In this episode of The Press Playbook, I sat down with Torri Jackson, Account Executive at BAM, to talk about how she helped one of her clients, IMPLAN, land a CNBC placement by leading with strong data and clear economic impact.
This episode is all about why reporters love numbers, how to structure a data-driven pitch, and how consistent analysis can turn a company into a go-to source.
Below are the key moments and takeaways from the episode, or listen where you please:
Episode Overview
Guest: Torri Jackson, Account Executive at BAM
Client Featured: IMPLAN
Key Placement: CNBC
Episode Focus: Data-driven pitching and economic impact stories
Key Moments & Takeaways
⏱️ 00:00–01:30 — Meet Torri and the Client
I introduce Torri and her role at BAM. She shares background on IMPLAN and explains what they do. At a high level, IMPLAN helps organizations understand economic impact using detailed data and modeling.
⏱️ 01:30–03:00 — The Story Idea
Torri explains the core story that led to the CNBC placement. IMPLAN analyzed data around international student enrollment and showed how recent declines were impacting the U.S. economy.
Instead of pitching a broad trend, the story focused on clear numbers and what those numbers actually meant in real dollars.
⏱️ 03:00–04:30 — Why the Pitch Worked
One of the biggest reasons this pitch landed is because it was straightforward.
The subject line included data. The pitch led with the most important findings. And everything was easy for a reporter to scan quickly.
Torri shares that reporters respond faster when the value of the story is obvious right away.
⏱️ 04:30–06:00 — Choosing the Right Reporter
This wasn’t a random outreach. Torri had worked with this CNBC reporter before and knew they liked data-heavy stories.
Because the pitch aligned so closely with the reporter’s beat, it was an easy yes.
⏱️ 06:00–07:30 — Structuring a Data-Driven Pitch
Torri walks through how she typically structures pitches like this:
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A clear subject line with numbers
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A short explanation of the data and why it matters
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Bullet points with the key findings
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Access to an economist or expert
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A quick explanation of what the company does
The goal is to make the reporter’s job as easy as possible.
⏱️ 07:30–09:00 — Building on Past Coverage
This CNBC placement didn’t come out of nowhere. It was a follow-up to earlier analysis IMPLAN had done.
Torri explains that when reporters see you consistently bring useful data, they start coming back for updates. That’s how clients turn into repeat sources.
⏱️ 09:00–10:15 — Advice for Founders
Torri’s advice is simple: If you have data, use it.
Strong data helps reporters move faster. It helps editors say yes. And it helps stories feel credible without needing a big announcement.
Final Takeaway
This episode is a great reminder that you don’t need flashy news to land top-tier press.
Clear data, real impact, and a well-structured pitch can go a long way. When you make things easy for reporters and consistently bring them useful insights, outlets like CNBC become much more attainable.
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