As we’ve mentioned before, for many strategic communications pros the task is to generate attention for a client, communicating a message to individuals who might not otherwise discover it. The challenges are numerous, of course, as most people have limited available time and energy to be introduced to new companies, individuals and messages. Success is unfortunately never guaranteed.
There are many things you won’t be able to control. But, as we’ve said before, if you do everything right but the timing is off for a particular reporter, don’t worry! Starting relationships will help you sow seeds and reap rewards later on.
Mistakes will happen (Credit unknown)
You might also make mistakes. This can range from the inexperienced mistake of writing a poorly crafted pitch to the “where was my head at?” mistake of addressing an email to the wrong person. These can be embarrassing not least because you will sometimes make a mistake in front of someone who delights in pointing it out. The other day I was rebuked for writing “followup,” a noun, when I should have written “follow up,” the verb form.
But each mistake is an opportunity to grow and to get better. That’s a cliche, but it’s true. Each pitch that ends up a dud can be taken apart to find mistakes. Each mistake a chance to refine your process to ensure better care is taken. For a period of time I kept a piece of tape on my laptop screen imploring myself to reread each email before pressing submit.
And given how much we all tend to enjoy laughing at other’s mistakes, the internet provides numerous opportunities for you to learn from a mistake you haven’t even yet committed. Some come from other pros hoping to raise the caliber of work within their industry (for which we thank them), and some come from less encouraging sources.
Learning from mistakes requires balancing a necessary amount of thick skin – some responses are simply personal criticisms you must be able to brush off – and sensitivity to addressing areas of your performance and practice in need of improvement. It’s all part of the process of gaining control of everything within your power to control so you’re ready to maximize your chances of getting a bit hit.
