5 PR lessons inspired by scuba diving

As a longtime member of reserve components of the military, I often think of PR as the “indirect fire”—the artillery and mortars that “softens” up a beach before the infantry assaults. (Think familiarity before a sales call.) I once had a boss who thought that was ridiculous; another thought it was genius.

Having just returned from a scuba diving vacation in Bonaire, I was reviewing (amateurish) photos I had taken and had this inspiration. It’ll work for some and not others, but here are five things that scuba diving makes me think about in PR:

1. Check your buddy’s equipment before you dive. Most scuba courses teach you to do this; but some get sloppy after a while. Don’t let complacency set in—recreational diving has one redundant system and that’s your buddy’s air. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be sucking water: That’s not good. There isn’t a second chance.

Likewise, proof your work before you publish. As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.