Survey: 8 terrible PR practices that will doom your pitch

Ah, the good ol’ relationship between journalists and PR professionals.

Calling it “complicated” just skims the surface, but we do need each other.

Fractl surveyed over 500 journalists for a report about what makes journalists tick—including what irks them about pitch emails.

PR pros can do a few key things—and avoid others—to improve this fraught but essential alliance:

1. Irrelevant pitches. This is journalists’ top peeve. Do the research. Invest in a tool like Hey Press or Anewstip to find journalists who cover your industry.

2. Too many follow-ups. The Fractl survey found that online writers and editors prefer one follow-up email (or none at all). If you must send one, it should come three to seven days after the initial pitch. Keep it succinct, remind them about your story, and ask whether they’re interested. Provide your contact information, and end with a friendly but professional signoff.