Editor Q&A: How to Pitch Julee Wilson, Style & Beauty Editor at The Huffington Post

As one of the largest circulated online media outlets, Huffington Post combines breaking news with blogging, and continually generates buzzworthy stories and content. We are thrilled to interview Julee Wilson, Style & Beauty Editor, and share her tips about what (and what not) to do it comes to pitching!

Name: Julee Wilson
Title: Style & Beauty Editor
Publication: The Huffington Post
Circulation: A lot!
Email: julee.wilson@huffingtonpost.com

How do you prefer to receive pitches?

Email

How far in advance do you work?

Anywhere from 5 minutes up to a month. It depends on the news, sponsorships and how far out we plan out editorial calendars around certain dates and events.

What is the best time to send pitches?

Anytime. We pretty much work around the clock. I might not get back to you right away, but I’m constantly checking my inbox. It’s a blessing and a curse.

What types stories/pitches are you looking for?

Fashion, beauty and overall style stories. HuffPost is primarily a news site, so more timely pitches always do best. However, we try not to pass up a really good story or angle even if it isn’t newsy. The site prides itself on covering almost everything, but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate quality and personalized pitches.

What makes a great pitch?

We enjoy publicists that know who we are, what we do, who we’re talking to…and the kind of tight deadlines we’re working on. Things move fast here, but we’ll slow down to read a well thought out pitch that makes sense for our brand. Attention to detail and a personal touch goes a long way.

If you are interested, what do you need to move forward?

If I decide the pitch works then I reach out to the publicist. I’m definitely not into be bugged or called about pitches. If you don’t hear back after a week or so, then chances are the story didn’t work for our needs.

What is the best way for a publicist to build a relationship with you?

I’m an old school girl, so face-to-face interaction is always best for me. When that’s not possible, a personal email works. Just make sure it isn’t a form letter — yuck!

What is a guarantee that a publicist will never hear back from you?

Calling and emailing a million times. Desperation isn’t attractive.