I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the ways us PR folks can just phone it in sometimes. Present company included.
And I’ve been reading and rereading this rant from the always dead-right Seth Godin.
Ever tell a client ‘We’ll place stories in the so-and-so media?’ Note the use of the verb ‘place’ and not ‘develop relevant story angles’ that might actually be of interest to said media rather than try to shove it down their throat by emailing, faxing and calling them until you are blue in the face.
My own personal favorite is when we just assume that with some slight connection to some national event – an election, the Super Bowl, Terri Shiavo – the morning shows, the cable news networks and the network news magazines will just fall into place. We’ve all fallen into that lazy thinking trap. I’ve done it.
Now that the cat’s out of the bag about English Cut I can tell you all that it was some brutally hard work and work that’s still ongoing. Reporters just don’t fall in love with these stories like we – the publicists – do. We have to give them something to fall in love with. We have to tweak the story to what they need to make it happen for their editors and their audiences.
Of course, having an amazingly great story doesn’t hurt.
It’s hard work but in the end, it’s worth it.
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