Travel Editors Share How To Write a Terrible Pitch

At least once a month, a truly bad pitch is shared far and wide online. Media commiserate; publicists cringe; and yet bad pitches keep being written. (Not by you, of course. You would never do that). TURNER got the inside scoop from some of our favorite writers, editors, and publications on how NOT to become a viral sensation in the bad-pitch-hall-of-fame.

What’s the best thing a PR-type can do if they’re trying to get coverage?

Study the publication you’re pitching very closely. It sounds so basic but you’d be surprised how many PR people don't and just pitch any and all clients. You need to clearly understand the kinds of properties, subjects, topics a magazine covers and don’t come to the publication with something that's even a reach. If you show that you know the brand, we’re a gazillion times more likely to pay attention to every single email you send—and in turn we’re more likely to make it a full relationship and come to you for ideas and thoughts on things. — Heather Halberstadt, Features Director, Departures Magazine (Instagram)

The single best thing? Homework. On me. Before he/she reaches out. I can’t tell you how much of a difference this makes in the way I react to a pitch. Here’s why: if I can tell that a PR person did homework on me before pitching me, I’m going to a little bit of homework on him or her (and his or her client) before I respond. If I’m investing even a few minutes in a response to a pitch, it’s likely I’ll try to turn it into a story and make some money on that investment. —  Matt Villano, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram) 

Build strong relationships with the people you're pitching, and send tailored, personalized pitches rather than generic blasts. It sounds basic, but it's true; as editors, we receive hundreds of pitches every week, and often the only differentiator is whether or not you have a pre-existing relationship with the publicist. I'm far more likely to notice (and respond to) a pitch from someone who's taken the time to get to know me/my publication, than someone who's been blindly emailing me for years. —  Lindsay Silberman, Senior Editor, Town & Country (Twitter / Instagram)

I often receive emails about new hotel openings, and I wish that the press release would also include a little information about what is new in the destination or why it’s hot right now. In my experience editors would rather have destination based stories rather than a profile of a hotel. Editors want pitches to answer the question, “Why should I care about destination X now?” and a new hotel isn’t always enough. I also love it when a publicist has taken the time to look at the publications I’m writing for, really gets to know my angles and the style of a pub, and suggest stories that are a perfect fit. It shows that they are making an effort, did a little bit of research, and I’d love to work with this person. I do understand it is tough to keep of track of who is writing for which pub, as it is constantly changing! —  Christina Valhouli, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)

I’m always looking for new ways to cover a destination across multiple social channels. Think about how words, video, imagery, etc. will play into your story. —  Brandon Perlman, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)

What’s the worst thing a PR person can do/or has done to you?

Cite something from the current issue and say "such and such client we have would be a perfect fit for that story." We’re not going to repeat. —  Heather Halberstadt, Features Director, Departures Magazine (Instagram)

Repeatedly pitch "stories" that aren't really stories (they're just events or people, for instance) and/or have little/nothing in common with a given publication or a given writer's demonstrated interests or expertise. — Charles Bethea, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)

I can't say that any PR person has done anything I'd characterize as the "worst." But I'd say let it go if after several emails, you don't get any response, just stop. My inbox is flooded, and I cannot reply to every pitch I get, no matter how much I'd like to. And don't ask me for feedback about your pitch if I say no, because that's not my job. — Brekke Fletcher, Executive Editor, CNN Travel (Twitter / Instagram)

Sell the same exact story to multiple outlets. I often reach out to PR people to get insight/context into a place beyond what's going on at the hotel they represent and they refuse to talk about anything but their client. Don't be selfish. Realize that the story isn't just your client but the people and places surrounding your client as well. — Jen Murphy, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)

I believe that PR / journalist relationships are built on trust and honesty, and I have had a few frustrating “alternative fact” moments or have been flat out lied to. I’ve had publicists withhold basic facts. For example, let’s say I asked a tourism board how many Vietnamese restaurants are in town for my story on Vietnamese cuisine. I was given a false number because “not all the restaurants in town pay the tourism board to promote them.” I get it, but don’t withhold facts. If they had simply said “we represent these five restaurants but there are others in town” that would have been fine, but once someone lies to me, I don’t want to work with him or her again. — Christina Valhouli, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)

Write and and ask me what I'm working on and then send back a copy-and-pasted list of pitches that have nothing to do with what I said. OR worse, send me a product even after I told you I don't have any upcoming stories that it would pertain to, and then send me multiple follow-up emails asking about my intended coverage for said product. —  Jayme Moye, Freelance Writer (Twitter / Instagram)