You know they need you, and they know they need you. We all know they're not going to admit it. So instead of begging journalists to come clean about their dependence on media
relations pros, PR NEWS asked them for something they're much more willing to dole out: their advice to PR practitioners on how to win the media's attention and build better
relationships.
In our annual "What Journalists Think" survey, we asked writers at our sister publications and a few outside media outlets to tell us how savvy PR pros in their industries have
won their trust ... and how a few less-than-top-notch practitioners have alienated them. Most of their counsel comes in the form of time-honored complaints, but they're worth
repeating since offenses seem to be ongoing.
Never fear, however: This year PR NEWS turned the tables on "the hacks" and asked communications execs to sound off on their own pet peeves about journalists. You came through
with everything from asking for exclusives and sitting on information to "B.O." Turn to page four - we think you'll be comforted to see that you are not alone.
Pitches that Pique Reporters' Interest ...
Everything from honesty to fresh angles to love oil came up in this category. The general trend, however, is a pithy pitch that demonstrates knowledge of the pub being pitched.
Jenny Sullivan, a freelance editor for I.D. magazine, HOW magazine and The Artist's Magazine (and former senior editor of PR NEWS) recently received a pitch from a design firm
that had read several of her columns in HOW and offered a unique angle on how its studio fit into her area of coverage: Instead of the blazing color schemes at most studios, "this
firm's environment sported a completely black-and-white aesthetic." The email included a link offering a virtual tour and an invitation offering a real one. Sullivan ended up
covering the company in a four-page article.
Malcolm Spicer, senior editor of PR NEWS sister pub Wireless Data News, agrees that an immediate recognition of his needs is what wins him over: "Good pitches are concise and
immediately connect their product/service to the market I cover."
When all else fails, however, get creative: Seth Arenstein, editorial director for sister pub CableFAX Daily, received a Valentine's Day gift box from the Sci Fi Channel. The
pitch was for an upcoming original movie, "Firestarter Rekindled," and included chocolate, candles, matches and "a bottle of love oil that (supposedly) heats up on contact with
the body. The movie is about a pretty girl who has powers that allow her to start fires just by thinking about them, so the fire/heat motif is appropriate." For more information
about love oil pitches, contact the Sci Fi Channel.
... And Spark their Ire
Pitches that failed to "light reporters' fires" were abundant. Most complaints center on lack of knowledge about a publication. Jim Rogers, senior managing editor of several
PBI Media pubs (including PR NEWS), says PR pros of ten pitch solely based on a pub's title. They're making judgements about a pub based solely on its name. The other day I got an
email pitch for Broadband Business Report. It had to do with a new wireless broadband product that facilitates in-flight maintenance of aircraft. I ended up sending it to Air
Safety Week. The PR pro who sent that to me now owes me big time for doing her job for her."
The phenomenon of poorly-targeted pitches is largely due to blast releases that reach thousands of reporters - great exposure, but not necessarily the key to coverage. "When
[PR pros] specify their pitches to me (and min), rather than look at me as one in a thousand names, they have a far better chance to succeed," says Steve Cohn, editor-in-chief of
sister pub Media Industry Newsletter (min).
Reporters also - naturally - expect PR professionals to be knowledgeable about their pitches - and this doesn't apply solely to the often-elusive high-tech industry. "For a
restaurant review, an agency piqued my interest with a press kit for a new hot spot in Manhattan. When I called the main contact on the release, she couldn't answer any of my
questions," says Sullivan. "Not even basic stuff like what's on the menu."
Finally, when you're pitching an editor, expect to be edited. When asked what she wants in a pitch, Amy Keyishian, freelance writer for pubs like Glamour and Maxim replied
succinctly: "Good grammar and brevity."
Building Trust
Avoiding phone calls and sending the occasional bottle of love oil aren't a quick path to coverage, however. Building trust-based relationships with reporters remains the
foundation of media relations, and those relationships require time and attention.
"Bill Rose of Ciena is the most honest, personable PR man I know," says Evan Bass, senior editor of sister pub Fiber Optics News. "He deals with press requests from CNN, MSNBC
and The Wall Street Journal and makes me feel just as high-priority as those folks. He's the only PR person I've ever encountered who answered the question 'When can I get an
interview with the CEO?' by saying, 'Let me see if he's in his office.'"
"Being able to come through in a crunch" is a top factor in making a communicator "unforgettable and always a pleasure to do business with," agrees Anthony DeRico, editor of
min's b2b.
Journalists also want to know you're offering them value for their benefit, rather than just trying to place a pitch: "It starts with being honest, dropping the lingo, dropping
the sales pitch and offering the reporter something of value," says Marty Kady, technology reporter for The Washington Business Journal.
"My favorite contacts are folks who will put me in touch with a great source for a story even if they have nothing to gain from it," says Sullivan. "Payback time eventually
comes around."
Editor's Note: For more information from the annual "What Journalists Think" survey, or from our "What PR Pros Think" survey, check out The Latest from PR NEWS, our free
monthly e-letter, coming up next week. To receive a copy, sign up at http://www.PRandMarketing.com.
What PR Pros Think
Journalists aren't the only ones with gripes. Below is a sampling of the daily trials and tribulations of working with thorny (and evidently smelly) journalists. (Editor's
Note: We at PR NEWS shower religiously.)
- I can sum up my beef in two letters: B.O. Enough trying to cultivate the "disheveled genius" persona. The next time I parade one of my clients in front of you, at least
wash your hands. I'm in the image business, buddy, and you're hurting mine. As for the rest of the writerly world, I'm content. The combination of a recessive economy and the
vivid image of terrorism on home soil has had a sobering effect. Folks just seem more willing to be kind to their neighbor. Even a lowly PR flack. - Mike Spinney, Sterling Hager - What really gets me is the lack of professional courtesy the press often shows. Today I was expecting a reporter from a local newspaper. When he didn't show up, I called. His
answer? "I was tired this morning." - Joe Diorio, VP, BTC PR - Reporters seem to respond well to a pitch, but then string you along for weeks and end up never doing the story. - A PR specialist and part-time reporter who prefers to remain
anonymous - Why do journalists have the story essentially written before it actually is? All too often, they ignore pertinent information because it doesn't 'fit' the story they're
writing. - A PR veteran of 22 years who prefers to remain anonymous
(Contacts: Sullivan, [email protected]; Spicer: [email protected]; Arenstein, [email protected]; Rogers, [email protected]; Cohn, scohn@pbimedia. com; Bass, [email protected]; Keyishian, [email protected]; DeRico, [email protected]; Kady, [email protected])