The most helpful press-trip invite ever?

On Twitter, I mean X, last week, Lottie Gross lauded a press-trip invite which not only detailed all the publications already signed up — a rarity — but also all of those that had rejected pitches based on it. That’s something I have never come across on a trip invite, and usually only ascertain via a subsequent, private enquiry. As Lottie rightly eulogised, having such information upfront “makes our jobs as freelancers so much easier.”

Still, I get why it’s uncommon — or, well, I think I do. Listing those who have declined, in particular, would seem to smack of failure. Ugh, no thanks. There’s maybe also subliminal encouragement for recipients to eschew pitching. “If people have failed with this pitch, maybe I will too? Maybe there are better horses to back.” That sorta thing.

And yet, and yet. Just because the Times has rejected it, doesn’t mean the Independent will (unless it demands a flight, anyway). And rejections don’t automatically mean a pitch is weak. The Times may have loved the pitch, but simply already had a piece on the destination already booked in.

It’s possible too that Journalist A didn’t do a good job with the pitch, and that me, Journalist B, could try The Times and succeed where they failed. Unlikely, yet possible.

Personally, I’m with Lottie. This sort of candour would be supremely helpful for us freelancers in potentially saving time and effort. I’ll finish by echoing another line from her tweet: “this is GOLD and (I) would love more of this from travel PRs!”

(NB for new-ish subscribers: I’ve also previously covered press trips, and specifically how detailed invites could and should be, for this column here.)