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The Bad Pitch blog received its first response from someone it outed.
We’ve outed eight offenders since starting this party nine months ago. MAYO is the first to engage in the conversation around their Slick-worthy pitches.
We always email the guilty parties when we award them a badge of dishonor. But MAYO’s response is not exactly what I expected.
---You're an idiot, but thanks for promoting our news releases!I will try to remove you. Since you sent your request from a Yahoo address, my email system probably figured you were a fraud, not ligit, and now that I look at your nothing better to do than criticize others Blog " my automated junk filter was right.
I will take the time to remove you from our system. We have a database of 600-thousand editorial contacts, you or your former worker or writer "Barbara choice to be listed with the database we pay annually and subscribed to for editorial contact updates.
Obviously, they did not get Barabara removed from the system. If you do not want to get pitches or news releases why don't you contact Bacons and get deleted, or are you too busy writing garbage that goes now where fast? Please don't respond, because you are not removed and listed as Junk Email (appropriately). Have a nice day!
Perhaps someone is taking a nip of rum before handing the bottle to the monkey? Before I could reply, I received another note.
Here is how you are listed in the Bacon's database, editorial contacts of subscription or they opt to be listed. If you do not want pitches I suggest you contact them and request to be removed. I removed you from our system all together.
Kevin Dugan, Blogger, Bad Pitch BlogKevin Dugan, Web Site Producer, ny1.comKevin Dugan, Blogger, Strategic Public RelationsMr. Blake Barbera, Blogger, Wet Feet PR
I removed Blake Barbera from our system, too, she is now at WET FEET PR, also a blog and sent Bacon's a note to update, too.---Here is my reply.
George:You missed the point entirely. I want to be pitched. Just not by you.
As a “veteran newsman and media expert” you can appreciate that reporters cover specific beats within any media outlet. All of them are in Bacon’s. That doesn’t mean you pitch all of them. You create a list and you spend some time investigating the outlets and reporters you do not recognize to see if they would be interested in your story. Neither of the blogs I write covers the type of information you sent me.
You should conduct some basic due diligence qualifying your media lists before sending them information. You should also re-read and proofread your emails before sending them.
My Bad Pitch Blog partner in crime, Richard Laermer, is sending you a copy of "On Writing Well" from William Zinsser so you can study up. You even misspell the name of one of your own clients. I’m sure Mr. Mardones appreciates your exacting attention to detail.
--George is a perfect example of why we started the Bad Pitch Blog. As many folks warned me, most of the guilty parties probably can’t be stopped. I didn’t try and tell him I don’t work at ny1.com and that Blake’s “a man, baby.” As far as the typos and incoherent writing, I figured he's in denial.
We don’t expect anyone to be happy about receiving a Slick, but it’s tough love for our industry and we’re not about to stop.
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tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | good pitch | bad pitch | bad pitch blog | Benny Mardones
13 comments:
Sounds like sic Ronn. Publicists...
Seriously, I checked out their Web site and I'm still puking my guts out. If ever there were an argument for stringent professional accreditation standards, this is it.
I need to send this to a friend who I was arguing with this weekend about why publicity hacks are not PR professionals.
I was going to try and say something funny, but...I just...hurts my head...stupid...I can't...
I don't think it's an example for a need of accreditation, but at least a higher entry point.
Mayo's got a history of going after anyone who dares criticize their 'methods.' Just Google them and you'll see. And yeah, nice website guys... was your designer on crack?
I laughed; I cried; it was the best post I ever read. Thanks, BPB.
My only hope is that clients start doing better research. Why hire these guys? Oh, wait, I know. They win on price.
I enjoy reading this blog almost to an unhealthy degree...As a recent college grad and pretty new PR pro, it's amusing plus it adds that extra bit of motivation to make sure we're doing ourselves and our clients a great service by double checking targets and really crafting intelligent pitches that make sense. But I have to say, when do I get to see the bad reporters blog outing members of the media who take briefings or interviews and then fall off the face of the planet. Not as in, not posting a piece--but actually become completely non-responsive and MIA to all attempts at follow-up, from offers to help with additional resources to updates on information. The least they could do is say "Hey, the story won't run after all" and better yet, supply an explanation. Instead, they just fail to return calls, messages, or emails. If you ask me, though limited in experience as I am, a greater number of reporters make more mistakes (in terms of unprofessionalism) than flacks.
I wonder if these are the same people suing Us Weekly for not covering them enough?
Seriously though, these folks give legitimate hacks a bad (or is that, worse?) name.
This is the funniest blog posting I have ever read in my entire life. This: "I’m sure Mr. Mardones appreciates your exacting attention to detail," made me cry laughing. As a PR professional myself, your outings continue to make my jaw drop in disbelief. Keep it coming!
Hilarious!
And, since it's being discussed (and maybe I'm being too optimistic in saying this), but I would think that any PR practitioner that goes through the trouble of the accreditation process - the APR - would know that research, especially of media targets, is a key part to a good campaign.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback.
matt m. - As far as the media becoming "completely non-responsive and MIA to all attempts at follow-up," it sounds like whatever you are following up with is not of use to them (duh). That’s not to say it is not building your case with the media.
Media are slaughtered with incoming messages. To cope, some don’t respond unless it’s in relation to a story for which they're on deadline. It might sound harsh, but it’s a reality of how tight their time can become and how competitive it is to get messages to them.
My first suggestion is to be patient. I've had this occur to me and, just as you’ve written them off, you will get a call out of the blue for a different story they are working on that your client fits into.
How long should you wait? There is no pat answer here. But for an ongoing media relations campaign vs a time-based news story, you may want to revisit your strategy and ask yourself if you really have a story and if it is being told properly.
Kevin,
Certainly your response to Matt M. is appropriate when it comes to the initial, practive pitching process. But, as he mentioned, this reporter had expressed interest, taken a briefing and indicated that a story would run. Doing the interview required time commitment from both Matt and his client and there should be some respect from the journalist for that.
All he's asking is a simple "I appreciate the time and effort, but unfortunately, this story is not going to run because of XXX." Because of where he was in the process, I don't think this is an unreasonable expectation.
(I happen to know all this because Matt works on my team for this particular client...)
Any PR person who boasts of pitching "more than 600 editorial contacts" needs to be strung up and stoned with free company-branded paperweights and coffee mugs.
As a former journalist, I understand the nightmare. As a flack, man, I hope that I never screw up a pitch to you :)
This is a great blog. Keep it up.
Everytime I feel a little insecure...wonder if I'm doing a good job...I pop into the "bad pitch blog" and realize I am a genius. Thanks Kevin. These posts brighten my day.
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