Publicity Hounds spend so much time worrying about their pitch—how long it takes, what it looks like, what it sounds like, and the number of words it requires—that they’re often unaware of how to react when the journalist makes the first move and calls them.
Your first inclination might be to brace yourself for the just see what the s Richard Laermer blogs about this at his Bad Pitch Blog and says you must get basic information from the reporter before you decide whether you want to proceed with the interview. For example:
- “When’s your deadline?”
- “Is this a round-up story in which my competitors will be included, or is it a story only about my company?”
Here are other questions you can ask:
- “Can you give me an idea of the angle you’re taking?” This is a nice way of asking if the reporter has a preconceived notion about the story, or has an ax to grind.
- “How much do you know about this topic?” If the reporter is dense, you’ll know it soon enough, and this is your chance to either educate the reporter, or decline the interview.
- “Who else have you spoken to about this?”
Don’t be afraid to ask journalists these questions. Most people don’t. But smart Publicity Hounds do.
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