20 things PR pros should NOT do

20 things PR pros should NOT do

This list is adapted from an online post by Brooke Nolan at her blog PR Tips.

This is inspired by a post over on PR Daily naming the 20 things a PR pro should know how to do.

This is my take on things PR pros should know NOT to do. A few obvious ones, but sometimes they’re the ones most easily forgotten.

PRESS LIAISON:

• Phone journalists when you know they’re on deadline
• Be unprepared for questions when doing a sell in
• Miss a deadline
• Spam journalists with the same release, with no thoughts of what they actually want
• Fail to get interesting, exciting (and high res!) images to accompany stories

SOCIAL MEDIA:

• Delete negative comments
• Focus on numbers, not engagement
• Not bother monitoring conversation
• Share nothing but links to your own website and offers
• Not familiarize yourself with analysis tools

CUSTOMER/CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS:

• Fail to set clear targets, expectations and evaluation methods
• Not work out a clear approval process
• Not push for opinions and viewpoints
• Ignore situations if they go wrong, mistakes happen – it’s how you deal with them that count

PLANNING:


• Churn out news releases with no strategy or reason behind them
• Get coverage for coverage’s sake
• Fail to make sure press, advertising, social media activity etc is joined up
• Not make the time to read the newspapers/blogs/magazines
• Not hold regular planning and brainstorming meetings