The Right Way to Ask a Freelancer for a Meeting (and Make It Worth Your Time)
I hear a lot of editors gripe about them, but truthfully, I love when PR or marketing teams reach out to me asking for a meeting. While I don’t take desksides since I work from home, I do try to accept as many invitations as I can to meet up somewhere in the city and learn more about a particular destination or company. (In fact, this recent Wall Street Journal article stemmed from a meeting I had about a month prior.) If I’m in town and available, I’m usually happy to meet—but there’s a right and a wrong way to ask. Here’s what to know.
Ask early.
The PR meetings I love most are the ones who’ve reached out to me two months in advance letting me know they’re coming to town. The earlier you ask me, the more likely I have availability to meet. Week of, or even week before, requests often make it seem like the meeting was an afterthought, and it’s harder to find time—not because I’m the world’s busiest person, but because a freelance writer’s schedule so often revolves around tons of phone interviews that tie me to my desk.
Send a calendar invite.
My entire life is in my Google Calendar, so it goes a long way when I receive an invitation to hold the date the same day we’ve agreed upon a time. I shouldn’t have to send an invitation for a meeting someone else invited me to; that’s like asking a friend to send out invites to a party you’re planning. It only takes 10 seconds and shows me that you are organized (be still my heart!) and interested in the meeting. Be sure to include in the entry what we’re meeting about (you’d be surprised how often people omit this).
Let me know who’s coming.
It’s not uncommon for me to show up to a coffee meeting, grab a table for two and then have the PR contact show up with three others in tow. Please help me to be at my best and feel prepared for the meeting by letting me know in advance the names and titles of each person attending the meeting.
Confirm the week of.
A friendly reminder about our scheduled meeting time the week of, or day before, the meeting is always appreciated. This assures me you’re sticking to our plan and eliminates the possibility of a miscommunication on time or location.
Lead the discussion.
There’s few things more awkward than meetings that start off with an inquiry directed at me: “Do you have any questions?” It makes me feel like I’m back in middle school and haven’t done my homework or something. To me, the onus is on the PR team to direct the conversation and have it tailored to my work. I’d be happy to ask questions after I learn more about who you are and what you’re trying to share with me.
Do your homework.
OK, I’m putting the work back on you again, but bear with me. Meetings in which you share the same narrative with every writer you’re meeting with aren’t valuable. Take a few moments to look at what outlets I write for and what topics I regularly cover, and tailor the conversation to ideas that might be a fit. I’ve had meetups in the past during which a destination rep flips through photos on an iPad without stopping for a breath for 30 minutes—and it falls flat. Meetings with freelancers should be a focused dialogue focused on respective needs and wants. After all, we want to work together with you to create pieces that are helpful to both of us!
Follow up.
Many great ideas can come from in-person meetings. As a freelancer, I thrive on the human interaction and idea sharing, as most days I’m working alone. But too often those conversations get lost when the PR team doesn’t follow up on story angles we talked about, or doesn’t take notes during the meeting. It’s important to nurture the PR-freelancer relationship by delivering what you promised in a timely manner.
Now it’s your turn: What pet peeves do you have about meeting with freelancers? Do you struggle to fill meetings for your clients? What can writers do better to make meetings more effective for you?