Dear Publicists: We Don’t Care That You Need A “Quick Win”

With all the layoffs in the media industry along with business model reorganizations, the inequalities and discrepancies are no surprise. More and more publications are implementing the contributor model into their content strategy, meaning the publications can get away with paying less for more and not having to worry about covering benefits for most of their content creators.?

As a writer, depending on the publication, we contribute to be a part of the brand, not for the money. We earn very little for the amount of time and energy that goes into our articles. In some cases, it comes out to less than one cent per word or $6 an hour. So, let me ask you a question. If someone came to you claiming they needed a "quick win" with one of their clients, how much would you care about the other person’s problem if you only made $6 an hour?

If your immediate answer was "not much," you wouldn't be alone. That's right; we don't care if you have client issues.?

The story has to be stellar; it has to resonate and bring value to our readers. When an article isn't for the money, it has to bring value to us in other ways—is the person engaging? Is the story interesting? Is the product improving people's lives??

Ways to improve your pitching strategy:

• Pitch what makes your client unique; what makes them stand out.
• Include the name of your client in the pitch.
• Stress the value the readers will get out of the story.
• Discuss any partnerships the client works with.
• Emphasize revenue, fundraising or number of products sold.

If you touch on the above, it makes the pitch more appealing. Writers work hard for very little. Help us, help you—make the pitch interesting!

Fun tidbit:?Whenever you use "I need a quick win," it will guarantee a hard pass.