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Topic: Pitching Via LinkedIn ... or Facebook
| Author | Message |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 7/8/2008 8:43:58 PM | show profile | email poster I've been interested in pitching a particular magazine for a while. So it turns out the editor of said magazine - let's call him James - is the contact of one of my contact's contacts on Linked in. So me ---> my contact Robert ----> Robert's contact X ----> James, the editor. The magazine's pitching system - it's not a big magazine - seems unclear. I tried introducing myself to one of their editors, via email, in the past but never heard back. I have a story that I think is really perfect for them but I'm worried about sending it through the black hole. Has anyone ever tried pitching an editor through LinkedIn? Any tips? Also, I found one of their columnists - who just wrote a piece for the section I want to pitch - has a Facebook, a site I'm definitely more comfortable with. Would it be weird if I sent her a message? My only hesitation would be if she felt territorial, but my "beat" doesn't overlap with what she covers at all. How would you feel if you were the editor? Or the writer? Or the person asked to make the intro? Any thoughts? Thanks! |
| abqwriter | Posted – 7/8/2008 10:59:47 PM | show profile I wouldn't do it. A lot of my editors and even a couple of agents I know are friends with me on Facebook. I wouldn't violate the social network to do a private pitch. That's too close to spamming for me. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/8/2008 11:54:47 PM | show profile I disagree with the above poster. I've connected with people through facebook and linkedin in this way, and I see nothing wrong with it. I say use any edge you can to make a connection and put your stuff in front of people. |
| kaceclosed | Posted – 7/9/2008 1:36:06 AM | show profile honestly I say no. I'm an editor, and I'm pretty easy to find on Facebook, and while I've used Facebook to find sources, if I'm working on a particular story, I would hate to be pitched there. I've had some PR people and want to be writers friend me and I've always ignored them. I see Facebook as something I do in my free (social) time, and I'd prefer if that was respected, especially if a writer know how to contact me. I don't think you're giving yourself an advantage, I think (sorry if this sounds harsh, but I've had discussions with other editors about this), it seems overeager and, well, kind of creepy. Just e-mail them on their work address. Seriously. If it's a good idea, they WILL get back to you. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/9/2008 1:56:43 AM | show profile Personally, this strikes me as utter BS. You want to reach out to others on Facebook when it is beneficial to you in doing your work, but you don't others to do the same thing. My feeling is -- tough sh*t. My feeling is, worst case scenario, an editor is just doing to ignore your pitch -- but he would likely do the same thing if you sent it to his work email address, so I don't think you lose anything. As a rule of thumb, when it comes to marketing (and that's what pitching is), the way people tell you they want to be marketed to isn't always the most effective way to market to them. Because basically what people will tell you is to leave them alone. I mean, geez, imagine if you followed this editor's advice in terms of finding sources. I bet he wouldn't he wouldn't like it if you were "polite" when it came to that, because it wouldn't be beneficial to him. He'd tell you -- use Facebook, use LinkedIn, use anything -- screw 'em if they don't like it. My feeling is be aggressive. Ignore the "rules." And don't worry if you tick off a couple of people here and there. Because the people you tick off weren't probably going to give you business anyway. And the best marketing takes chances and ticks some people off. --I say no. I'm an editor, and I'm pretty easy to find on Facebook, and while I've used Facebook to find sources, if I'm working on a particular story, I would hate to be pitched there.[[ |
| kaceclosed | Posted – 7/9/2008 2:24:03 AM | show profile but, here's the thing . . . while I realize the double standard, I use facebook for sources when I'm looking for "real people." These people have posted their colleges or their interests, and I can find them by searching. They don't have to respond and if they think I'm rude, that's their prerogative. But, in this case, the original poster has the person's e-mail address. Why would you ignore that in favor of Facebook? If anything, I think finding sources on FB is a shot in the dark and unconventional, but I'm probably not reaching out to anyone I'll need to reach out to again?or need in the future. They can ignore me?I tell them that in my initial message, where I explain I found them doing a search on X, and if they have any thoughts on it, I'd love to hear about if for an upcoming story. While this sounds harsh, it's simply not the case if a person is reaching out to someone looking for work. Maybe other people think differently, but I just think it's risky, and I would feel it an invasion of privacy, because you're not just looking for water polo players or people who graduated from a certain college, or whatever someone might be looking for in a story . . . you're looking for ME (or the editor) because you want something from them . . . and you're doing it even though you have their real e-mail addy?which, to me, seems a much more direct and professional way to contact anyone. Just giving you my opinion, but I do think age factors in. I'm in my 20's and have used FB since college and do tend to see it as more of a social network (despite my shot in the dark source finding?which is successful) but I have seen that people newer to it do feel more comfortable using it as a networking tool. