How to Handle Embarrassing Mistakes in Pitches
Have you ever made a mistake in a pitch that left you red-faced? We’ve all been there. But what if you sent a pitch seven years too late to four journalists, including two you just met? That’s exactly what happened to me.
In a landscape where gatekeepers are growing increasingly frustrated with bad pitches, this blunder could have cost me more than just a few laughs. It could have damaged my reputation, lost potential media coverage, and shaken client trust.
Fortunately, I managed to salvage the situation with humor and humility. By addressing the mistake head-on, two of the journalists found the mishap amusing and were willing to move forward with new stories.
Take Ownership of Your Mistakes Quickly
It’s natural to feel like hiding after a blunder, but owning up to your mistakes is the better approach. Journalists, despite their busy schedules, appreciate honesty and sincerity. By acknowledging your error promptly, you demonstrate credibility and build rapport with the gatekeepers.
Especially in an age of automated pitches and mass media lists, showing your human side can forge genuine connections with journalists. Avoid the temptation to dodge your mistakes or delay addressing them – transparency and humility can go a long way in repairing relationships.
Add Some Humor into the Mix
As someone known for being outgoing, I’ve had my fair share of public slip-ups. I’ve learned that most people are forgiving and understanding of human errors. By injecting humor into your apologies, you can ease tension and show that you don’t take yourself too seriously.
When admitting my mistake to the journalists, I opted for a light-hearted approach. Keeping the tone playful and concise, I diffused any potential tension and paved the way for a smoother recovery.
Learn and Enhance Your Process
Mistakes are valuable learning opportunities. Before this blunder, our pitching process had four key steps. Post-error, we added a fifth step to review the finer details of the pitch, ensuring no oversight goes unnoticed.
By staying vigilant and proactive, we aim to prevent future slip-ups and maintain strong relationships with journalists. Trusting search engine results was a convenient shortcut that backfired in this instance, emphasizing the importance of thorough research and validation.
Embrace Your Humanity for PR Success
Perfect pitches are rare, and mistakes can happen even to the best of us. By embracing your humanity, you not only mend broken relationships but strengthen them. Remember, journalists are human too, and they appreciate authenticity and self-awareness.
View the original article and our Inspiration here
