Whether you’re a pundit, an expert, an analyst, or a third party, it’s important to remember that you rarely know all the facts. The media does not care about this; they just want a quote and a public relations contact to attribute it to. The juicier the sound bites you offer, the better for journalists, but not necessarily for you. (Read more…)

During the last week of 2006, when things were slow on Wall Street, I spent some time surfing around the web, playing public relations detective for my company. I was on the lookout for two things: 1.) people or companies infringing on our copyrighted material, and 2.) people writing things (good or bad) about my company. What I found should send public relations professionals to their search engine of choice immediately, just in case they think no one is writing about (or stealing from) their company or clients. (Read more…)

I recently celebrated my first decade working in the public relations industry, in one capacity or another. As I looked back on ten years in public relations, I realized I have many fond memories and plenty of regrets. I had some big successes, and some terrible failures. I got publicity in a newspaper read by more than one million people everyday, and a write-up in a high school newspaper read by a few hundred students and parents. More than anything, I realized that I’ve learned a heck of a lot about public relations in that decade. Here are just a few of the tips I’ve picked up after ten years in the belly of the beast. (Read more…)

Part of protecting your company’s brand is ferreting out which public relations opportunities are being presented by questionable companies. Recently, I turned down the opportunity for one of our company analysts to give an interview to MN1.com, an online video company that covers the stock market. By weighing, and rejecting, this opportunity for seemingly easy publicity, I saved our company from a public relations nightmare. (Read more…)

It’s no secret eReleases works with newspapers. Many of our subscribing journalists are from newspapers. Many of our customers have received print in local and nationwide newspapers alike. I like newspapers. I still subscribe to my local newspaper, the Baltimore Sun, as well as to the Wall Street Journal. (Read more…)

I take a lot of pride in the publicity that I generate on behalf of my company. And, yes, I still get giddy when we hit a public relations home run, because I know exactly how the publicity that I generate benefits my company. I know my role. But too many public relations professionals are unaware of just how they fit into their company’s business strategy. (Read more…)

Public relations can be a frustrating job, and much of that frustration comes from dealing with the media. Journalists have their own agendas and don’t always treat PR people with the respect they deserve. (Read more…)

Many public relations professionals may find it hard to believe, but it’s okay to turn down a press opportunity. And I’m not talking about opportunities where you may get sandbagged by a reporter. I’m talking about a press opportunity that looks good, at least on the surface. (Read more…)

As a journalist, it wasn’t often that I listened to a public relations pitch. But then there were times when I was three hours from deadline and I still didn’t have a story. During one of those crunch times, I checked my voicemail and there was a new message from a public relations rep named Alyssa Shelasky, pitching me on a story that I would normally ignore. But Alyssa got me interested in a very easy way: she did her research. (Read more…)

As we’ve done each year for the past several years, we’re publishing a “print and save” public relations calendar for the upcoming year. In this edition of PR Fuel, you’ll find calendar listings for holidays and observances, major political events and sporting events, as well as a list of anniversaries being marked in 2009. The purpose of the calendar is to ensure that public relations professionals are aware of important events that may drive the news cycle. The calendar is also a handy planning tool, allowing PR professionals ample time to get pitches and campaigns ready. (Read more…)