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/9/2008 2:53:13 AM | show profile I do think it's a double standard and hypocritical, to be honest. I don't see that what you're doing is one bit different than the people who contact an editor through facebook. It's all well and good to say, "Be a good little boy and email me at work and I'll consider it." But the reality is different. Given the opportunity, I'd rather reach an editor through facebook, where the message is more likely to not be lost in the 200 work emails you are clicking through and deleting. Don't like it? Hey, as you said, You don't have to respond to a query either and if you choose to think its rude, that's your perogative. --ut, here's the thing . . . while I realize the double standard, I use facebook for sources when I'm looking for "real people." These people have posted their colleges or their interests, and I can find them by searching. They don't have to respond and if they think I'm rude, that's their prerogative.-- |
| snappiness | Posted – 7/9/2008 5:42:58 AM | show profile I use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. For me, LinkedIn is work, Facebook and Twitter are play. When I've gotten pitches or friend requests from wanna be writers on Facebook, I ignore them. But on LinkedIn, I'm there for work (that's why the whole thing was created) so that's part of the point. I'd look at something on there, but not Facebook. Just be brief and professional. The think is, even on LinkedIn can you pitch without friending the person? I mean, I'd look at a pitch but I wouldn't friend an unknown writer even on LinkedIn. |
| arewrites | Posted – 7/9/2008 7:05:17 AM | show profile MMy first reaction was utter shock that anyone would consider this as being okay. Personally, I would not only refuse the pitch, but I would never want to have anything to do with that writer again. But then I realized this is probably a generational thing. For those under 30, it may seem normal and even creative to approach an editor in this way. Those of us who are accustomed to more businesslike, formal, and, shall we say, "professional" -- if old-fashioned -- ways of handling our affairs cringe at the thought. So perhaps if the editor you want to contact is in his 20s, it might be worth the risk. Otherwise, I'd say no. And if you want to be on the safe side, have respect for the editor's privacy, use professional courtesy, and go the conventional route. |
| arewrites | Posted – 7/9/2008 7:07:31 AM | show profile >>I mean, geez, imagine if you followed this editor's advice in terms of finding sources. I bet he wouldn't he wouldn't like it if you were "polite" when it came to that, because it wouldn't be beneficial to him. He'd tell you -- use Facebook, use LinkedIn, use anything -- screw 'em if they don't like it.>> Apples and oranges. An editor would tell you to wait outside someone's front door and pounce on him when he leaves the house if that person is a potential source, but try doing that with an editor to sell a story, and you'll find yourself smacked with a restraining order for stalking. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 7/9/2008 8:08:00 AM | show profile | email poster I think there's been some misunderstanding about my initial query. First, I do not have the editor's email address. I contacted another staff member several months ago to introduce myself, not pitch. For reasons I'd rather not get into here, I'm not sure if the message reached this person. The editor I wish to contact on LinkedIn is someone who appears to be the staffperson who would handle a query like mine. As some one else mentioned, LinkedIn is for professional networking. I'm not sending a "friend" request, I'm merely trying to establish professional contact, which the editor is free to ignore. Second, the Facebook person doesn't work at the magazine, she's a fellow writer like me who happens to write for this publication, in the same section, I wish to pitch. Again, I'm not friend requesting her. Finally, I'm not suggesting peppering the editor with pitches everyweek; I just thought trying it this once and seeing if I could finally break through. Anyway, before people accuse me of being creepy or pushy, I thought I'd clear up those points. It just seems there's no point of having all this social networking technology if it doesn't benefit me. |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/9/2008 10:41:04 AM | show profile Here's what I'd suggest for LinkedIn. Don't try to connect with the person unless you know them. I have a big network and someone approached me to forward an introduction to an editor I was connected to from here actually....the person looking to connect was in PR. I checked with the editor first, and she did not want to connect directly with the PR person, she didn't know her, and feared if they were direct connections she'd bother her. However, what you could do and it's very professional is to send an 'inmail' to the person