“Hi NAME,

Hope all is well! Just wanted to touch base with you regarding XYZ. COMPANY will be exhibiting this year AT EVENT and would love for you to stop by the booth to have a little fun, check out the new PRODUCT and discuss what’s going on in the industry. Please let me know your thoughts and if you are interested in scheduling a one-on-one booth appointment with COMPANY, as I’d be happy to help!

Kindly,
PR REP”

Sarah Kohnle, The Managing Editor at the Missouri State Teachers Association, has received several of these pitches from different firms in the last few days.

Where is this new, ultra-friendly , conversational pitch approach coming from? Do these PR professionals really think they’re fooling the recipient into thinking that there’s an established friendship? Doubtful.

On first glance, it could be interpreted as intended for someone else, but as the pitches keep coming, it just sounds pitiful. The tone comes across more like a desperate elementary schooler wanting to befriend the middle school neighbor and less like a professional invitation.  Particularly when the PR Pro simply replied and included the original overly-friendly first two emails.

Bottom line: neither party is fooled. Unless you really know the recipient of your pitch, don’t pretend you do.

A 2005 graduate of the University of Missouri’s Journalism School, Aurora spent several years covering education-related issues in Missouri, Texas and Washington, D.C., before returning to Columbia, Mo.  The active Alpha Chi Omega alumna serves as the Online Communications Coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association and runs a successful communications and consulting business. Outside of the office, Aurora enjoys running, and is training for her fourth half marathon. Her two biggest fans are her husband and cat, but only one of them cheers her on at all the big races.

[recent posts]