Imagine you’re dining at a restaurant for the first time. Your food arrives, and it’s not what you ordered. You ordered egg rolls, but you are given burritos. Then, the waitress tries to convince you that burritos are what you really want, so you should eat them, enjoy them, and give her a big tip. That’s exactly how the journalists who list their needs with us feel when people respond with off-target information. If your expertise doesn’t fit their request, please don’t respond to it. In addition to running the risk that we’ll block your responses in the future, you’ll irritate the journalist and blow any chance you have of working with him or her in the future. Journalists have long memories for bad pitches. At the same time, on-target responses help you quickly develop a reputation for being a valuable source on your topic.
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