How not to pitch a reporter -- 3 basic mistakes publicists make when pitching journalists

Anyone who has worked in public relations will tell you that reporters aren't always receptive to pitches from publicists. When I worked as a reporter, I was often curt and sometimes even rude to publicists who solicited me. So how can a publicist avoid getting on a journalist's bad side? Well, here's a list of three basic mistakes that publicists make that can seriously sour relations with reporters. 1. Not doing your homework. Research the outlet you are pitching. Sending an off-topic pitch is a guaranteed waste of your time and the reporter's. Most media outlets have a strict idea of what kind of topics they cover and in what way. Know who their audience is, geographically and demographically. They will nix any story ideas that don't appeal to their readers or viewers. 2. Relying on buzz words. You want your pitch to be clear and understandable. Rely on content rather than buzz words -- they usually just confuse and slow down the reader. Don't start your pitch by touting the new WizZillyGig2020™ and the patented PunchNPlay™ process. Example: "Eco Precast™ has announced the manufacture of Urbanslabs™ now available for a variety of residential, commercial and hospitality surface applications. Crafted by hand, Urbanslabs™ consist of 50% recycled, post-consumer glass containers..." Fancy buzz words just make a reporter's eyes glaze over, which is no good since your goal is to catch their interest quickly. Get to the point by minimizing the jargon! 3. Buying reporters lunch instead of giving them something they can use. When I worked as a business reporter at a daily newspaper, we used to groan every time someone from a bank or city office called with a lunch invitation. It's good to be on friendly terms with reporters, but the universal way to win a reporter's heart is to give her a good story. You want the reporter to see you as a valuable source of information, not a source of free lunch. You want her to call you on a slow news day and say, "Got anything for me?" or "Can your client comment on this story?" not, "Want to have lunch?" My favorite publicist never invited me out to lunch. Our relationship began when he invited me to an economic forum I didn't know about it. I got a great story out of it. A few weeks later he emailed me to ask if I wanted to write about a local high school girl who was training to be an Olympic wrestler. Another great story. Pretty soon, I was calling him: "Hey Jay, how's it going? Anything going on with your clients?" These three mistakes are easy to make, especially for publicists who have never seen the inside of a newsroom. The lesson: Good publicists are a valuable resource for journalists. Make yourself valuable to the reporter and you will make yourself valuable to your clients.

-Adrianne (@msfener)