PR ≠ Press Release

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.