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Topic: PR and Writers: What do Writers Want?
| Author | Message |
| clairezulkey | Posted – 8/2/2006 11:36:54 AM | show profile | email poster Writers: what have been some of the best (and worst) experiences you've had working with PR folk? How do you prefer being reached out to? When have they inhibited your work or simply bugged you? And, lovely PR people, don't fret: we're going to get YOUR point of view on the ups and downs working with writers as our next featured topic! ------ Editor of MBToolBox |
| Cory | Posted – 8/2/2006 12:37:19 PM | show profile What I like: When PR people introduce themselves to me and let me know who they represent, so when I am working on a story that relates to one of their clients, I can call them. What I don't like: When PR people pitch me specific story ideas. I would never, ever use one of them; it would be like writing an advertisement. Also frustrating: When a PR person tries to control the story and continually asks me what my "angle" is, when obviously I don't know until I've reported the story. |
| Linda F | Posted – 8/2/2006 12:51:23 PM | show profile Okay, here's me being a complete beeyotch -- nice stuff will follow... * I don't like to get pitches from PR people, ever. Only once in nine years and several hundred articles have I ever used any info from an unsolicited pitch. I come up with my own ideas and I have my own ways for doing so. I'm also just really into privacy (I used to run a website about intrusive advertising), so getting unsolicited pitches annoys me. * I also don't like it when PR people (or anyone I interview) sticks me on their mailing list. Do you have any idea how many people I interview? What if *everyone* put me on their mailing lists? Also, it puts me in an uncomfortable position because I feel like a jerk asking to be removed from their list when they just helped me with an article. Just because I was interested in your topic once doesn't mean I'm interested in it every week for the rest of my life. * I get annoyed when a PR person contantly calls and e-mails. Once I accidentally put my phone number in a ProfNet query, and one PR person called six times in one hour. Last week I e-mailed a PR person to double-check some basic info on a product I'm including in an article: Price and where to buy. First she e-mailed me several huge, attached photos. Then she called a few minutes later and left a voicemail. Then she called a little over an hour later and left a voicemail saying, "Linda, this is the second time I've tried to call you with no success...we're very eager to be in this article, so please return my call as soon as possible." I was afraid to call back! No one likes getting the hard sell. * I'm a magazine writer. I'm working on stories for late winter and spring now. Please don't e-mail me with your great idea for a back-to-school feature. Now I'll be nice and say that the majority of PR folks I've worked with are awesome. They get back to me quickly, set up interviews, send me info I need, and generally are very helpful. There are a few I've developed good relationships with because they're always helpful and never pushy...these are the people I go to first when I need a source. Linda http://www.lindaformichelli.com http://renegadewriterblog.blogspot.com |
| mailbag | Posted – 8/2/2006 1:33:35 PM | show profile | email poster There are two roles PR plays in my world 1) they seek press coverage, 2) they present campaign validation. I notice a difference between corporate PR employees and those "agency reps" hired by a corporate customer to get some press. Whereas...the actual employee has to maintain that relationship with me and thus, is usually more open to my probing questions and is more open to leaking information when I need it. Those corp contacts are a dream and my "best" example. The worst experiences have been with agency people who think they are experts in software and the web user experience. They talk a great presentation to secure a contract and then when chosen, cut their own expenses on the project for validation / focus work, and instead use a previous client's data to make recommendations. For contacting me...the corp PR rep has my biz card and home phone number. With agency reps -- I usually tell them to e-mail me. |
| Cyrus | Posted – 8/2/2006 2:14:06 PM | show profile As someone who was pitched constantly as a journalist at CNN, and now has their own PR practice, I can understand the frustration of writers. It's unfortunate, but the bad practices PR people engage in are really often put upon them by the client. For example, clients often expect verbatim comments from a journalist about why they didn't use a story. As a former journalist who got more than 100 pitches a day years ago, I know that if a writer took even 30 seconds to answer every pitch they got, they'd never have time for anything else. But good PR pros, rather than focusing on strictly pitching, develop relationships. For example, I do a lot of legal PR for top 100 law firms, and lawyers are often the best sources a reporter can have. Years ago, when the MCI case was the biggest thing going, everybody wanted to talk to a lawyer that I worked with who represented Bernie Ebbers. Obviously, we couldn't speak about the case, as it was ongoing. But rather than tell reporters I couldn't help them, I'd find them a lawyer who wasn't conflicted out and COULD provide comment. Also, while some writers don't use material provided by PR pros, many people do for the simple reason that it's impossible to read every good source pertaining to a reporter's given beat. Good PR pros specialize in one or two specific areas and have good relationships with the reporters in those areas. PR is just like anything else; just as there are writers that embellish stories, there are flacks that shouldn't be in the biz. But, in most all cases, they're both washed out given time. ------ Cyrus Afzali Astoria Communications www.astoriacomm.com |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 8/2/2006 2:55:02 PM | show profile I appreciate that PR people have a job to do, and they have their own agenda, which sometimes lines up with mine and sometimes doesn't. As a freelancer, I tend to deal with PR people only when I'm contacting them about a specific story. The main thing I need is quick response, since I am always on deadline. Returning phone calls quickly, even iof they're only telling me their person won't do an interview, is always appreciated. I don't mind follow-up calls and their trying to work me a bit on behalf of their client's angle. That's their job. |