directly with your query. Inmails are not free, depending on what size account you sign up for it will cost $20 or $50 a month I think. For $20 you get 3 inmails a month....for $50 you get 10. I do the $50 a month and its very worthwhile for me. Another option, if you don't know the person's direct email, is to try and figure out what the email format is for that publication and just email her directly at work. I would guess that is your best bet, because one downside with LinkedIn is that many people don't regularly check their inmail....I sometimes hear back from people I reached out to months ago. And I would think if you email them directly at work, you'd reach them in a more timely manner...and if you don't hear back it coudl just be that your pitch doesn't work for them, for whatever reason. But, if you contact them once a month with a new pitch, eventually they'll respond. Pam |
| Mirage | Posted – 7/9/2008 11:27:19 AM | show profile -- I use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. For me, LinkedIn is work, Facebook and Twitter are play. When I've gotten pitches or friend requests from wanna be writers on Facebook, I ignore them. But on LinkedIn, I'm there for work (that's why the whole thing was created) so that's part of the point. I'd look at something on there, but not Facebook. Just be brief and professional. -- I agree 100% with snappiness. I'm an editor, and when I've received "friend requests" or messages asking me to read someone's work on MySpace or Facebook, I've had no qualms about deleting. However, when approached on LinkedIn, which is a professional networking site and which was established for exactly this type of thing, I always respond, even if it's just to provide the person with my work e-mail to go from there. I am turned off completely when someone I don't know contacts me on MySpace or Facebook -- for any reason -- so this approach would not work well with me. I agree with the poster who said to respect the space between personal time and work time. Just my two cents. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/9/2008 12:00:49 PM | show profile I don't think it's apples and oranges at all. The editor would say do whatever you need to get the information and politeness be damned. I say the same thing about pitching. Now, you can argue that sending a pitch vs. Linkedin or Facebook might not be as effective if it turns an editor off. That rationale I can accept -- because it's an opinion about effectiveness, not politeness. I just happen to disagree. I say, what the heck, give it a try and see -- that's what marketings all about. If the editor deletes your message unread, you can always wait a week and send it to his regular email address. My point is -- try this stuff and see what happens. Might work, might not. But don't necessarily seek advice from people about how to market to them, or take what you tell them with a grain of salt, because people don't necessarily know or admit what works. For instance, we'd probably all say we hate junk email or junk mail -- but that stuff works. >>Apples and oranges. An editor would tell you to wait outside someone's front door and pounce on him when he leaves the house if that person is a potential source, but try doing that with an editor to sell a story, and you'll find yourself smacked with a restraining order for stalking.-- |
| editordebit | Posted – 7/9/2008 12:27:58 PM | show profile I agree that professional contacts are what LinkedIn is for. I have also had good success with emailing a person in the ordinary way about something else, and incidentally explaining how the two of us are linked via so-and-so on LinkedIn. Then I put a link to my profile after my signature, and I've essentially just included my resume, even if the email itself wasn't a formal job application. If the other person's interested in me at all, then I've made it very easy for them to find out more. If they're not, no harm done, and I haven't looked terribly pushy (or wasted a lot of my own time, either). |
| recovering_jersey_girl | Posted – 7/9/2008 1:41:39 PM | show profile Maybe this is a generational thing, because I'm right on the Gen X/Y cusp (30) and while I wouldn't use Facebook or Myspace to contact an editor, I don't think I'd have a problem with using LinkedIn - although I've never done it. I do, however, second whoever suggested trying to figure out the pub's email format first and sending your pitch to the editor that way. While some organizations (NY Times comes to mind here) have no single email format, most other places I've written for do, and I have definitely cold-pitched people this way. One hint: look on the part of the website for advertisers. There is almost always an email contact to a salesperson, which will give you the format. |
| soccerrogue | Posted – 7/9/2008 1:46:45 PM | show profile | email poster I think this is an extremely valuable discussion ...and worth a long thread. Those who mentioned a double-standard are right. On the other hand, if you've got a public profile and you've allowed messages from strangers, that's what happens. I recognized that vulnerability when I signed up for these things, and I think I've had more positive results than negative since then. I've never pitched someone through Facebook or LinkedIn. But I've been pitched to through those venues by PR reps, even when my work e-mail address was readily available. And that frustrates me. It's hard enough keeping track of tons of e-mail, but on different accounts (that I don't want merged)? Oy. I've even had someone send me press releases through my old grad school account. I think I would use this rule of thumb: if you're interested in that person (networking, what have you), it's OK to contact them through these venues. But if you're just interested in their function at a company with regard to getting yourself published -- and not actually them as a person -- steer clear and stick to the company e-mail. Trust me, they'll get it. But them remembering it on a busy day? That's a thread unto itself. : ) |
