| Should you handle your own public relations campaign? | | | | is well strategized and thought out. It is a cumulative |
| No, not if you don't know the process or truly | | | | process that builds day by day and month by month. |
| understand the intricacies launching a PR campaign. | | | | If you are thinking of launching a media campaign for |
| Can you? Yes, at least to a point. | | | | your business or career, you basically have four |
| Effective media placement is a full-time job. It takes | | | | options: hire a media relations firm, hire someone |
| skill, know-how, persistence, andcontacts. The art of | | | | in-house to do your media relations for you, hire a |
| effective PR entails more than writing releases and | | | | media relations consultant, or launch your own media |
| putting together press kits. If you do it haphazardly or | | | | relations campaign. If you decide to handle your own |
| incorrectly, you're better off not doing it at all. The last | | | | media relations, you have a big learning curve ahead |
| thing you want to do is alienate the press, which is | | | | of you; you want to learn the hows and whys of |
| usually what happens when well-meaning but | | | | putting together a successful campaign. If you are |
| inexperienced individuals try their hands at running their | | | | looking to hire a company or consultant to do it for you, |
| own media campaigns. | | | | you still have homework. You need to learn the right |
| Media placement is a skill that needs to be learned and | | | | questions to ask in order to hire the right firm. PR is not |
| understood. None of us wouldsuddenly decide to give | | | | a one-size-fits all service. But the greatest mistake |
| open-heart surgery a try, or to overhaul a car | | | | businesses owners make is thinking PR is a luxury, not |
| transmission - well, at least most of us wouldn't, but | | | | a necessity. Those are the businesses owners who |
| every day people decide that they can handle their | | | | generally wonder why their competitors keep being |
| own PR without any prior knowledge or training | | | | featured in the media. |
| whatsoever. An effective media placement campaign | | | | |