Legal Marketing & PR

Law Firm Marketing Mistakes When Dealing with Editors

By Larry Bodine, Esq.

Members of the LawMarketing Listserv were discussing how best to pitch a news story to an editor.  That's when the redoubtable Monica Bay, Editor-in-Chief, Law Technology News, chimed in with 20+ mistakes to avoid:  (See below for info on joining the LawMarketing Listserv).

Monica Bay wrote Re: pitching (and delivering) stories, here are some of my pet peeves:

1. Being pitched by someone who obviously has not read my magazine — and pitches me for the type of article we don’t run. (e.g., profiles of CEOs). Don’t pitch a story unless you KNOW it’s a fit for the publication.
2. Firms that put me on their mailing list for every single thing that happens at their firm when 95% of the releases have nothing to do with legal technology.
3. Flaks that flag their routine email as high priority.
4. Sending a copy of a press release to everybody on my staff including the last 12 associate editors who have been gone for more than 5 years.
5. Not reading our guidelines before pitching us.
6. The PR person who earnestly tells me that they know what I need because they are a former journalist, or worked on their college newspaper. (This one is REALLY annoying)
7. Vendor flaks who cannot control their clients
8. Calling my private line 5 minutes after they emailed a pitch asking if I received it and if I’m interested and want to run the story. This is why I try not to publish my private line.
9. Callers who do not identify who they are and who they represent and expect me to know or remember.
10. Marketing folks who don’t identify themselves as such.

To read the additional 13 mistakes to avoid, visit the LawMarketing Portal.

 You could have read this article live as a member of the LawMarketing Listserv.
It is the original LawMarketing Listserv that has been in continuous operation since 1996.  It is the preferred discussion group for partners in firms, marketing directors, lawyers and consultants who wish to discuss successful strategies and techniques. 

You can JOIN right now. Everyone is welcome to join the list and the membership dues are $125 per year.  We compare notes and exchange information so that we can be effective in getting more clients and generating new business. We are independent. You don't need to be a member of any marketing association or any other organization.

Getting answers to business questions is what the LawMarketing Listserv is all about.  It is the best place online for a lawyer or marketer to find practical information. 

Full post as published by Larry Bodine's LawMarketing Blog on August 08, 2008 (boomark / email).