Lately I have posted several queries for sources and information on Help a Reporter Out (HARO) – www.helpareporter.com – for articles I’m writing for WBO Digest (www.wboamericandream.com). So, I’ve been on the reporter side of the fence, instead of the P.R. side.
I got many responses, some great, some not so great. I thought providing you with reasons why I didn’t use certain sources might be helpful to you in understanding why your media pitches (to any media outlet) might not be used – and, of course, how to make them better:
1. No Information – You told me you had “great information” to share, and to contact you. I don’t have time for that, and instead used sources who provided that information to me.
2. Partial Information – You give me part of a great story, and say you’ll provide more if I contact you. I don’t have time for that either.
3. Contact Information – You didn’t provide me with all of your contact information, including full name, city, state/country, business name, phone number. I didn’t have time to go digging around for it.
4. Attachments – You sent me your response in an attachment, which clogs up my Inbox or gets sent to my spam folder. You needed to cut and paste your response and include it in your email.
5. Geography – I had too many sources from your city, state, country, and I wanted more geographic diversity.
6. Presentation – You sent me tons of great info, but it’s not sent in a way I can quickly read. Here are some of the best ways to send the information:
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Q&A – Include my questions and your answers
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Provide answers with bullet points or numbers
- Offer more details at the bottom, in case I want the “long version”
7. Deadline – You sent in your information after the deadline, and I already got 50 responses, so I don’t have time to look at yours.
8. Typos – You sent me a response with many spelling errors. One spelling error I can usually overlook; several start to bother me. And I’m probably more lenient than most reporters out there.
9. Selling – You give me information on your business, but don’t answer my question, hoping that I’ll just write a profile on you. Not happening – just irritating!
10. Uniqueness – You gave me information, but it wasn’t interesting, unique or different enough for me to include.
If getting great P.R. is your goal, spend some time making sure your pitches work. You’ll have more success getting placements and growing your business!
The post 10 Reasons Why You Weren’t Picked as a Source appeared first on PRactical PR Blog.
