Every day, I get a variety of media pitches from companies and PR folks. No doubt, I try to evaluate all of them.

The problem: some of the pitches don't work. As a result, a company may miss an opportunity to get some exposure.

However, there are some strategies to improve things. So, let's take a look:

Know the journalist: Most of us focus on certain topics (or have a so-called beat). Thus, read some of a journalist's work. If he or she doesn't cover your industry or market focus, then it's probably a waste of time to make a pitch.

Now, for those who are a right fit: put the journalist's name in a notebook or a database (there are free online offerings, such as Zoho). You might also look at other publications the journalist writes for. Oh, and it's a good idea to keep reading the journalist's work. To this end, you might set a filter with something like Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) News.

Craft a personalized pitch: OK, I will respond to a canned pitch. But, it better be highly targeted.