| Louisewasnothalfbad | Posted – 7/9/2008 3:07:33 PM | show profile I'm older than dirt, and I use Facebook to pitch, contact and set up relationships with people all the time. I've yet to have anyone take offense, but then, we're peers. I suppose if I was a humble supplicant trying to reach, oh, Anna Wintour, not that I want to, things might be different. You can always contact your F'book friend and alert him/her to a more "official" pitch heading his way, via the office email. Twitter is for fun, LinkdIn (in my field at least) is a pain in the butt. |
| DQ102 | Posted – 7/9/2008 3:26:57 PM | show profile This is an interesting thread. Here's my take: I wouldn't pitch someone via Facebook for fear of annoying that person. I use Facebook for real friends and not business, so when other writers and publicists contact me via Facebook, I don't respond. But I do respond to people who have contacted me via LinkedIn, and I have reached out to publicists whose contact info I didn't have via LinkedIn. I think of Facebook as personal and LinkedIn as business. But not everyone might be that rigid about it. I know this is old fashioned, but you could contact the editor you need to reach via mail. I still pitch people via mail, and a lot of editors are happy to get clips that way simply because they are more readable. |
| Canadiana | Posted – 7/9/2008 10:40:26 PM | show profile Facebook is all about networking - in every way possible. I've met up with old friends, made new friends, joined groups, become "fans" of celebrities and causes, learned about new magazines and musicians. It's really been invaluable. Last year, I joined a freelance writers group on FB. An editor for a trade mag posted that he's "always looking for freelance writers." I messaged him on Facebook, we chatted virtually, and I got an assignment (and then another) several days later. Certainly, you don't want to stalk anyone on FB or LinkedIn whether it's a date, a new friend or a business associate. I say: Use common sense and give it a go. |
| northcoastlife | Posted – 7/10/2008 12:39:43 AM | show profile For me the analogy is: were golf clubs really all just about golf for men? Nah. Was the Metropolitan Club or the Yale Club really all just about squash or racquetball? I doubt it. I'll leave aside the suburban and flyover things like the Elks Club or Kiwanis. Socializing was always the emphasis but most people realized that if they hit it off with someone socializing or in a group context that's about good causes or sports or whatever, then other things might follow. This is why Facebook can work for you at some stage in some situations and with some people beyond being merely a social site. It's all about seeing an opportunity with someone you've already struck up a friendly relationship with and seeing if that can expand in other directions. Wny not. |
| Grateful Deadline | Posted – 7/10/2008 11:29:37 AM | show profile I think pitching would be a great way to chase editors off LinkedIn. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 7/13/2008 8:02:39 PM | show profile I'm not sure it's a good idea because I've been on linked in for a year and I look at it maybe once a week (OK, more now that I've been laid off) but I tend to ignore people I don't know and I'm not even an editor! So, if an editor is like me, they would just ignore you. I still send the boring, conventional way. Ho-hum. c. ------ Check out www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com! |
| arewrites | Posted – 7/14/2008 8:27:20 AM | show profile What Grateful said. And no, junk-mail and spam do NOT work. At least, *I have not been inclined to buy machines that will extend my penis by six inches, but then, I'm a woman, so perhaps that's it. |
| arewrites | Posted – 7/14/2008 8:32:47 AM | show profile Two other points: one, a PR rep I worked with on a story once -- because the editor sent me to her for background -- has now taken to bombarding me nearly every day with e-mails. I never invited her to e-mail me, I never asked to be on her mailing list, and because she never asked my permission, my response is simple: I will never work with her unless required to by an editor. In the unlikely event that I ever pick up one of her stories -- which I am now highly uninclined to do -- I will circumvent her in every possible way. Now, that's me. But one thing to consider is the editor's sense of how resourceful a reporter is. Since getting an editor's direct e-mail address is usually easy enough to do through the kind of basic research any reporter should be capable of conducting, contacting an editor via Linked-In or Facebook would be a signal that you're not all that good a reporter. So not only do you come off as a pain in the butt, but you come off as an incompetent one, to boot. Where's the good idea in that? |
