Each year, new technologies and trends emerge that lead business owners and industry leaders to adjust their strategies and processes.
This year, it’s AI: the buzzword everyone is talking about. But AI isn’t just any new technology or trend: it’s a completely reimagined way of working and being, and a controversial one at that. That’s why its use is something that every single business owner and industry leader must carefully consider.
So, what about the world of PR? You could argue that AI tools like ChatGPT are an extremely efficient way to write your media pitches, whether you’re pitching yourself or on behalf of your clients. But is using AI to write your pitches really the best practice to garner the press attention your message deserves?
Nardi’s Take? No!
If you choose to use AI to write your pitches, you are going to hurt your chances of successfully sharing your message with the press and with the world – I can promise you that. This stance comes after months and months of observing, testing, and seeing how ChatGPT and other AI tools work.
While I firmly believe that AI does not have a place in PR, especially when it comes to pitch writing, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a place in our lives. For example, I love to use ChatGPT for meal planning, organizing vacations, and planning activities with my family. Not only do I agree that it has a place in our lives, but as it continues to integrate with our day-to-day in ways that we could never imagine, I believe it must have a place in our lives. The alternative is we’ll get left behind, especially as AI continues to evolve!
But pitch writing? No! Here’s why:
1. PR is About Relationships, Authenticity, and Humanity.
Building and maintaining relationships and leading with authenticity and humanity are our core values here at Nardi Media, and we stand by them, no matter the latest trend or technology. Whether they are your core values or not, these values should definitely be a part of your overall PR strategy. Why? Because this is what PR is all about! When a media pitch is written by AI, that pitch directly contradicts these values and the whole purpose of PR. As a result, the integrity of your hard-earned work gets lost. I don’t want to see that happen to you!
2. Pitches That Convey Your Message Land Best When They Come from the Heart.
A pitch isn’t just an email – it’s a meaningful invitation for the media to share your story with the world. But when you lead with AI, your message loses its credibility because it wasn’t written by you, and members of the media will take notice. More on that later!
My stance: AI can be used to research topics or offer suggestions (as long as you fact-check them!), but there’s one thing AI simply cannot replicate: writing from the heart. This strategy is what can make or break a lot of messages written in media pitches, so much so that I created a framework around it: the BE HEARD Framework, which I teach in Nardi’s Media Training offerings and share in my book, Authentic Power.
3. Jargon, Jargon, and More Jargon (and the Media Will Notice)
As a trained journalist, professional writer, and author, it’s very obvious to me when a pitch – or anything, for that matter – is written by a human versus ChatGPT. I can spot an AI-written pitch a mile away, and it’s usually because of the jargon that AI relies on to craft pitches, such as phrases like “uniquely qualified” or “[NAME] can delve into trending topics”. These jargon phrases sound generic and disconnected because they are simply buzzwords strung together without the depth, specificity, and unique voice (whether you’re pitching yourself or on behalf of a client) needed to make a pitch compelling enough to get media attention.
I have news for you – if I can tell the difference between an AI-written pitch and a human-written pitch, you can bet members of the media can tell, too (and trust me, they have – I’ve spoken to many of them!). That can most likely mean your pitch email will wind up in the trash.
This impacts both the integrity of your work as a PR professional and your relationships with the media. Our job in PR is about more than just delivering information – it’s about creating a genuine connection with members of the press, who are, after all, real people looking for real stories that will make a difference in the lives of their audience.
4. Clients Are Relying on You to Speak on Their Behalf.
Speaking of creating genuine connections, this is a big one. When clients hire Nardi Media, they’re not just hiring a firm to write emails; they’re trusting us with their voice and relying on us to understand the ins and outs of their brand, message, and tone. This is a big deal because these are the most important qualities that make each of our clients so unique, and we must honor that.
We’re here to be our clients’ biggest cheerleaders; the ones who convey their stories authentically and creatively. That’s why Nardi Media is committed to never using AI to write pitches on our clients’ behalf.
If you’re looking for a PR firm that will handle your message, brand, and voice with authenticity and care, contact us here: https://nardimedia.com/contact/.