Is there any kind of communication I can send someone to shut them up?

[offerbunk]

I'm handling some PR on behalf of a client.

I distributed a media release today and one very disgruntled journalist that received it and responded directly to my client (+ cc'd me) with the following:

'Why am I getting this ridiculous press release? You need to fire your PR person as they're ripping you off by selling you a bunch of bad addresses'.

Now, we are not! We use the world's largest media database to distribute, and conduct all activates in a professional and ethical way.

I think this guy slipped through the net - we sent it to a list targeted to one geographical region and he isn't from there - a mistake within the databse.

Thing is, my client is now a bit unsure of continuing our project as he has taken the journalist's words to heart.

If there anything I can mail the journalist to basically tell him I'll be recovering any losses, should our client cancel?

It just gets me that he outright told our client to fire us.

 

Send him a bottle of scotch and grovel.

Earl

 

[offerbunk]

He's the last person I'll be grovelling to!

 

He's the last person I'll be grovelling to!

Well I doubt if you have a legal leg to stand on.

Keep your enemies closer.

Earl

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Call him up and speak to him. If he is a journalist then he should listen. he has actually slandered you to a client. Did he email on a company email address? does he work as an independent or is he employed by a publication?

If the latter then the publication are liable for any content within one of THEIR emails (look up the case of Norwich union who ended up greatly out of pocket because an employee used Norwich union email address to hassle someone.

But first, call and explain who you used, and explain what happened.

Always best to start soft and work up from there.

 

[GraemeL]

I'm handling some PR on behalf of a client.

I distributed a media release today and one very disgruntled journalist that received it and responded directly to my client (+ cc'd me) with the following:

Morning.

Have we got all the facts needed in order to provide layman's advice?

My thinking is that if you are handling public relations and you are any good at it, you will know better most contributors how to handle bad press.

Then, what was it that caused a journalist to be very disgruntled? Surely not simple the receipt of a media release? maybe the media release was critical of the journalist???

Just feel that there must be something missing that is significant.:|

G

 

[lww]

I'm surprised at the replies, and the OP too to be honest - you want to "shut him up" and threaten to sue him?!

You sent an irrelevant PR to a journo and he got hacked off and replied. That's not slander, it's fair comment - a valid opinion based upon his experience - and if you look at it from his standpoint why not... if he really is incorrectly tagged in that database he has probably received hundreds if not thousands of these irrelevant emails! I would suggest the most practical, and professional, thing to do would be to craft a polite reply (without the typos ) apologising for the inconvenience and explaining the source of your email addresses. In fact, I would go slightly over the top and be very apologetic and offer to contact the database company to see if they can change his details for him. The journo might even be thankful if you stop the tide of spam he's getting, and your client will be reassured that you are using a professional contact list and treat your contract seriously.

I know which option I'd go for if it was me!

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I'm surprised at the replies, and the OP too to be honest - you want to "shut him up" and threaten to sue him?!

You sent an irrelevant PR to a journo and he got hacked off and replied. That's not slander, it's fair comment - a valid opinion based upon his experience - and if you look at it from his standpoint why not... if he really is incorrectly tagged in that database he has probably received hundreds if not thousands of these irrelevant emails! I would suggest the most practical, and professional, thing to do would be to craft a polite reply (without the typos ) apologising for the inconvenience and explaining the source of your email addresses. In fact, I would go slightly over the top and be very apologetic and offer to contact the database company to see if they can change his details for him. The journo might even be thankful if you stop the tide of spam he's getting, and your client will be reassured that you are using a professional contact list and treat your contract seriously.

I know which option I'd go for if it was me!

I'm new here, and before reading this I would have agreed with others. However lww has provided an extremely valid reply.

However, the company that I work for had something similar happen to us last year.

My Directors attend B4B breakfast meetings, and one particular person attended handing out his business cards (he came as a visitor), one even had a lengthy chat with this particular person about security (it's what we do! )

After ending the conversation, my Director asked him if it was OK to send emails, i.e. our monthly newsletters and he said it was perfectly fine and that he would be interested in receiving them.

Some 6 months later, he's moved to Jersey, unbeknown to us if anyone... and we receive an email from someone claiming to be his solicitor requesting that we stopped with our barrage of emails (one a month?!) as they were not wanted nor had his client agreed to receive them. I would also like to point out that on more than one occasion this "solicitor" used the term "without prejudice" as of which I later discovered that by him using these words, that we couldn't use his emails as evidence should the need be to in a court of law. (How true that is, I'm uncertain, but someone that I had a chat with suggested this, so I can only assume it is correct).

Get this... The "solicitor" even accused my company of soliciting it's favours to unwanted customers?!

We're a Security Specialist!

Everyone needs security in business or their home life, what we do is something that everyone needs but doesn't always have.

 

[lww]

we receive an email from someone claiming to be his solicitor requesting that we stopped with our barrage of emails (one a month?!) as they were not wanted nor had his client agreed to receive them.

But your monthly email contains clear instructions on how to unsubscribe right...?

I would also like to point out that on more than one occasion

How many emails does it take to unsubscribe someone?!

this "solicitor" used the term "without prejudice" as of which I later discovered that by him using these words, that we couldn't use his emails as evidence should the need be to in a court of law. (How true that is, I'm uncertain, but someone that I had a chat with suggested this, so I can only assume it is correct).

No it's not correct, "without prejudice" is not even necessary but is often used when negotiating a settlement (usually financial) - I can't believe the "solicitor" was negotiating a settlement at all, so it was completely irrelevant. In fact, I would suggest the person in question was not a solicitor at all... they don't usually send silly emails to earn their fees

 

[fisicx]

He's the last person I'll be grovelling to!

And you are in PR?

What's wrong with a simple apology and a some sort of freebie. Be nice and rewards you shall reap. You might even get the journalist on your side and a nice piece on some blog which could lead to new business.

 

[generation4business]

I think a simple apology should go a long way but I also don't think it will do any harm to maybe get another journalist who is in favour to balance things out and put the client at ease?

 

[Scousejock]

You have received one negative reply from this, (and I agree with others, you made the mistake in sending it to the wrong person so I think a simply sorry would be a good start) but have you had any positive ones. I assume that the point of the email were to obtain some sort of media coverage. Has this been successful? If so detail to the client the positive outcomes achieved and explain how the error happened and what you have done about it.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

he didn't make the mistake though it was the mailing company that he used that made the mistake. personally I would be looking to take action against the mailing company. Also like it or not, this journalist made a claim that this guy is 'ripping his clients off' he did this in writing which is libelous, and the guy does have a claim against him IMO.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

But your monthly email contains clear instructions on how to unsubscribe right...?

Of course... who's doesn't?

How many emails does it take to unsubscribe someone?!

This was within one email

No it's not correct, "without prejudice" is not even necessary but is often used when negotiating a settlement (usually financial) - I can't believe the "solicitor" was negotiating a settlement at all, so it was completely irrelevant. In fact, I would suggest the person in question was not a solicitor at all... they don't usually send silly emails to earn their fees

To be honest, I questioned it myself, I even attempted to get in touch with the firm to discuss it in more depth, and to find out why a Solicitor was contacting my company with such a silly email... however, the firm that was given was based in Chester, and had ceased "trading"

 

[simonr]

Can you turn it around? Without knowing the field - yours and the journalists - it's hard to be sure, but what about getting in contact and talking to him (after apologising and explaining) about a story of database cleaning and so on. If he's a business journo he might think it's interesting...