Rafter’s Five Commandments for Passionate PR

When not working at his day job in Ogilvy’s 360 Digital Influence Group, Rohit Bhargava regularly puts out great content on social media marketing on his Influential Marketing Blog. One of my favorite Rohit posts was “What all PR people should know about journalists” in which he made these common sense PR suggestions:

1. Don’t BS


2. Contact journalists when it’s a good time for them


3. Manage your reputation and relationships with reporters


4. Give writers a real story angle


5. Be available, easy to contact and responsive


6. Pitch like a peer

Rohit’s article and the comments that follow serve up a nice helping of Do’s & Don’ts for respectful and effective media relations.

Add him to you your bloglist and follow him on Twitter @rohitbhargava

Rohit shares my long-held belief that “marketing is not about selling” and has written a great new book Personality Not Included in which he notes that in the social media era “you need to think differently about how you market your products and services”

His definition of “personality”:
Personality is the unique, authentic, and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about.

Rohit’s tips for PR, and his insights on personality in marketing, remind me of some important lessons learned (in my 20+ yrs of evangelising new products, services and initiatives):

People should be passionate about their work. Life's too short to spend it doing something that doesn't truly inspire and motivate you. Similarly--If someone tries to pitch you on a
product or service that they don’t truly care about--- their indifference will come through loudand clear. Passion and enthusiasm form the base for open, honest, and interactive PR.

Rafter’s Five Commandments for Passionate PR:

1. Believe in your product, service, company


2. Express your enthusiasm (genuinely)


3. Engage and interact with others who share your interests


4. Share with them


5. Give first, and you shall Receive

What say ye?