Is media relations really that easy?

The money spent on a PR firm is well worth it over time, but a client organization should know what to expect, including its role in monitoring coverage.

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He goes further, stating “PR—getting positive media coverage—isn’t all that difficult.”

OK, Mr. James. You’ve got my attention. I’m a PR person. Though I’ll grant that some services we provide are things that our clients could do on their own (write and edit press releases, for example) but simply don’t have the time to do efficiently, I’d truly be remiss in calling media relations easy. Am I missing something?

Having read the complete article—1,000-plus words—I am pretty sure that most businesses don’t have the time or the expertise to do what James is suggesting. And he doesn’t convincingly support his claim that PR is easy.

A $10,000 boondoggle?

Assuming most businesses will continue to seek out PR counsel, James would better serve his readers by addressing another, much more startling, issue in detail. James states: “I know people who are paying as much $10,000 a month to a PR firm and getting very little out of it.”

Excuse me? If your business is paying $10,000 a month for PR services and is not getting anything out of it, please call me immediately. If you’re wondering whether you’re getting what you should out of your PR retainer, consider the list below.

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