Why you should never do those things as a PR
One of the most awkward moments for PR professionals is working on a request from a client when they ask you to amend a published article because they didn't like it. As a client who paid you money for media coverage, it may seem logical. However, journalists don't see it the same way—whatever the reason, they won't amend the coverage according to your client's requests.
Previously, we have already discussed some PR tricks you should never try on journalists. In this blog post, let's explore what else is prohibited.
Fake Personalization
Everybody is talking about personalizing PR pitches, and it can be a valuable strategy to establish a connection with journalists and increase the likelihood of securing media coverage. However, when done improperly, it can have the opposite effect.
When it comes to personalizing PR pitches, a mistake that is frequently made is simply using previous headlines as subject lines without offering any insights about the article. This approach is essentially the same as the ineffective "Spray and Pray" method, and adding a headline does not make the pitch any more personalized. Using generic or unrelated information that lacks relevance to the journalist's beat or article is a poor strategy for pitching your client.
Personalizing a pitch, means to thoroughly research and understand the interests, preferences, and beat of each journalist. Also, read this post about building media relations.
Pitching old news
We have already talked about 3 major mistakes startup founders and PRs do when pitching news. However, there is another mistake that is increasingly common nowadays: pitching a story that has already been covered. Instead, it is better to be transparent and straightforward about the previous media coverage, and offer a fresh angle or additional information that may be of interest to the journalist. This approach adds a personalized touch to your pitch.
Pitching exclusively and pitching under embargo are two distinct approaches that should be carefully considered based on the situation. In the past, we have examined the differences between these methods and outlined the appropriate steps to take when utilizing them. It's worth noting that no one appreciates receiving information that has already been covered by a competitor.
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