PR Chicago

Scrapbooking dogs and other stupid story ideas

PR folks have been regularly lambasted for bad or boring story ideas and their penchant for pitching even the most inappropriate media outlets (check out badpitch.blogspot.com). But when you have a less-than-scintillating product to promote, you sometimes have to look high and low for decent story angles. We do what we can.

That said, the media shouldn't come out of this unscathed. Recent articles on the $54 million lawsuit for a pair of pants a hapless dry cleaner lost and the hiccupping girl who, finally rid of the persistent problem, ran away from home, underscore the media's apparent fascination with stupid stories.

And now this find: one journalist has requested leads on pets with hobbies from a PR service that helps journalists find sources and information for stories. What kind of hobby would your dog have? Would it be a traditional dog interest, say, digging or chewing? Or maybe your dog enjoys scrapbooking or collecting sports memorabilia?

Help us help you

PR isn't strenuous, but it IS stressful. That's because we can find ourselves trapped between clients who have unrealistic expections and media people who, in an industry facing serious economic downturns, don't even want to deal with us. We do want to do a good job, though, so here are some ways to get the best value from your PR firm:

• Stick around. Sometimes CEOs come to a town to do interviews and are willing to devote about 30 seconds to the task. Sure, it's not the easiest thing in the world, but since you're here, why not take advantage of the opportunities that your PR firm presents? And if you don't like talking with the media, we can help train you so you'll feel more comfortable and confident.
• Give us some great information to work with. PR people are often criticized for not providing in-depth information to the media. In some cases, it's because clients don't feel the need for pitch materials, such as b-roll, backgrounders, bios and photos. Won't you let us develop them? In addition, are your management people available for interviews? Could you provide contact information for satisfied customers/clients? Does your web site have adequate content?
• Allow us time to tell your story. Getting in-depth coverage doesn't happen overnight. We need to nurture our media contacts, providing the right pitch at the right moment. Then we need to follow-up with the requested information and interviews in a timely fashion. Sometimes this takes months, given the extreme demands on the time and attention of today's overworked print and TV reporters. Be patient. It will be worth it.
• Keep the dialogue going. We love to discuss story angles with clients. Often some usual fact or idea will result in a great media placement. We also like to explore some other ways to build awareness for your product/service, including demos/sampling, networking with business/community organizations, sponsorships, radio promotions and special events.

The best PR programs result from an ongoing client/agency partnership. The client must be committed to and actively participate in his/her own PR efforts, and these efforts must be constantly evaluated and reexamined so that they meet the changeable demands of the media and the public.

Why PR needs some PR

A couple of recent posts have led to a flurry of commentary that heaps even more criticism on PR's value as a profession. It started with Guy Kawasaki's blog, which references an article by Margie Zable Fisher on "Why PR Doesn't Work." The post points to the need for PR agencies and consultants and their clients to really understand what PR can and cannot accomplish and how the parties can work together for their mutual benefit. Some lively commentary followed, and Kawasaki subsequently published a post by Glenn Kelman, a real estate CEO, espousing do-it-yourself PR. (BTW, Glenn, the same case might be made for buying and selling your own properties without using any real estate services, right?) The post led to some significant PR bashing, which has come to be as much of a sport as lawyer-bashing. Hey, we're easy targets. Some of the blame falls on our industry, which has been historically bad at doing PR for PR. Public Relations Society of America, why aren't you weighing in on these blogs?

Of course, you can do your own PR. Could you be effective? Depends on your company, product, audience and the media. And the posts seem to assume that PR simply boils down to calling a few editors/producers or getting into a few blogs, rather than the many other tactics that we employ, including community relationship-building, value-added promotions and street team marketing. 

PR requires constant reading -- and knowing what reporters and editors are covering, what the trends are and what interests them. Then you must provide the right stories at the right time and build their trust. It means responding to media requests quickly, and preparing your client well. Sometimes it also means working with the communities in which the company is located to build relationships and contribute to local causes; working with TV and radio to create value-added promotions to build sales and developing street team-level programs to encourage product trial and increase brand awareness.

Anyone can do their own PR. We could also do our own tax preparation, financial planning, plumbing, electrical, auto repair and roofing. Would it be worth the cost savings? Probably not.