13 Things I Need All Publicists to Know

consider this your cheat sheet to a successful professional rapport with me ;)

Photo by Amelia Bartlett on Unsplash

Having worked in media for 15 years across various verticals, publications and niches, I’m no stranger to the wild world of PR. I completely understand the nature of the game, why it exists and the pressure that accompanies the gig. PR is a huge component of how I’m able to do my job even more effectively. Heck, there are publicists who I email more than best friends who I text. In fact, depending on what’s going on, I often look forward to hearing from publicists. Pitches are often interesting and mutually beneficial, and I also enjoy being among the first to learn about new launches or other client news.

That said, there’s also the ~extra-ness~ of it all. Not everything is breaking news. Not everything is worth pitching. I also encounter much carelessness and what seems to be lack of intention. Over the last two months especially, I’ve noticed pitches becoming more unhinged, more frequent and, sigh, unnecessary.

I keep posting TikToks and sending rant emails to close colleagues—and then it dawned on me I should just come up with a concise list that stems from one-and-a-half decades of media experience. At this point, I have a solid grasp on the universal DOs and DON’Ts of pitching.

I can’t speak on behalf of every journalist out there, but based on chatter with other editors, I think this list applies to many. I also need to make it clear that none of these points are directed at one particular person. This is in response to an accumulation of many, many virtual encounters.

And with that, here are 13 things I need all publicists to know.

Spelling my name correctly is a great place to start. It doesn’t take much effort to scan a person’s email address or other name reference before sending your greeting. We all make mistakes—I’ve done it, too—but after the first interaction when you’ve seen my email signature, there’s no excuse to spell my name wrong or to greet me as Shira instead of Dahvi.

Copy edit your pitches. We all copy and paste (totally normal), but you just might want to double check what you pasted. I had a publicist reach out to me last week who not only referred to me by my last name (Shira) instead of Dahvi, but then proceeded to list her fashion clients and said, “It would be great to get these pieces on [NAME, NAME and NAME]” as if she copied and pasted this from an email she sent to a talent manager. Needless to say, I didn’t respond.

Don’t ask me if I’ve tried a hair or skincare product a week after you’ve sent it. Unless it’s a major, buzzy launch and it’s been implied from the jump you’re looking for immediate coverage, you can’t expect any editor to bust open every beauty product they receive and get right to it. For one, it takes me like a month sometimes to go through my packages altogether (I know, I need to work on that), but also, I wash my hair like once every 10 days. And if I’m in the middle of using a specific skincare system, I’m going to give it ample time before diving into something new. It’s 100% fine to confirm I’ve received the product, but please know it may take a moment to try. I promise I won’t leave you hanging.

Make sure your pitches reflect your intentions. For example, if your email subject line says GIFTING, Best Address?, or OPT-IN, I’m going to expect that’s your intention. Do not reply asking how I plan to cover the product after I accept the offer. On the other hand, if your email says “samples available for coverage consideration,” I understand what that means, too.

DO YOUR RESEARCH!! If I have one byline in the last three years with a particular publication, don’t pitch me with the sole intention of coverage with that publication. Additionally, pay attention to what I actually cover. For a sense of what I do and don’t cover, along with best ways to get my attention, head on over to good ol’ Muckrack! Everything you need to know about working with me (and most other editors) is laid out for you directly.

If you’re planning to write your client’s answers for them (I can always tell), please at least get actual insight from them. Do not rely on Google or your own word salad, as it comes off obvious and it makes their response look cheap. Responses shouldn’t read like the back of a product label. They should incorporate the client’s personality and unique perspective/expertise. If there’s something a client doesn’t have the knowledge or time to answer from the heart, it’s OK (and respectable) to pass on an editorial opportunity.

Don’t pitch a brand or founder feature if it’s lacking innovation or hasn’t had a viral or newsworthy moment. This may come off harsh, but women-owned, minority-owned, charity-driven, clean is not enough of a reason to cover in 2024 (unless it’s timed to a fitting month).

Just as you have multiple clients to juggle at once, keep in mind editors are often balancing 5-10 publications at once, and 5-10+ articles at once. Also, depending on the publication, articles can take at least a month or more to write. Please be patient. We feel for you and understand the pressure you get from your clients and those weekly/monthly reports, but sometimes we have our hands full. For me at least, I’ll never ignore someone I have a relationship with. I just can’t always adhere to their requests.

If you’re blindly sending me a pitch, but it’s directed specifically to me, take the extra five seconds to do a quick little intro. If you pitch me with expectations and without some kind of introduction, I’m ignoring your email. I can’t speak for other editors, but if you pitch something that directly makes sense for me with an intro, I will almost always reply with a level of interest or not.

If your client is brand new, but doesn’t have any buzz or wild innovation behind it, it’s OK to simply just put it on an editor’s radar. Not everything needs to be immediate. Not every launch is going to warrant a review or full-blown feature. Slow and steady wins the race. Editors like to see growth and follow a brand or product’s journey. It makes an eventual story more compelling anyway.

Not every 1:1 meeting or gifting will lead to coverage. There’s something powerful about connection. Client-editor connection is valuable—whether or not it leads to something. Focus on making that connection and having the client/product make a solid impression versus the end game of coverage. When you’re too focused on the end goal, the story and meaning of the client gets lost in the stress of it all.

Never underestimate the power of plain and simple brand awareness. The average person sees a brand at least seven times before making a purchase. When you send an editor product, have them meet with your client, or invite them to a branded event, you’re putting the brand on their radar. There’s a small brand in particular whose founder I met with earlier this year. Because of the brand’s nature, I’ve brought it up in passing a few times. Turns out the people I’ve mentioned it to are also familiar with it. Had I not taken that meeting, these conversations wouldn’t have happened, but because I did, we’re now talking about the brand, and even though I haven’t covered it, it’s freshly on my mind. The more we see a brand or person, the likelier we are to cover it. Also, you never know when an obscure opportunity for coverage can pop up down the line. This happens to me all the time.

If you have a work inquiry, please email me. I don’t want to be bombarded on IG. If we’ve never met, I understand making the IG connection and taking it to email from there. But otherwise, email is best. I’m not paying attention to my IG for pitch purposes.

Do you agree with these guidelines? Is there anything else you’d add? Please share your thoughts!

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In case you missed LAST WEEK’S SUBSTACK, I talk about 2024 and the year of the A-list celebrity downfall.