Things you might like to know (8)

One of the constant moans in journo circles about PR types is that we think you just don't listen. If we say we want to interview chief executives of FTSE 100 companies, why oh why do we get offers of an interview with the MD of a pet food retailer in Luton? It's especially a problem when using online PR services, simply because the request goes to so many PR types to whom a query simply won't be relevant.

You think we exaggerate? A journo colleague posted a request for info about washing machines on ResponseSource yesterday. And here is one of the responses she received:

Dear Louise                                                      

I hope you do not mind me getting in touch; I wanted to ask you whether you write any articles around sexual lifestyle and hot new trends. I only ask, as I represent a few clients that produce affordable adult luxury lifestyle products which are completely inoffensive in appearance to the extent you could have them on your coffee table (if you wanted to!) and no one would know what they were!

A washing machine and a vibrator? There's a gag to be made, I'm sure, but I'm not going to lower the tone quite that far.

It's fine to contact journalists if you think they might be a good match with your client. But there are two golden rules if you don't want to look like an idiot to the journo:

• Don't simply respond to a request for information with something irrelevant. The chances of your pitch being immediately dismissed as pointless spam are very high indeed. This particular PR has sent exactly the same pitch to dozens of hacks in recent days. All the hacks I've spoken to were similarly underwhelmed...
  
• Have a point to your pitch apart from a variation of "my client is lovely". Try and think of a specific story, a news angle, a feature opportunity - something that helps the journo see this as a story, not just a press release about your client's existence.

Comments

[Louise Bolotin]

Methinks I ought to point out I am not the Louise in question here. Pity, as I might (just possibly might) have been interested in this PR's pitch, vague as it, as - being the other Louise - I do actually write stuff on adult sexual lifestyles... Looks like I was possibly the only hack who didn't receive it though.

[Sally]

See, now that's textbook irony in action.

[Louise Bolotin]

Now that's PRs not knowing their arse from their Whirlpool.