In our “September edition” of journalists’ pet peeves, we look at what annoyed them the most that month and how you – as a PR professional or entrepreneur trying to get coverage – can become better at dealing with media representatives.
Check out our fourthly edition of journalist pet peeves on Twitter:
Something to remember, “influencers” are not news and pitching “new kids on the block” for a feature without them bringing any value to readers is definitely a faux pas.
Let’s get it right once and for all! In the world of media, “exclusivity” means that you are offering something newsworthy to one person: they get to be the first ones to get their hands on new product or information, have extensive interviews with relevant parties, decide on the timelines, etc. Whilst “press conference” implies a variety of media representatives attending: at the same time, in the same place. So if you hold an “exclusive press conference” – exclusivity clearly loses its meaning!
One of the most common PR mistakes: flashing all the coverage you received already. With journalists – you must bring new, fresh and exciting content in your pitches. So don’t pitch “outside the box”, pitch like there is no box!
Mass emails are NEVER a good idea. As Caitlin says “I find this lazy/unethical” and we couldn’t agree more. Do your (thorough) research.
Always double or even triple check who you are getting in touch with: it’s not rocket science to get the name right! And never use “nicknames” unless you are very familiar with that person.
Considering that the holiday season is approaching, do not assume that every journalist is putting together gift guides.
Avoid sending out creepy (follow-up) emails. You might find that funny, however, most journos don’t. Creepy = crappy.
It is simply unethical (and rather inhumane!) trying to jump the last train when journos or publications are going through difficult times (in this case, Gizmodo UK closing down). We’ll miss you Gizmodo UK!
