8 PR lessons from an ex-journalist

One year removed from his newsroom days, the author shares tips for other reporters and editors making the transition ‘to the dark side.’

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I held that journalist belief that I was overqualified to be a PR pro and that it would be easy.

Needless to say, I was a bit overconfident.

So, what have I learned? Besides how great it is to have my own office, here are eight lessons for anybody making the same transition:

1. When it comes to social media, experience isn’t expertise. All reporters and editors use Facebook and Twitter to promote their stories, but running a long-lasting marketing campaign that attracts not only a high number of eyes, but also the right eyes, is different.

Lesson: It’s tempting to jump in and run full steam ahead on all platforms. Don’t. Each is different. Take advantage of the many articles and blogs that explain those differences. Just as important, learn about social media analytics.

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