and press kits that appear inspired by pop-up books. All forms of media today demand messages that break away from the pack with something “different.” Unfortunately, attempts to make communications with the media stand out have led to messaging underlined by the flawed premise that “bigger is better.”