Seasoned (and multi-hyphenated) freelance writer-stylist-editor and brand consultant Amy Flurry shared her secret ingredients for being your own best publicist in her first book, Recipe for Press, when she was in town April 18 for SCAD Style.
To avoid being pegged a rookie by editors, Flurry cautioned budding freelancers from making four common mistakes when preparing portfolios and pitching their ideas to print and online publications:
1. Overstyled Photos
Editors and bloggers prefer crisp, well-lit product shots against a plain white backdrop.
2. Wrong Pitch to Wrong Editor
Because editors assemble pages, sometimes as far as six months in advance, changes are an editor has moved up or on to a different publication. It takes time to check and double check who the correct editor is for the page you are pitching, but the energy invested is worth it. (Flurry offers helpful instructions how to conduct this type of research in Recipe for Press.)
3. Outdated Marketing Materials
All the information an editor needs to know about you should be found on your website, and a solid e-mail pitch should lead directly to your website.
4. Wrong Pitch to Wrong Publication
Failure to read the magazine or blog you are pitching will send your pitch directly into the trash.
