When I was a magazine editor / publisher I used to receive a huge number of unsolicited submissions and requests to be featured in the magazines I owned EVERY SINGLE DAY. Clearly people understood the benefits of being featured in a magazine, but few of them approached getting this PR in the right way.
Here are a few pointers to consider before submitting to a magazine
1 - make sure you know WHO to contact. Editorial / Advertising / Giveaways / Reviews are all likely to be handled by different members of the team. If in doubt, phone and ask “who should I email about ……”
2 - Timing is everything. The chances are editorial features will be planned out months in advance (we used to work about 9 months out) so dont pop in with a brilliant Christmas related idea in October and expect to be successful.
3 - Make it easy. I loved it when people sent me something that had been professionally presented, well thought out, and contained everything I need to make a decision. If you are writing a piece that you want published send a detailed draft, tell me if you can provide high res images to accompany it, let me know how long it will take you to write and if you expect to be paid for it. Giving me all this information up front is far more likely to make me want to work with you.
4 - Research the magazine. If our review section is called “Things we Love” (because it was) then say you have a perfect product to be featured on our Things we love page, not our review section. Make me feel like you have bothered to read my magazine.
5 - Be clear on what you are expecting. If you would like to be paid, then ask. If you are looking for a free advert in exchange for a written piece then say this. If you are just looking for promotional opportunities then tell me this. Dont make me guess. I may not be in the mood.
6 - If you want to send a product in for review then send great high res pictures of it BEFORE you send it in. Make it clear if you need it returning, send a SAE with it to make this happen.
7 - Be friendly. I loved it when people emailed me, used my name and made an effort to talk about the magazine. I was much more likely to contact these people than the Dear Ms Rycoft, blah blah blah yours sincerely xxx letters which lacked personality and friendliness.
8 - Sending in a pre written feature is unlikely to be successful. Magazines have their own style guide, words they use and do not use and are extremely likely to ask you to rewrite. Instead send samples of your work and tell them that you are happy to use their style guide when submitting the finished piece.
9 - Follow up. But in a good way. Magazines receive so many unsolicited contacts that a phone call a week or so after they’ve received it is always a good idea. But don’t become annoying. Phoning daily for an update is a sure way to get in the bad books.