As often as we say that PR isn't magic and that PR professionals aren't magicians, the more you think about it, we actually are.

Whether you'd like to admit it, we are all lovers of magic on some level. It triggers all sorts of emotions -- the mystery, confusion, awe and even frustration when you are determined to figure out how a particular illusion was performed. At first glance, most magical illusions seem simple, with most getting the standard "Oh that's easy. I could do that!" reaction.

But when you are given the playing cards, the magic metal rings, the three shells and a pea or knotted rope, the illusion doesn't seem as simple, does it? 

That's because there are a lot of moving parts -- as well as a lot of practice and expertise -- that goes on in the background to make those illusions seem so simple.

Now, do not confuse illusions with PR spin, please! Illusions are more about making something complex look easy for anyone to do at a glance, while PR spin is just dishonest and sketchy. 

It is easy for those not in PR to read various stories in newspapers, magazines and blogs and say "I could place a story like this" or "well, if my competitor/partner can get a story like this, it can't be that difficult."

True, sometimes getting an amazing profile story or mention in a high profile publication is just plain luck. The reporter stumbled upon the company or product and personally fell in love with it. Or timing just worked in their favor. 

But more times than not, there is quite a bit that goes on behind the scenes -- sometimes for months -- before that one story publishes. Just like a magician practices shuffling and cutting cards for hours a day to make that one performance flawless. 

So while we tend to say "PR isn't magic" or we (PR pros) "aren't magicians", in fact, we are very much so. Just no one sees all the work that goes into it all. And that's the point. 

PR professionals can spend a good amount of time reading the news and helping correct inaccuracies on behalf of their clients. But quite a bit of inaccuracies are actually related to the job itself and people's misconceptions around what we do for a living.

​So we asked top PR pros, "What is the biggest PR myth you've had to fight (or continually fight)?" Here are their responses:

Should this be a press release or a blog post?

This is a question that executives and communications teams alike ask on a regular if not daily basis. And it can be a highly debated topic depending on a variety of factors.

Historically, press releases were critical to getting any company news out to the public. You issued a standard press release for earnings, mergers & acquisitions, product announcements, customer wins, etc. It went across "the wire" into the hands of key reporters. 

But then the blog post was created. 

Google was the first major company to truly embrace the blog post. The company deliberately chose to forego press releases (with the exception of where it is required like earnings and mergers & acquisitions) and put all of their effort into blogging. And it has been an extremely successful and cost-effective decision. 

There are pros and cons to both methods, and in fact, there are a variety of other newer formats -- like LinkedIn and Medium -- to consider as well. Many companies choose to use a mixture of these platforms and that's probably the right approach. Not all company news requires a press release but some news needs more reach than what your blog may be getting at this point. 

Whatever approach your team chooses to take, the key is to be consistent. 

There are so many misconceptions around PR.

• PR is as easy. You just call a reporter, conduct an interview and then coverage appears.
• PR just means issuing a press release. 
• PR professionals are all like Samantha from Sex and the City (or am I just dating myself with this one?)
• and on and on...

Coverage doesn’t just appear. Some scenarios are easier than others but typically many hours are spent behind the scenes before anything hits online or in print: research, prepping the executive, drafting messaging and ongoing conversations with the reporter to discuss the story angle, etc. Educating and working with executives on the entire PR process can not only help alleviate some of the pressure for some communications professionals on timelines associated with coverage but also give executives the opportunity to arm the PR team with the assets they need for stronger campaigns and pitches.

PR also doesn't mean you just throw together a press release, distribute it across a newswire and expect coverage to appear. With the myriad of communications channels available today (Facebook, Medium, Twitter, etc), the press release is far from the only checkbox you need to complete for a success PR campaign. And sometimes, depending on your business objectives, it isn't even a channel you should use at all. 

Whether a long-term, on-going communications campaign or a quick product launch, it is critical to have your communications team work closely with the appropriate stakeholders to understand what the business is trying to achieve with this particular program. That way, they are creating the most efficient and effective communications strategy to meet those objectives. 

And that may mean no press release.