We asked about their biggest bug bears, and they divulged: these are the things that most annoy the UK’s top writers and editors.
As PRs, you know better than anyone that pitching is a complex form of art. Journalists and PRs need each other, and communication is key to ensure that the stories you need to tell, get told by the right people. We spoke to leading journalists to find out their biggest bug bears when it comes to the emails that flood their inboxes every day.
Here's what they had to say:
“PRs not being honest is my biggest bugbear. I really value honesty and integrity.”
“Please don’t send me physical paper releases or lookbooks. We have a no-paper policy and do not accept paper copies.”
“I hate WeTransfer! Please send images via Dropbox, or even better, attach a few low-res images to the email, which will give me a flavour.”
“Always include a price and a link in your initial email to me. This saves so much time as means I don’t have to come back and ask for it.”
“I really dislike being chased on email. Also, don’t try and manipulate my inbox by re-sending emails to be at the top of my inbox.”
“Keep contact to email, please. I do not like being messaged on Instagram or Twitter.
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“Don’t pitch without reading a recent copy of Grazia, and don’t name drop sections which no longer exist. If you haven’t read the magazine in the last few months, you can’t be sure your celebrity is right.”
“My biggest bugbear is being sent press releases that have gone to everyone, and aren’t tailored to me. This is even more important now I am freelance.”
“My biggest bugbear? Poorly targeted info and pitching something that has already featured.”
“I find it really lazy when I get emails that start with ‘Hi there’. Take some time, think about it, tailor it.”
“50% of my job is organising the pictures. Make it easier for me, and do not send WeTransfer links.”
“I have a foreign name: please try to spell it right.”
