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Topic: Pitching multiple editors at same pub
| Author | Message |
| foodscribe | Posted – 4/23/2008 2:04:36 PM | show profile | email poster I'm wondering what your advice is for emailing pitches (e.g. a company release announcing an award) to multiple editors at the same publication. If I have the contact info of, say, an exec editor, an assistant editor and an associate editor, do I limit my contact to just one of them? For most of my target pubs, it's unclear who edits the industry news sections since there are no typically bylines on those pages. I don't want to make a pest of myself, but I do want to ensure the announcement is reaching the right person. Thanks! |
| newbie | Posted – 4/23/2008 2:15:55 PM | show profile Pick One Take a guess. Send it to one editor. I would say senior or associate--the others are often too high or low to really know what's going on with assigning. Even if you email the wrong contact, if the idea is of interest to the pub the editor will pass the pitch to the appropriate person. If, on the other hand, that editor gets forwarded three versions of the same note she'll be annoyed and think you mass emailed the masthead.... |
| Righter | Posted – 4/23/2008 3:18:18 PM | show profile I agree. I've gotten pitches forwarded to me by editors when they'd been sent to me already, and it can be very annoying to receive it multiple times. It's understandable the first time it happens, but why not email one of the assistant editors first and ask if they are in charge of so and so section. They can point you in the right direction. |
| foodscribe | Posted – 4/24/2008 4:18:17 PM | show profile Thanks! This is all very helpful. Much appreciated. |
| dogden | Posted – 5/9/2008 2:35:00 PM | show profile I find that calling the main editorial desk is the best way to find out who to pitch. They are often happy to see that you are trying to speak with the correct person rather than blindly pitching. |
| snappiness | Posted – 5/10/2008 10:47:25 PM | show profile I just sat in an editorial meeting last week where 3 writers/editors pitched the same story because they all got hit by the PR firm. They were all embarrassed and although they agreed that the story idea was good, the magazine turned it down because the PR firm was too aggressive. In fact, they even talked about doing an investigative attack piece on the idea pitched. Moral of the story is that magazines do not like pushy PR people, and each editor or writer wants to feel like they're getting an exclusive. So do the magazines -- so if you're pitching competitive mags, be prepared for them to ask for exclusives. That magazine exclusivity won't necessarily apply to award announcements, but choosing one editor is still a good idea. |
| annabel | Posted – 5/11/2008 9:26:06 AM | show profile Don't guess who the best possible editor is. As a poster above suggested, phone and find out. |
| tmaione | Posted – 5/12/2008 11:50:35 AM | show profile I appreciate the minor horror of snappiness' input about editorial meeting. I have been pitching for a mention of a product and wonder if I have not heard from editor after a repeat pitch, is it "safe" and understandable to pitch to another editor with different appropriate column at same publication? I don't want to be annoying with a third email to first editor to confirm she is not using it. |
| snappiness | Posted – 5/12/2008 12:00:58 PM | show profile You might try pitching the second editor and mentioning that you have already pitched the first editor but haven't heard back. You'll score more points if you mention why your product is a great fit for that column. Then you can mention to Editor 2 that it's a great fit for X reason, and because she has written about that type of product in the past. That way you don't look like you're just trolling around for any editor who will read a pitch. You can even say "I thought it might work for Editor 1 because of X, but now I'm thining it's an even better fit for you because of ...." And if that doesn't work then they're probably just not interested. |
| tmaione | Posted – 5/12/2008 12:05:05 PM | show profile Excellent advice and I like how it is very individualized! Thanks.... |
