We get this call somewhere around three to ten times each day. A very friendly and very officious PR rep will call and explain how it's so important that we interview Joe Snow about his company's new products, strategy, Web page, business model, or unified field theory.
There are two reasons to do these interviews. From the PR agent's perspective, getting an interview scheduled is a win to her client. And from the client's perspective, an interview with "the press" is an ego boost. Neither of these reasons help our readers.
We will do interviews (and have done some very successful ones). Those interviews are with senior movers and shakers at the major player companies, with celebrities, or with people so interesting their interview would help "sell magazines".
Let us break it to you gently: if your client is the head of a small VAR, software company, or peripherals maker, the odds are we're not going to want to do an interview. We just don't have the time and available editorial bandwidth. Now, if your client has something really, friggin' interesting, then pitch it to us.
For example, if your client wants to talk about "enterprise solutions," just take him out back and shoot him. The same applies to "scalability," "business models," "technical revolutions," and anything "global". I know, you're different. You want to talk about your "revolutionary, global, massively scalable enterprise solution."
Uh, uh. Nope. Too boring. Way, way, way too boring. In fact, it's massively, globally, scalably boring. And you know it, too. Don't tell me you can come home from a trade show and not want to see anyone who says the word "solution" turn into a puddle of goo right before your eyes. Admit it. You do. Yeah, well that's life here every day.
On the other hand, if your client's a former rock star or comic, is a Rigelian clone master, has an amazing sports car collection, is a porn star with a penchant for C++ programming, is a paid military mercenary with a license to kill, is a politician who amuses us, or is someone who has some really interesting history, or -- the holy grail -- can write well, then we'll be quite interested in talking to her.
By the way, this isn't to say we don't want to talk to your clients. We do. We just don't want to be talked at by your clients. We'd love to talk about what your client's doing, the challenges they face, where they see the industry going, and how we all might work together to make our businesses successful.
We're not likely to run an interview with Joe Junior Executive, and a headshot. But if, in talking with a company executive or someone who's actually doing something in the field, we can come up with a great story idea, we'll be happy to work with you to find a way to get that story told. But, remember, it's got to be a story, not a quick grab for those famous 15 minutes.
If you still think you or your client is absolutely fascinating, please also read The World Famous 10-Question ZATZ Email Interview. This will give you some tangible steps on how to get an interview into one of the magazines.
Here's a link to a great page from the non-profit Spin Project about media hooks, stuff that won't put us into a coma. Read it.
By now, I'm sure you get the idea. Don't fret, though. If your client's as "normal" as we are (well, that's subjective, of course), you can still get coverage. Here are some great ways:
And, if you have questions, feel free to send an email to editor@ZATZ.com.
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