Have you heard the term press trip debt? No, it’s not the expenses freelance writers can unexpectedly rack up with Ubers, gratuities, travel meals and more when taking a hosted press trip. (That’s a topic to cover another day!).
A press trip is an exchange of services: i.e., a hotel or destination hosts a writer at no monetary cost to them, and the writer produces stories about it afterward. Ensuing press trip debt occurs when a writer has experienced a hosted trip and has been unable to place stories with editors upon returning home, therefore becoming indebted to the trip host —and the PR professional or agency who arranged it.
Press trip debt compounds the more trips you take, much like continuing to shop with an unpaid credit card. Say a writer went on a trip in March that they’re still struggling to place as they take more planned trips in April, May and June. For many writers, there’s no greater fear or worse feeling.
“It freaks me out so bad,” one travel writer (and a well-established one, at that) told me recently. “That feeling of trying and trying [to place a story] and knowing the [PR] person may not believe you… sometimes you can’t stomach it.”
This experience is becoming more common and happens to even the best travel writers. I’ve been surprised to learn how many writers are struggling with this, flooding my inbox recently with queries for suggestions on where to pitch specific story angles they discovered on press trips.
What is causing press trip debt?
I think this is happening for a few reasons. First, writers are not hearing back from editors they have relationships with, perhaps because those editors are getting mixed directions from leadership, are overloaded, or are leaving their positions, on their own volition or not. Second, outlets within larger publishing companies are increasingly focusing on content that will drive SEO and rankings, meaning more stories are assigned based on keywords rather than ideas. And third, mainstream travel publications are inundated with pitches and simply can’t take all the good story ideas they’re pitched.
The good news: With a little creativity and collaboration, there are ways to circumvent press trip debt. From a PR perspective, press trip debt is a dreaded outcome. It’s in your best interest to learn how to mitigate it, too.
Here are seven ideas for writers and PR:
1. Have open discussions before a trip.
Instead of asking for a writer’s commitment to a trip at the bottom of a press trip invitation email, PR should ask to schedule a call as the CTA. On the phone, you can discuss the itinerary, possible story angles, what publications the writer might want to pitch it to, and the overall dynamic of the group attending. This enables the writer and PR to get on the same page about expectations.
2. Talk with your editors.
Writers tend to vocalize strong opinions against getting confirmed assignments ahead of being booked on a press trip. But the truth is, many writers admit to feeling less stressed and “safer” when they do have an assignment in hand. It’s smart to at least connect with a few editors whom you think could be interested in potential story ideas from a trip. Say you’ll follow up with official pitches afterward, and communicate these conversation outcomes to the PR team hosting the trip.
3. Collaborate on the itinerary.
Again, communication is key. PR teams want to curate agendas that serve each writer’s beat well and maximize story opportunities. On an individual trip, writers should be vocal about what they’d like to see and do (and what they’d prefer to avoid). PR should work to accommodate this while also serving their destination partners and not overpacking itineraries. On a group trip, it’s trickier to do, but leaving an afternoon open for writers to choose what they’d like to do is effective. Or, consider bringing in a writer in early or letting them stay a day or two longer to give them time to focus on a specific angle.
4. Prioritize group curation.
If it is a group press trip, PR must be smart in how they put people together. No matter how fascinating a destination or property, a negative group dynamic will unfavorably affect the way writers remember a trip and, in turn, think about pitching stories about it. Having a mix of freelance writers and editors will help them to build relationships on the ground, proving more fruitful for PR down the road if these journalists work together. Connect people ahead of time on a group chat and share social media handles so they can begin to build relationships before they meet on the trip.
5. Seek out new outlets.
Lesser known or niche travel publications may receive fewer pitches, but that doesn’t mean a story they publish is less impactful than one in a bigger outlet. In fact, the opposite could be true. Dedicate an hour per week to researching the publishing landscape to discover new print and digital outlets, podcasts, broadcast opportunities and more, and getting to know the editors at each. (To make it super easy, become a Pitchcraft member, as we do the legwork for you. Journalists, see this.)
6. Consider writing for the tourism board.
During PRSA Travel, one PR pro from a DMO proposed inviting a writer who’d been to her destination and not been able to place any stories from the trip to write for their blog. Writers celebrated her suggestion, saying this would be a welcome approach. I’d add that this should be a last step to mitigate press trip debt. Ethics become questionable if a writer continues to pitch consumer publications about a destination while also getting paid by the destination to write for them.
7. Prioritize transparency.
Writers and PR pros should build strong relationships where both sides feel comfortable being transparent with one another in their challenges and what’s happening from their POV.
Above all, communication is paramount. A quick email from a writer sharing the latest updates, even if they’re nos from editors, is always preferred to ghosting post-trip. PR can continue to share news and updates from their client in case it sparks future story ideas that will help writers land a story later.