| rm writer | Posted – 8/2/2006 3:07:11 PM | show profile how to reply to PR rep I'm so glad this thread came up, although i hope my question is too terribly far off topic. I'm a fledgling freelancer and recently did a piece involving several short profiles. While i was writing, a PR firm contacted my editor about a client whom she thought was very newsworthy. I interviewed the woman and intended to include her in the piece, but as it shaped up i realized she just wasn't interesting enough to write about. A couple days ago i got an e-mail from the PR person checking in with me and asking when the piece would be published and i'm not sure of the best way to put it that i didnt write about her client. Any advice? |
| Cyrus | Posted – 8/2/2006 3:10:49 PM | show profile RM, Just tell her that the client wasn't a good fit for the story. Again, a good PR pro will tell their client that all they can do is conduct the outreach that will hopefully result in some interviews. Interviews don't translate into a story or a mention in a story for lots of reasons, and a savvy client understands that. They also understand that even if they don't get mentioned, it shouldn't be seen as a waste of time because, if they did their job of informing the reporter well, they will hopefully come back to them when they have a story where they're a fit. ------ Cyrus Afzali Astoria Communications www.astoriacomm.com |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 8/2/2006 3:18:26 PM | show profile You don't need to go into specifics. Just say -- "Unfortunately, she didn't fit into the piece and I won't be quoting her." --I'm so glad this thread came up, although i hope my question is too terribly far off topic. I'm a fledgling freelancer and recently did a piece involving several short profiles. While i was writing, a PR firm contacted my editor about a client whom she thought was very newsworthy. I interviewed the woman and intended to include her in the piece, but as it shaped up i realized she just wasn't interesting enough to write about. A couple days ago i got an e-mail from the PR person checking in with me and asking when the piece would be published and i'm not sure of the best way to put it that i didnt write about her client. Any advice?>> |
| questomodo | Posted – 8/4/2006 1:06:43 PM | show profile I find that PR people are often eager to get me to write a story about their clients, but sometimes when I need their help finding a photo or more specific information, they're unable to get it to me in a timely manner, if at all. Good PR people do more than write press releases. |
| jcpatterson | Posted – 8/4/2006 2:53:16 PM | show profile The best PR folks (and there are many I have worked with) take the time to get to know the areas that I cover regularly, let me know if their client has interesting news, and respond quickly if I am on deadline. The most annoying are the ones who contact me multiple times, implying (as Linda F said above) that there is clearly something wrong if I'm not leaping to use their clients in the story. This unfortunately seems to coincide with the ones who would like to refocus the piece to suit their own needs--I have gotten multiple ProfNet responses over the years that start with, "I know you wanted to hear about X, but I really think you are missing something if you neglect Y." If I'm writing about X, I'm probably pretty certain that that is what I want to investigate, and the PR person in that case has just substantially increased the chances that I won't use them if I ever do cover Y. For example, I regularly cover higher education, and this will happen with amazing frequency with people trying to get me to include a K-12 focus that is not even marginally related to colleges and universities. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 8/4/2006 3:27:01 PM | show profile This type of thing doesn't bother me. The PR people have a product to sell, and it's a numbers game for them. ---I have gotten multiple ProfNet responses over the years that start with, "I know you wanted to hear about X, but I really think you are missing something if you neglect Y." If I'm writing about X, I'm probably pretty certain that that is what I want to investigate, and the PR person in that case has just substantially increased the chances that I won't use them if I ever do cover Y. -- |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 8/4/2006 3:35:31 PM | show profile I too have worked on both sides, and currently work in PR. From being a journalist, I know that it's irritating to get constant follow-up calls and to not have PR people get back to me in a timely manner when I'm on a deadline. I also hated phone calls in general- I always wanted stuff e-mailed to me.This knowledge has helped me immenself in my job as a PR practitioner - I am really sensitive of that now. My beef now though, is when journalists call frantically for a source, I help them, send them to someone who they later call wonderful and SO helpful, and send background articles on the topic they are covering, and then they don't even mention my organization's name! I took hours to help them and then I don't even get a mention. |
