Love/Hate Relationships

PR and marketing people — love’em and hate’em. I love the ones who are real partners and truly represent their clients in the best possible way. They’ve done their homework. They have a good idea of what a publication is all about and the audience that it addresses. They contact the editors on behalf of their clients, stay in touch with them but aren’t pests about it. They know what the editors and the publication need and when they need it. And if an editor contacts them with a request for information, an image or a sample from one of their clients, they do everything within their power to expedite the request. These are the PR people who are the editor’s best friend and ally. And I have several of these “best friends and allies” and they really are that!

And for the vendor(s) whom they serve, their fee (or salary) is money well spent. A well written press release with the important news prominently placed and a good press kit with all the latest information and images presented in an eye-catching, concise format are valuable tools for getting your message publicized. The occasional release, email or phone call keeps you company fresh in mind.

As for the ones that I hate … they are the ones who haven’t done their homework and indiscriminately send  press releases to their entire media list whether it applies to that publication’s business and audience or not. Email has made it far too easy and a lot cheaper for these folks to send out a release to a huge unedited electronic list, rather than taking the time to review and choose the names where the message will most appropriately be meaningful and well received. I’ve been getting a lot of these recently. What makes them think that a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe featuring an appearance by Lance Armstrong is of any business value to our gift industry readers? This is not PR money well spent.