Marijane Funess July 1, 2011 | 09:00:42
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Declaration of PR Independence

“A press release should never be more than one page long.”
“The ad and editorial departments are completely separate.”
“Media contacts are too busy for ‘clever’ pitches, just the facts please.”

Above are just a few examples of long-held PR “truths” that shackle creative practitioners to outdated axioms and methods that just don’t get results.

This 4th of July, break free from suspect PR conventions and let your inner creative risk-taker burst through…or at least, in PR parlance, “pilot” a few new, independent ways to improve your prowess.

• If your news takes longer than a page to explain, but is engaging and compelling, so be it. What is a page anyway when you are reading it in the body of an email as opposed to an attachment? (which one should always avoid if possible, anyway)

• These days the ad and editorial departments of many traditional and online media outlets are more closely entwined than ever and the lines are very blurry. It is no longer “a dirty word” to leverage a client’s ad buy to create wonderful opportunities on the news/editorial side. Don’t be shy.

• A well-written email pitch to a media contact is great, but if your client’s product or service can be expressed via a creative mailer or hand-delivery, go for it. Then follow up…by phone! Sometimes, it is still the best way to forge a relationship and make results happen.

Any “PR independence” tips you’d like to share?

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