8 lessons from annoying PR pros
There are some obnoxious people in the public relations industry. Instead of simply casting them aside, learn from their mistakes.
These are the types of PR pros who waste journalists’ time, overcharge their clueless clients, and use ridiculous PR-speak, like “synthesize goal-oriented mindshare” or “client-centric functionalities.”
I’ve come up with a list of eight different types of annoying PR people—and the lessons you can learn from them.
1. The Impersonal PR Pro. If you’re making a pitch to a journalist, at least make it personal. Refer to the journalist by name, and make reference to some of his or her past work. Sending generic, effortless pitches is a surefire way to have your story ignored. Stop taking shortcuts!
2. The Hyperbole PR Guy. Journalist are no fans of press releases full of hype and no facts. Just state the facts, and cut out the fluff. Words and phrases like “leading,” “unique,” “best in class,” and “excellent” are typically subjective and have no place in a news piece.
3. The Unavailable PR Pro. You need to be available whenever a journalist comes calling. If you can’t get back to journalists in a timely fashion (remember, they have deadlines), they’ll start to view you as unreliable and untrustworthy.
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