12 Frequently Irritating PR Habits

Written by Michael Eastwood Founder & CEO of Mastermind Promotion

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12 Frequently Irritating PR Habits

In response to the list of 12 irritating client habits, we figured we’d balance things out with a list of 12 PR habits that annoy journalists. It’s all to simply highlight the fact that PR is a process and that there are standards that need to be met, as well as acknowledging the fact that it’s a machine run by humans and humans alone.

So without further delay, here’s a rundown of the kinds of things PR firms do that really rub journalists up the wrong way:

  1. The overuse of “thrilled.” You know it’s a press release when someone is thrilled. Disingenuous isn’t strong enough to describe this.
  1. The infographic “exclusive.” A “visualized” press release is still a press release.
  1. The dial-in conference number. Once upon a time two people could have a conversation without three others silently tuning in.
  1. The call following up an email. There’s probably a reason for the lack of an initial reply.
  1. Re-sending emails that got no response. Silence speaks volumes.
  1. The presumptuous meeting. “I’m meeting who? Why? What is this calendar invite?”
  1. Using personal information from social media in pitches. Creepy.
  1. The guilt trip. We all have client pressures, but journalists have no feelings.
  1. The big-time. Copying the boss won’t help, it will make future emails mysteriously land in the spam folder of the journalist.
  1. Asking to review quotes for the “story angle.” Are you nervous? You sound nervous. Why are you nervous?
  1. Babysitting in-person meetings. A coffee where two people are talking and one is observing isn’t normal.
  1. Facebook friend requests. Are you sure we know each other?