How Do You Handle Pushy Publicists?

Hi Edsters,

Over the last several weeks, I’ve nearly poured my blood, sweat and tears into this internship to make the most of every minute of every day.  In order to get assignments completed so I can leave at a decent hour, I try to arrive to work early.  But often I end up working through my lunch break and staying well past the end of my day.  Sometimes, I wonder if it would be better to pack a sleeping bag and camp out overnight in a spare conference room rather then endure the long commute when I leave so late.  But then I remind myself that I’m still paying my end and hope that my sacrifices will be worth it in the end.

In the meantime, as a reward for my efforts I’ve been granted opportunities to write a few pieces for the web.  Although one originated from my own story idea, an editor assigned most of these from press releases.  Each time I starting working on an article, I had to get in touch with the public relations person.  From these experiences, I’ve quickly come to realize that PR reps can either be either pleasant peers who provide practical information or pushy people that could try the patience of a saint.  Through a trial and error system of approach, I’ve figured out a couple of methods of dealing with publicists: 

4 Steps to Dealing With Problem Publicists

Hey Edsters,

As an editorial intern at the Regional Mag, fact-checking is one of my biggest tasks. A lot of this is careful reading and spell-checking, but another, more unpredictable factor also comes into play—the publicist. Fact-checking, requesting photos and writing stories all usually involve getting in touch with publicists, which can be more than a little frustrating at times. Publicists are usually juggling multiple accounts at one time, so they’re busy people. Sometimes, especially with publicists who represent celebrities and other important people, that workload translates into stressful conversations. Here are some tips for keeping your cool when coming up against particularly difficult PR reps.

Always call first. Find a phone number for the publicist if you can. That way they know you’re serious about getting your questions answered, and you can avoid an e-mail getting lost in an inbox that’s probably stuffed with similar requests.