I worked in public relations and marketing for 10 years.

So I know a good PR pitch when I see one.

It makes the PR girl in me rejoice.

Five weeks ago, I received an email in poetry form from a young entrepreneur and app developer, Ben.

He certainly got my attention.

Which got me thinking about the terrible PR pitches I’ve received and how I wish everyone could be like Ben. Consider this a PSA, PR agencies, marketeers and social media consultants, hoping to target bloggers.

Be Personal

Not only did Ben’s poem address me by name, he referenced my blog name. It wasn’t a “Dear Mommy Blogger” pitch. Good start. He then went on to reference a few of my recent blog posts, which showed me that he’d actually read my blog before writing to me.

Be Original

PR pitch in a personalized poem form? Yes please. To quote Ben,

“If “But why a poem?” is what you thought,
It’s just cause “PR” can be boring and Cobypic is not.”

Be Efficient

Ben replied to my emails quickly (even though I wasn’t always on the ball as he was), and again, he always mentioned something he’d read in my blog (and something recent too). Yes, we bloggers really like it when we know you’ve read our blogs.

Be The Opposite Of Pushy

Ben’s app, Cobypic is a completely new iPhone and iPad app, developed by a very small and dedicated team. They work hard to get this awesome and fun app to work, and clearly need all the help they can get to get them into the market big time. BUT, he was never pushy. We exchanged maybe 10 emails before I even offered to do anything for Cobypic, as I’d recently decided not to do reviews. He never got impatient, he never bugged me about doing a review. Which I really appreciated.

Be Generous But Not In A Bribe-y Fashion

I’ve had pitches from companies, expecting me to give them something for nothing in return. I’m a blogger, doing this on my own coin, not a journalist, working for a newspaper or magazine, looking for content. I don’t write stuff off a press release. I need something to experience before I can write about an experience yes? Ben gave me the app redemption code to download as soon as Cobypic was launched. I stuffed up the download process when my Internet cut out halfway, and I asked him if I could have another code. He happily gave me one, and suggested I check my iPad to see if maybe I just hadn’t installed the app, which is why I couldn’t see it. Turns out, he was right. But he still gave me another code. Even after I’d told him I don’t actually do reviews.

Although I am not reviewing the app (I’ll just say here, it’s fun, it’s innovative and it’s unique), I want Ben and Cobypic to succeed. So I’m going to recommend it to friends with children, I’m going to tweet the fact that my son and I are enjoying it, and I’m writing this. Which I will post to my Facebook page and Twitter.

Making an effort with PR pitches really work. So stop sending us generic “Dear Mommy Blogger” emails. Take a page from Ben’s book. Because we do know better.

People, do go check out Cobypic and try the app out, it’s really fun! It’s like a coloring book, but you get the colors by taking pictures of objects around you. How cool is that? I do have that extra redemption code, so first one to let me know they want it, they can have it.

Have you received any good or bad PR pitches lately? Share!