Henry Stimpson’s PR and Marketing Tips
November 2003


Maximizing the Value of Your Public Relations Consultant

Form a true partnership with your PR consultant. Share ideas and information and brainstorm to create synergy.

• Keep the media’s viewpoint in mind. Reporters and editors are interested in one thing: a good story. Avoid self-serving press releases. Reporters aren’t interested in glorifying your company—that’s our job.

• Be proactive. Your PR consultant should always be thinking about developing good ideas, but don’t let him or her do it all alone. As an insider at your company, you can uncover opportunities an outsider may miss.

• Minimize and cut through corporate bureaucracy. By running interference through whatever levels of approval are required, you save the PR person’s time and energy for media relations, writing and strategy.

• Be available. Return phone calls and emails from both the media and your consultant promptly—and make sure that your key people are available too. Otherwise, you may lose a hard-won opportunity.

• Be flexible. Neither you nor the consultant has all the answers. The best relationships are founded on this realization. Listen to your consultant’s advice, but don’t accept it unquestioningly.



copyright Stimpson Communications

Henry@StimpsonCommunications.com
508-647-0705


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