15 ways to doom your pitch and tick off journalists

Dissecting PR pitches is one of the duties editors least enjoy.

PR people are typically pleasant to deal with—and many are excellent at what they do—but a lousy few make the story pitching experience, er, let’s say suboptimal.

Here are certain types of pitches we receive all too often—and promptly heave into the deleted hereafter:

1. The new product or service announcement. I have no doubt that your revolutionary, game-changing gizmo will absolutely shift the corporate paradigm or whatever.

Unfortunately, our readers do not care; ergo, nor do I.

2. A company merger or someone getting promoted. Sounds like great fodder for your corporate newsletter!

Better yet, instead of annoying your colleagues with boring, mindless slop-copy (not to be confused with Sopchoppy, Florida, worm gruntin’ capital of the world), why not try telling more robust, vivid and emotional stories through a brand journalism approach?