| The phashionista | Posted – 8/4/2006 4:55:24 PM | show profile I think the most annoying call to get is the "did you get my press release" phone call. I feel bad for the poor intern who has to make these calls. And my instincts tell me that it's just a way to add billable hours to the client. See, we're doing something. We spent XX hours calling editors. I would recommend following through with an image if I need it or the proper contact information. I've asked for addresses and phone numbers and I never get all the information. Or when the product will be available to the public. Most of the PR peeps I deal with are wonderful, so I have few complaints. |
| journo99 | Posted – 8/4/2006 10:25:57 PM | show profile I agree wholeheartedly with the above post on the "did you get my press release" phone call. For reference, I'm a business reporter in Australia covering the mining and oil and gas industry on a metro daily. Our business section tends to be more corporate than many in the US (only listed companies) and the writing is more comparable to the Wall Street Journal or Reuters or Bloomberg. I actually do read my e-mails (or at least glance at them) and if I thought there was a story, I would call back! That said, there are a few PR people I tend to trust who will only call me if something really interesting happened with a company or if its share price moved a lot. Those are the ones I am willing to talk to, not the ones who call to ask if I got a press release and proceed to read straight from it on the phone! My favorite PR people of all are in-house ones at huge companies that don't usually deal with consumer press and don't pitch you stories. They are there to help when you call them. |
| TheNoob | Posted – 8/6/2006 6:52:34 PM | show profile Those "did you get my press release?" calls are actually useful. You may send out the release to 100 people and when you follow up, you might get 5-10 writers/editors who don't remember seeing the information and would like to see it. You may be surprised that there are actually journalists and writers who WANT to get releases and pitches. I just made the transition from journalism to PR, and it's my job to do that sort of thing, not the interns. In the newspaper world, think man on the street interviews or obits. Editors don't make veterans go find people to talk about how hot the weather is. Also, when you get these phone calls, all I ask is you be cordial and remember what it was like when you had to hit the streets to ask random people questions. As a newbie reporter, I had a woman stick her hand in my face as I tried to ask her a question. That's sort of what doing follow-up calls are like. |
| Venus | Posted – 8/7/2006 12:18:54 PM | show profile MagGirl: I'm confused as to why you as a PR person would expect recognition for a story (I assume that's what you mean when you say you want recognition). I can certainly understand wanting a pat on the back for your hard work, but I wouldn't expect the journalist or the publication they're writing for to be the one to thank you. Seems your client should be the one thanking you for increasing exposure for them. That said, as a writer, I try to thank helpful PR people whenever I can with a quick email or phone call after the story is filed. But I also realize that when they help me get in touch with their clients, they're just doing their jobs. |
| waki43 | Posted – 8/7/2006 7:40:27 PM | show profile No one wants to be annoying I too have worked both sides (PR now) and everyone is different. In a perfect world, all journalist could inform us somehow of how they would like to be pitched and what times are best, etc. Bacon's mentions preferred pitching method, though who knows how accurate? I HATE feeling like a nag or a saleswoman most of all- and PR people need to trust in journalists ability to know a story when they see it- I definately get that. On the flipside journalists should get that thier is the client to answer to, and no one wants to be deemed as annoying but if we dont hear ANYTHING back sometimes, we have to at least try and get a solid reason, otherwise client relations go down the toilet. Its so intangible sometimes- I've even started keeping a call log if i do make calls. I wish i knew who will not accept unsolicited pitches- but sometimes its just a blind swing! |
| df | Posted – 8/7/2006 7:46:43 PM | show profile what is it writers really want??? Okay writers, editors out there: let's forget that your favorite people are in-house people - most pitches come from agencies, since in-house doesn?t want to get their hands dirty with work. If you could build yourself the best pr agency pitch ever, what would it be, how would it look? Do you want to be called or just e-mailed? Should an agency person first call you and then send the e-mail, or the other way around - always assuming I am pitching a topic, which fits your section, style and timing (those are a given for pros) I am asking this because in our agency we have the ?how to pitch? discussion every few months again. Many of us are former editors or TV people and we all are long time pros in the field. still we can never agree. Please solve this fight forever. We will be thankful forever. And you might actually get your favorite pitch, just as ordered. PS: returning phone calls, providing pics and contacts, being knowledgeable are a must in pr. If an agency doesn?t provide those basics, well it?s not the fault of pr, but of the overall decline in professional work ethics. |
