PR tip #1: Know your stuff

Question: How many people PR people does it take to change a lightbulb?

Answer: Can I get back to you on that one?

It’s an old joke, but, sadly, is often all too true. In an interview with the Bulldog Reporter today, USA Today’s Dan Reed spells out why it’s important for PR people to know their stuff before they pick up the phone to a journalist.

“If you have to get back to us later, then you may have missed your window. The more time you allow between the pitch and providing what we need for the story, the less we care … if it’s not all there for me in the first email or phone call, I can’t be bothered to keep tabs on it for later.”

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