7 reasons your PR efforts aren’t working

From an over reliance on blasting press releases to too much jargon, here are the pitfalls that hurt well-intentioned public relations campaigns.

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Why are some PR programs more successful than others, and what should you do when faced with a media relations program that just isn’t gaining traction? Here are a few common PR mistakes. You rely on blasting press releases rather than telling a story. “PR” isn’t shorthand for “press release.” A newswire spam strategy might have a temporary effect on search engine optimization, but it doesn’t work over the long term. Your message isn’t memorable or different. Not every company or product is original, but nearly anyone can craft a distinctive, relevant story. Your story doesn’t ring true. Authenticity counts. If the customer experience doesn’t live up to the claims, you’ll be lucky if a lack of coverage is the result. And remember, journalists and bloggers are customers, too. You’re drowning in jargon or insidery factoids. Sometimes, the packaging of the message is at fault. Buzzwords are threatening to take over communications, especially in tech PR. It’s best to think twice before stringing together empty phrases like “unique, industry-leading end–to-end solution.”

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