How to Pitch Institutional Investor

What we’re looking for from contributors and how to send us pitches.

What We’re Looking for

• Stories that feature conflict, narrative, access, and disclosure.
• International content that will resonate with American readers (e.g., a London-based freelancer’s feature“The $100 Billion Venture Capital Bomb”).
• Articles based on novel data or research about the asset management industry (e.g., the authors ofII’s most-read feature,“The MBA Myth and the Cult of the CEO,”built a database from which they concluded there is no link between fancy MBAs and stock performance).
• Cultural stories about the financial industry (e.g.,“The Death and Life of a Hedge Fund Mansion”).
• Freelancers who know the institutional investment world — or at least the sectors that are relevant to their pitches.

What We’re Not Looking for

• “High-Profile Person Opines on XYZ.” Unless the person is at the level of a Jamie Dimon, Ray Dalio, or Henry Kravis, we will pass.These stories typically flop because they are so unlikely to speak to the actual conflicts in their business segments. Without conflict, they’re just puff pieces of a sort.
• Dry regulation-centered articles. The bar is higher for regulatory stories, but some freelancers have pulled off hits (e.g.,“After Years of Talk, MiFID II Is Live. Here’s How It’s Already Changing the Research Business.”).
• Retail investment stories. To pitch pieces relevant to financial advisers, email Greg Bartalos, the editor ofII’s new publicationRIA Intel, atgreg.bartalos@institutionalinvestor.com.
• Bylined articles by asset managers or service providers. If you’re interested in submitting such a piece toII, please contact our publisher, Vicki King, atvicki.king@institutionalinvestor.comfor pricing and further details.

What We Pay

• II’s freelance rate is $1/per word plus reasonable expenses. Certain writers will earn more, as will authors bringing us hot scoops.
• We strive to be a freelancer-friendly newsroom. This means paying invoices within two weeks of receiving them and responding to pitches in a timely manner.

How to Pitch

• Good pitches can be as brief as a couple of paragraphs. If we’re interested, we will get in touch to flesh them out. Send us a plan, not just an idea. For example, an overview of how short-sellers are struggling isn’t as compelling as a spotlight on a specific hedge fund manager who’s barely staying above water. Pitches should include a few potential sources, although you don’t need to secure access ahead of time (but if you have an in, flag it).
• 包括估计字数. We rarely commission pieces that are fewer than 800 words; the sweet spot is 1,000 to 2,000 (e.g., “Hedge Funds Don’t Want You Sharing Their Letters. Too Bad You’ve Got an iPhone.”). When a story merits, we will publish a feature of 3,000 to 5,000 words (e.g.,“One Young Harvard Grad’s Quixotic Quest to Disrupt Private Equity”and“Maria Bartiromo Was a Generational Icon for Financial Television. What Happened?”).
• Email pitches to Mike Corcoranmichael.corcoran@institutionalinvestor.com, and Editor Amy Whyteamy.whyte@institutionalinvestor.com. If a pitch is highly time-sensitive, put “Urgent” in the subject line.