Why PR is a Crap Shoot

I'm working with a new client these days who didn't get the information to me in time to meet a certain print deadline.  Sigh, I wish everyone would understand that we all have to hustle to meet deadlines.  Having worked in media, I can tell you that if I didn't get the information by 5 minutes before the newscast, it just wasn't getting in that broadcast.  Same is true of print media.  Luckily the internet is far more forgiving and once it's out there, it's there maybe forever, who knows.

Generally sending out a news release is always a crap shoot, sometimes there's room for your story, but many times other events, like the devastation of Haiti, will push your worthy story to the back burner.  Except on the internet!  This client is hosting a reading of a screenplay that he will produce down the road.  He wanted to get the word out to the community and not only have other writers/actors/industry types comments, but comments from regular folks.

I wrote the release and then posted it on as many internet outlets as I could find, thinking that even though we couldn't post it on the TV channels community calendars (they need the info at least 8 weeks in advance- rather like Public Service Announcements), I could post at other sites where folks would see it.

Probably three hours after I sent it out, I get an email from the client saying that he's already received several phone calls from people, some of whom might be interested in helping to fund the project!  I was astounded honestly for him to get that immediate response.  Generally PR, unless it's event related and time sensitive, takes a much longer time to have an impact.

And speaking of Haiti, please donate what you can.  I have a dear friend who works with a group called Map International, so they get the PR plug of the hour here on PR Insights.

Do you Hear Birds?

If you do, it might be that everyone around you is Twittering!  OK I know that was a very bad joke, but if I can't torture my small but growing audience with bad humor, who can I torture?  I admit that I'm still a new user of Twitter and am in the process of discovering how to use it for PR for clients and myself (must mention that I'm also a digital artist and photographer in addition to being a writer and PR consultant).

Matter of fact it was a Twitter message that led me to making this post. Thanks @DawnSandomeno, who I found after gawking around at my friend Margaret's Nanny Goats in Panties Twits.  It shows the genius of the site as a way to spark conversation and providing resources for many of us. 

Dawn listed the url to this article in the New York Times by David Carr.  I'm down with most of what he talks about except for surfing the web less often.  Maybe in time, I will be able to do that too.