I met Clueless Carl at a Chamber networking mixer. This small-business owner was vexed by the media’s inattention to his company.
“My competitors are always in the papers, but they never write about me,” Carl
grumbled.
When I asked if he had reached out to the editor of a local business-to-business
newspaper, Carl replied: “I called a couple of months ago, but they weren’t
interested.”
“What was your pitch?” I asked.
“My pitch was: I want you to write a story about my company.”
“Did you offer a specific story idea about your company for the editor to consider?” I
asked.
“Coming up with ideas isn’t my job,” Carl said. “It’s their job!”
Such knuckleheaded thinking guarantees continuing non-coverage of Carl’s company by
the media. I didn’t tell Carl this nor did I give him my business card, even though my business is pitching client stories to reporters. The Clueless Carls I’ve met over the years just don’t get it: If you give the media solid ideas, they’ll write about your company. The ones that do get it are my clients.
Blogger Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of
Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm,
specializing in marketing, public relations and business anniversary consulting
services. The firm created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary
“sell”-abrations. Download free copies of “The Bartel Years™” and the special
report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas for SELL-abrating Your Business
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