Stevie Wilson is a freelance writer with a unique blend of talent and experiences that range from gadgets and tech, to social media, emerging trends, style and entertainment. Her versatility has taken her from working with startups, product launches and established companies, to editorial positions in print and online media, to speaking engagements and more. Besides freelancing, Wilson also pens the blog L.A. Story and writes about the celebrity, surf and culture of Los Angeles and Southern California. We caught up with Wilson and chatted pitching tips, PR and her biggest pet peeves when it comes to PR professionals.
How do you prefer to receive press materials?
I prefer press materials via email, [and] press releases with reasonable size photos. I also might need links, social links (depending on story type), product links as well as product descriptions and prices. Images are required! Typically I like three, four or more images, but minimum of two. They must meet my minimum size requirements, which is 4×6 to 6×8 Sending me a 2×3 isn’t good. You want to make a good impression on my readership with images that help brand your client or product.
What catches your attention?
If a PR professional realizes that I like longer lead pitches. I want time to put this in the mix and find the perfect presentation for the story’s pitch. Sometimes it takes a bit. I would appreciate getting assets when I ask for them. I repeatedly ask but if you don’t deliver images for me to use, I will kill the story.
If you want a review, be prepared to give me the samples that I need. If you are sending me a product that cannot authentically be reviewed with only 1 – 4 uses, then please include at least enough product for a couple of weeks of use. I am very economical with samples. I have had someone send me samples that are literally only sufficient product for one or two days. If you can’t, then own it, and be honest with me. If I agree to do the story, don’t get upset with me when I have to disclose I had minimal amounts of samples.
Do you have any advice for PR professionals?
Say thank you. If I have done something right or cranked out something for you at the last minute, say thank you. If you have worked with me before, you know I go to the mat for someone. I have pulled rabbits out of hats and gotten your client some great press. Don’t just keep coming to the well to get my coverage and not even pick up the phone to say thank you. Your client pays you to help them build relationships. They need you and your contacts. So build the relationship with me too so that I can work with you and your firm in the future with your clients.
I would like to work with vendors and brands I know and believe in. Think about asking clients if they want to spend some money on advertising. It doesn’t hurt to do that.
Every blogger wants/needs to make money and the only way I am going to make some bucks is 1) advertising on my blog and 2) social media campaigns. So it’s up to PR to talk to clients about effectiveness and value of the dollar.
How about any pet peeves?
These things might seem to be pretty clear cut and easy to understand but each thing has happened to me more than once:
Do not hit me with a pitch asking me if I want samples in the header or in the body of the pitch to say you want to send me something and then ignore my request for samples. As a PR person I know you are doing it to get my attention. However if you do that, I will ask you about it. Be prepared to really explain why a pitch was made to me with that header if there was no intent to live up to that. In my opinion that’s a bait and switch.
Do not hit me with a last minute invite or pitch for two days before someone comes to my location and expect me to get a story live before that person gets here. Particularly if you haven’t worked with me, don’t push my schedule. Around holidays I am pushed to the wall often. If you have worked with me before, you can call me on the phone and ask me how I can give you some coverage. If you haven’t worked with me, give me the courtesy (and respect) that you could give me a shout out possibly a week before and let me know that you might circle back, or at least get me the images and 411 about the pitch so that I have all materials on board.
Do not ask me for a podcast at the last minute. It’s extremely time-consuming to formulate questions, interview a person and then edit the entire thing. Clients cannot be interviewed driving a car, flying, on a bus or train. Dropping a call because they are in transit is really difficult because often reaching the person means I have to reschedule the entire call.
Do realize that I live an hour + outside LA. If you ask me to go to LA and I can’t bring a + 1 or it’s during rush hour, it will cost me more in time and gas to get there. Also if I am showing up for an event that is truly 60 mins or less you might want to share that information with me. Imagine if you drove 90 minutes in traffic and found out the event was about 30 minutes. Then spending what is actually about 3 hours of drive time for 30 minutes isn’t cost effective.
Be sure to Download our free Consumer Electronics Pitching Kit today, where you’ll meet more consumer electronics influencers and gain demographic insight on social platforms and gadget outlets.
