5 PR RULES THAT DON’T APPLY WITH DIGITAL

This post previously appeared on That Working Girl.

Public relations is a constantly evolving beast. With the new technologies and methods, how we practice PR is changing more rapidly than ever before. The first step to keeping up and mastering PR is to know which of the rules no longer apply.

1.) The only way to get press is to write and distribute press releases through a service.Press releases are great, but unless you’re Apple, using a service to distribute them isn’t going to get you press. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on PR Newswire, spend time cultivating relationships with the press you want covering your brand or client and pitch them directly with personalized, friendly and concise pitches.

2.) You should never use first-person wording when referring to your company or brand.The truth is, today, people want brands they can relate to. Personable brands are easy to connect with and understand, making messages easier to remember and more influential. Using first-person wording isn’t so much of a faux pas as it used to be.

3.) Press placements are the only way to get attention. This was true when everyone got their information from print publications and broadcast news. Press placements aren’t the same that they used to be. While still important and influential, brands can use plenty of self-publishing methods, like blogs, social media and guest posting, as well as placements with independent blogs and magazines, are great ways to spread your messages.

4.) All avenues to reaching your audience are expensive and time-intensive. PR is an around-the-clock job, true, but all of your methods don’t have to be time intensive or expensive. Smartphones, image editing software, social media, the internet and other technology make it incredibly simple to take your own brand photos, build your own website and blog, and talk directly to your customers.

5.) PR and marketing have nothing in common. PR and marketing are two very separate entities. Marketing is more analytical and is focused on numbers and quantifying your efforts. PR is more focused on the methods that get you there. But one of the most drastic changes to PR has been the intertwining of PR and marketing in practice. With the rise of content marketing and direct-to-consumer efforts, PR and marketing are more closely related than ever before.