| df | Posted – 8/7/2006 7:51:56 PM | show profile Okay writers, editors out there: let's forget that your favorite people are in-house people - most pitches come from agencies, since in-house doesn?t want to get their hands dirty with work. If you could build yourself the best pr agency pitch ever, what would it be, how would it look? Do you want to be called or just e-mailed? Should an agency person first call you and then send the e-mail, or the other way around - always assuming I am pitching a topic, which fits your section, style and timing (those are a given for pros) I am asking this because in our agency we have the ?how to pitch? discussion every few months again. Many of us are former editors or TV people and we all are long time pr pros. still we can never agree. Please solve this fight forever. We will be thankful forever. And you might actually get your favorite pitch, just as ordered. And please don't tell me you don't want to get pitched at all, because in that case, how you are going to know about the new development in the field of xyz? PS: returning phone calls, providing pics and contacts, being knowledgeable are a must in pr. If an agency doesn?t provide those basics, well it?s not the fault of pr, but of the overall decline in professional work ethics. |
| jcpatterson | Posted – 8/8/2006 1:37:20 PM | show profile Email as first contact, please. This is not just for ease of reading/screening pitches, but because I really do want to take some time to think about your pitch and see how it might fit in to my pubs. The best I can do on an initial phone call is either clarify my needs, or tell you to send the email and I'll look when I am able. Beyond that, it is always helpful (although not necessary) if you as a PR person have suggestions about overarching topics that your newest news may fit. Yes, in the best of all possible worlds for your client, I would dedicate a 1200-word story solely to the client's latest news/product/event/whatever. Realistically, however, I"m probably going to fit that news into a larger, multi-source story, so it is always nice to get a heads-up when news fits into a larger trend. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 8/8/2006 2:23:50 PM | show profile All this is skirting the real issue. Basically, a PR person in this context is a salesman. Now, if you ask a buyer (the writer or editor) how he wants a salesman to interact with him (the PR guy), what the buyer wants won't necessary be the best way for the salersman to make a sale. I mean, does anyone ever say, "Sure, I want a salesman to call me and follow up?" No, we prefer not to be bothered. But that isn't how to close sales. I've done Profnet queries, for instance, where I said don't call because I don't want to be bothered. But some aggressive PR guys have followed up with calls and when they got me on the phone, they got an interview with their client I woulnd't have normally done. I would have called someone else instead, but the client seemed OK and it was easy to set up. Now, if you asked me in advance if I wanted the PR guy to follow up, I'd say, No, it would bother me. But it worked for him. --Posted ? 8/7/2006 7:51:56 PM | show profile Okay writers, editors out there: let's forget that your favorite people are in-house people - most pitches come from agencies, since in-house doesn?t want to get their hands dirty with work. If you could build yourself the best pr agency pitch ever, what would it be, how would it look? Do you want to be called or just e-mailed? Should an agency person first call you and then send the e-mail, or the other way around - always assuming I am pitching a topic, which fits your section, style and timing (those are a given for pros) I am asking this because in our agency we have the ?how to pitch? discussion every few months again. Many of us are former editors or TV people and we all are long time pr pros. still we can never agree. Please solve this fight forever. We will be thankful forever. And you might actually get your favorite pitch, just as ordered. And please don't tell me you don't want to get pitched at all, because in that case, how you are going to know about the new development in the field of xyz? PS: returning phone calls, providing pics and contacts, being knowledgeable are a must in pr. If an agency doesn?t provide those basics, well it?s not the fault of pr, but of the overall decline in professional work ethics. -- |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 8/8/2006 3:27:53 PM | show profile dribble that's true- and those tactics often worked on me as a journalist, for one article. But it did not build relationships. If I needed a source on a particular topic and remembered the name of such a PR rep, I certainly would NOT call them to offer up a source, even if they would suit my needs just fine. It's better for PR folks to respect a journalist's wishes and build relationships - that way, the only contact made isn't one way in the future. Sure, it's effective to call and bug a journalist until they use you, but it's short-term and short-sighted. |
| waki43 | Posted – 8/8/2006 6:35:43 PM | show profile to Journos So from what i gather, is it safe to say that PR people can really approach you any way, and follow up too but as long as they are cool to deal with, respect your space, and know you arent thier personal story monkey? That is at least what i try to do. Also, I've always wondered how journo's felt about PR people trying to be light and humorous in their correspondence. After the initial respectful contact with someone, I like to at least not seem like a robot and make things more comfortable and personal- is that ever deemed not professional or is it appreciated? |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 8/21/2006 10:39:24 AM | show profile It's OK to be a human being, but I don't like people who try to force things. One PR guy who responded to a profnet posting I put up thereafter kept IMing me whenever he saw me online, just to "see how things were going" and chat. --Also, I've always wondered how journo's felt about PR people trying to be light and humorous in their correspondence. After the initial respectful contact with someone, I like to at least not seem like a robot and make things more comfortable and personal- is that ever deemed not professional or is it appreciated?-- |
