Comments on: On the first day of bad pitch, http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/ "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:32:58 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Marketing Roadmaps » Naughty or nice? http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2508 Marketing Roadmaps » Naughty or nice? Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:56:58 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2508 [...] it’s a nice pitch, especially in counterpoint to last week’s scummy pitch for arm girdles. For proving that it is possible to pitch shapewear to women without implying that we’re fat, [...] [...] it’s a nice pitch, especially in counterpoint to last week’s scummy pitch for arm girdles. For proving that it is possible to pitch shapewear to women without implying that we’re fat, [...]

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2341 Susan Getgood Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:37:01 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2341 I see two key differences, Kim. First, you have a food blog, and second, you haven't asked more than once to be removed from the list. That said, I have to chuckle. I noted the offer of a hi-res JPG, versus sample product, in the curry pitch as well. How many bloggers are going to use an image of a can of soup, or if they are a food blogger, of a recipe that they did not make themselves??? Would have been so much more effective to offer you a coupon for a free can of the broth. I see two key differences, Kim. First, you have a food blog, and second, you haven’t asked more than once to be removed from the list.

That said, I have to chuckle. I noted the offer of a hi-res JPG, versus sample product, in the curry pitch as well. How many bloggers are going to use an image of a can of soup, or if they are a food blogger, of a recipe that they did not make themselves??? Would have been so much more effective to offer you a coupon for a free can of the broth.

]]> By: kim/hormonec-colored days http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2328 kim/hormonec-colored days Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:42:16 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2328 I'm onteh same list as Erika, but too be fair, they also send me her magazine gratis, so I tolerate the emails, though I delete them. However one of the recent pitches, the one for a Thai Coconut Curry( which made my husband drool as he read over my shoulder, did not come with an offer to try the product. Instead it came with an offer for a high-res image of that product. I wrote the PR person and asked her if I could get a sample of the broth, which might be a nice fit for my food blog, but haven't heard back. <abbr><em>kim/hormonec-colored days´s last blog post..<a href="http://hormonecoloreddays.blogspot.com/2008/12/wtf-walmart.html" rel="nofollow">WTF Walmart?!?</a></abbr></em> I’m onteh same list as Erika, but too be fair, they also send me her magazine gratis, so I tolerate the emails, though I delete them.

However one of the recent pitches, the one for a Thai Coconut Curry( which made my husband drool as he read over my shoulder, did not come with an offer to try the product. Instead it came with an offer for a high-res image of that product. I wrote the PR person and asked her if I could get a sample of the broth, which might be a nice fit for my food blog, but haven’t heard back.

kim/hormonec-colored days´s last blog post..WTF Walmart?!?

]]> By: Christine @ Boston Mamas http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2325 Christine @ Boston Mamas Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:21:14 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2325 Awful. I got this pitch twice and cringed hard both times. I agree with all that has been said here. When I started my blog I used to respond to every single pitch (negative or positive) because that seemed the proper, respectful thing to do. But I quickly learned that respect is not the name of the game for many PR agencies, and I now exercise my delete button... a lot. And if I were Oprah or Caroline I'd sue them or something. All of this said, I also wanted to say that over the years I have worked with some really amazing PR folks who really get it, read the blogs, and are class acts. It's a shame that this PR chaff gives those folks a really bad name. <abbr><em>Christine @ Boston Mamas´s last blog post..<a href="http://www.bostonmamas.com/2008/12/easy_green_holiday_decor.html" rel="nofollow">Easy & Green Holiday Décor</a></abbr></em> Awful. I got this pitch twice and cringed hard both times.

I agree with all that has been said here. When I started my blog I used to respond to every single pitch (negative or positive) because that seemed the proper, respectful thing to do. But I quickly learned that respect is not the name of the game for many PR agencies, and I now exercise my delete button… a lot.

And if I were Oprah or Caroline I’d sue them or something.

All of this said, I also wanted to say that over the years I have worked with some really amazing PR folks who really get it, read the blogs, and are class acts. It’s a shame that this PR chaff gives those folks a really bad name.

