58. Be prepared for rejection

Just because you put a lot of effort into your PR work doesn’t mean the press will pick up your story automatically. When trying to capture the attention of the media it’s easy to think you know better than they do. You might be so invested in your product or service and so convinced of its importance to the market it can seem inevitable people will want to write about it.

It is always okay to miss targets in your first try. What is important is to learn from your mistakes and work towards achieving your goals. Work towards improving your appeal and pitch. It might take a lot of telephone ping pong, emails and mixers to get the media on board. Always keep on trying.

59. Always Build up your profile

Your goal is to connect with as many people as possible. You should not connect with everybody but with people who look after the section of the very publications you want to get into. Aim to become a good contact person who has knowledge about your industry and community.

60. Remember speed and relevance is everything

In this ever-connected world, news travels fast; if you blink you might have missed it. In public relations, speed is not just about getting news out the door. What it actually is reflected in the way a company disseminates relevant and timely information to its customers and business partners.

61. Include Monitoring in Your PR

You can’t effectively respond to a bad situation if you don’t know what’s happening and who’s talking about it. Always make sure you monitor all reports, comments about your business to see how you fare with the general public. Make sure you have the capability to analyze the impact of coverage or comments so that you can respond with the appropriate degree be it positive or otherwise.

62. Understand the Problem Before Acting

There can be tremendous pressure to respond immediately, it is never a good idea to make a statement before you understand all of the facts. Consult with involved employees or other stakeholders so that you are clear about exactly what happened and what information has been published.