Sometimes you get a voicemail message that's SO amazing - in a bad way - that you have to listen to it three times.
Then you have to put it on speakerphone and ring a friend so they can listen to it too. Then you listen to it again, just to make sure you heard it properly. Wow.
With certain identifying details removed, here's the message a PR exec left on my mobile today:
"Hi Sally, it's --- from ----. I'm just calling about an article you wrote for --- magazine where you quoted ----. It was in the context of talking about a ----- that they had purchased from ----. Now I noticed that the vendor name -----, which is based in -----, is missing. I can see where it should be inserted, but it isn't there.
I'm a bit - well, I'm very unhappy actually because the whole point of us responding to the Response Source request was to promote ----- and they're not even mentioned in the article. And it's not going to be enough for you to just insert -----'s name into the article online, because it's over a month old now, so they wouldn't even get the leverage or the views.
As I said, we're pretty unhappy about it. So I was thinking we could do something else with --- magazine so that ----- can get some coverage. What I'll do is drop you an email and perhaps you could call me as soon as possible..."
Seriously? I mean, seriously?
For those who aren't sure why this is a hugely inappropriate email to send to a journalist, here are some handy tips:
Providing a customer quote is a great way to increase the odds of your client getting coverage, but if you want a guarantee? Buy an ad.
Sometimes copy gets cut by people other than the writer and for many different reasons. Maybe they need to free up space on the page. Maybe a competitor to your client just bought a big ad next to this feature. Maybe the editor just didn't like the sentence where your client got named. Maybe the customer didn't say anything interesting about you. Blaming the writer won't get you anywhere apart from on their 'don't bother talking to that one next time' list.
If you don't like something, I suggest calling the editor and asking them to compensate you with another feature that DOES include your client's name. Also, please tape the call and post it online. Cause I'd really love to hear how that works out for you. Or you could just say, "Disappointed we didn't rate a mention there, is there anything else you're working on we could help with? Or perhaps you'd be interested in an exclusive interview with another customer?"
Unbelievable.






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