Christine @ Boston Mamas´s last blog post..Easy & Green Holiday Décor

]]> By: mothergoosemouse http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2307 mothergoosemouse Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:12:01 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2307 Excellent point regarding the ethics of using celebrity names/likenesses when promoting a product - particularly when they're portrayed in a negative or unflattering way. <abbr><em>mothergoosemouse´s last blog post..<a href="http://mothergoosemouse.com/2008/12/15/happy-holidays-to-all-and-to-one-of-you-a-wii-and-wii-fit/" rel="nofollow">Happy holidays to all, and to one of you, a Wii and Wii Fit</a></abbr></em> Excellent point regarding the ethics of using celebrity names/likenesses when promoting a product – particularly when they’re portrayed in a negative or unflattering way.

mothergoosemouse´s last blog post..Happy holidays to all, and to one of you, a Wii and Wii Fit

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2306 Susan Getgood Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:02:04 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2306 Yes, Liz, it is part of the job. And generally, f*** you is not considered a good answer. Yes, Liz, it is part of the job.

And generally, f*** you is not considered a good answer.

]]> By: mom101 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2304 mom101 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:39:07 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2304 Joanne, They buy lists. That's it. They buy a mom list or a women blogger list or a fashion list or whatever, sometimes they merge them, and they hit send. This pr person has actually pitched us some decent stuff before. But I am so entirely turned off by her response. How about "I can see where you might be offended and appreciate your feedback" instead of trying to prove that the pitch was a good one. Isn't part of the job of a pr pro to manage negative feedback? (Yeah, I'm outing myself here.) <abbr><em>mom101´s last blog post..<a href="http://mom-101.blogspot.com/2008/12/confidence-check-nope-still-dont-know.html" rel="nofollow">Confidence check: Nope. Still don't know what I'm doing.</a></abbr></em> Joanne, They buy lists. That’s it. They buy a mom list or a women blogger list or a fashion list or whatever, sometimes they merge them, and they hit send.

This pr person has actually pitched us some decent stuff before. But I am so entirely turned off by her response. How about “I can see where you might be offended and appreciate your feedback” instead of trying to prove that the pitch was a good one.

Isn’t part of the job of a pr pro to manage negative feedback?

(Yeah, I’m outing myself here.)

mom101´s last blog post..Confidence check: Nope. Still don’t know what I’m doing.

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2303 Susan Getgood Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:59:48 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2303 Thanks for the comment Joanne. A flack that would use this sleazy scumbag tactic isn't going to care about proper targeting or reading the blogs. It's a numbers game for her. And just think about her standards for hits. Rachael Ray and the New York Post. The New York Post. Thanks for the comment Joanne. A flack that would use this sleazy scumbag tactic isn’t going to care about proper targeting or reading the blogs.

It’s a numbers game for her.

And just think about her standards for hits. Rachael Ray and the New York Post.

The New York Post.

]]> By: PunditMom http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2300 PunditMom Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:56:58 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2300 The thing I really don't get is why PR and marketing companies would waste their time doing these kinds of cold pitches when they are mostly a waste of time. I'm sure there are blogs that would LOVE to have been pitched this ... the one thing in common I see for at least three of us who were pitched? The word "mom" in our blog names. Even a cursory 1 minute view of each of our blogs would have clued in the sender that our readers were not the right audience for them. Too bad for them if they ever get it and have a client who would be a good fit, because now we don't want to hear from them And, like Mom 101 said -- sighing. The thing I really don’t get is why PR and marketing companies would waste their time doing these kinds of cold pitches when they are mostly a waste of time. I’m sure there are blogs that would LOVE to have been pitched this … the one thing in common I see for at least three of us who were pitched? The word “mom” in our blog names. Even a cursory 1 minute view of each of our blogs would have clued in the sender that our readers were not the right audience for them.

Too bad for them if they ever get it and have a client who would be a good fit, because now we don’t want to hear from them

And, like Mom 101 said — sighing.

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://getgood.com/roadmaps/2008/12/14/on-the-first-day-of-bad-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-2299 Susan Getgood Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:23:31 +0000 http://getgood.com/roadmaps/?p=616#comment-2299 Well, they may not be reading our blogs, but at least we know the agency is monitoring for the client name. This is one of the reasons I will now "out" the company or product name for repeat offenders. It seems that's the only way they'll get the message. Here's hoping they really DID take you off the list. Well, they may not be reading our blogs, but at least we know the agency is monitoring for the client name. This is one of the reasons I will now “out” the company or product name for repeat offenders. It seems that’s the only way they’ll get the message.

Here’s hoping they really DID take you off the list.

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