What PR is NOT….

I had a tough week last week and while in a meeting with a very respected PR practitioner whose been in it for more than twenty years, we came up with a list of what PR can and cannot do. I thought some of those might be good to share.

1. PR is not guaranteed coverage. Hiring a publicist means they will do their best on outreach to a certain number of designated sites agreed on by both parties. It does not guarantee in any shape, form or fashion coverage for those sites.

2. PR is not easy.

3. Generating a press release does not mean the press release will get coverage.

4. PR is not pay for play. Espescially in terms of reaching out to bloggers, each blog list is customized and it is completely up to the bloggers as to whether they choose to cover your book, event or news.

5. PR is arduous and good PR does not happen overnight. Again, in terms of reaching out to bloggers they actually READ the books they are sent, so getting a mention on a blog site from the initial outreach can oftentimes be a lengthy (but well worth it) delayed posting. In terms of bloggers you also have a great opportunity to actually connect with someone who truly is vested in covering what their readership wants to read about. It’s a wonderful thing that bloggers READ the books they are sent, so be patient instead of impatient when it comes to them possibly posting about your book.

6. Bloggers do not exist to be marketing entities for your next book, project or venture. They truly are citizen journalists and should be respected on the same level. That means they decide when, if and what they will cover in terms of your book, news or event.

7. PR is public relations not marketing, not fluff without a news hook, not advertising relations. It is public relations.