Dear Publicists: Stop Using Fluff Words

Do you know what kills a pitch fast? Or waters down an interview? Fluff. Those unnecessary words used to beef up the story you're trying to sell. Shell words provide zero extra meaning and make people question if everything is accurate. 

The amount of fluff I see in pitches and subject lines could fill an entire dumpster. It's about unlearning what you were taught makes for a good pitch. Let's put aside for a minute what you learned while in the early days of your PR career and focus on education in general. Teachers and professors wanted those ten-page papers. What did that create? A habit of using fluff and then working in PR just reinforced your writing style. 

Make a new habit now of getting to the essence of your story quickly. Pretend you have a 50-word pitch count limit. Do these filler words really need to be in there? Do they really enhance what you're trying to say? Most likely not. 

A prime example of too much fluff

Subject line: The most authentically engaging & life-changing organic product you'll ever use in your lifetime

Pitch example: “So-and-so authentically came up with an idea to create product X that is 100% organic in all aspects of design and production, and the consumer engages with it in ways never before seen. I know you'll be inspired by so-and-so's story. It inspired me to want to go out and conquer each and every day. Are you ready to use the life-changing product?”

Top 3 Fluff words to avoid:

• Authentic: it's expected (and assumed) that everyone is authentic in their story and what they do. The word is highly overused.
• Organic: at the root of it, what does it even mean? Every company, every person, every start of "something" starts organically. Unless it's an organic food product, don't waste space with this word.
• Inspiring: everyone thinks that their story is inspiring. Let the story you're pitching speak for itself; let the inspiration come from the feeling the reader has while reading the article or pitch. 

Follow this simple rule: less is better. It makes you get down to the heart of it without losing the writer's attention. 

The media landscape is ever-evolving. Learn from myself and two partners, Stephanie Burns and Melissa Houston, also top-tier journalists, in the Facebook group, Insights To The Media Room. Here you'll learn what writers are looking for in pitches and how to level your game up. 

We're kicking off our live strategy sessions on May 3rd in the FB group. I'll be hosting the first session: PR Mindset.