Based on our research, here’s a look at story types most common in the payments and banking spaces these days, coupled with a short list of must-pitch reporters, and some diamonds in the rough, too. Keep a sharp lookout for the story types, using them as templates for your own approaches.

Why did we choose payments and banking for the latest SWMS deep-dive? Everybody buys something. If the payments space doesn't constitute the largest total available market of all time, it's close. Banking? For a decade, startups have struggled to monetize those who don't use banks, or barely use them.

When planning your coverage strategies for 2021, rethink the power of Tier 1. Don't assume "Tier 1" means best-of-breed coverage. Tier 1 editorial brands imply a level of leadership that may not hold up under scrutiny. Remember too that the older the brand, the more prestige it tends to enjoy in the C-suite.