Editor shares important dos and don’ts of pitching

How to send a useful, meaningful pitch that might actually earn your client coverage.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

Sometimes it’s the writer’s fault. They don’t return emails or answer their phones, and they don’t always see what public relations has to offer.

Sometimes it’s the PR professionals’ fault. They send poorly targeted pitches, “follow up” on email conversations that never took place, and, most egregiously, fail to learn about the person or publication they’re trying to pitch.

Every writer and every PR pro is different. As a writer who briefly worked on the agency side, I’m more sympathetic to the junior PR associate’s plight. I know you have to send emails and make follow-up calls. With luck, though, your higher-ups will read this post and reconsider making you do those annoying things.

You should know that, as a writer, I have deadlines and other time-sensitive tasks. You should know I get a thousand pitches a week and that it’s hard for me to remember many of them. Because I’m telling PR professionals what I think is inconsiderate, I promise to do a better job of responding to your emails and phone calls. I promise not to send sarcastic responses to silly pitches.

There are some times when you should never send a pitch. For example:

Don’t send me a pitch or news release solely to me to follow you on social media.

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.