It's not easy being a PR consultant. Journalists in Sweden have offered some good advice that businesses wishing to do PR in the Nordic region really should take notice of.
Fredrik Sjöshult at Expressen is in his blog retelling Dagens Industri's News Editor Jonas Jonsson's tips for PR consultants: http://bloggar.expressen.se/fredriksjoshult/2011/09/dagens-industri-laxar-upp-pr-konsulter/
Here are some examples:
PR consultant school, part 1: Never again pitch a jubilée, for example a printing company celebrating 50 years in Sweden.
PR consultant school, part 2: Don't call us about inaugurations, for example "hotel opens its doors".
PR consultant school, part 5: 439 deleted press releases in the editorial inbox today - learning? Don't send rubbish.
PR consultant school, part 6: If you are young and new at, for example Bite PR - at least try and learn the script your boss gave you before calling the media.
PR consultant school, part 7: Vice Presidents from American IT companies may talk a lot and take a lot of space. That doesn't necessarily make them interesting.
PR consultant school, part 8: A no is a no. There's no point in continuing to nag.
PR consultant school, part 14: Never again try and pitch a people story by saying "it's a woman". So 1999.
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Harsh? Yes but also very true.
Jörgen Lindqvist at Computer Sweden, is describing a similar issue in his column:
"And then I explain that we're also interested in good case stories, launches and interesting trends. But old technologies with a new name or stories describing you as selfappointed market leaders in your niche are stories you wouldn't even want to read yourselves, unless the article happened to be about you."
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So what do we PR consultants think of journalists?
Give me a critical and professional journalist who knows his stuff - love it!
Unprofessional reporters who are out to get the story they have decided on, without checking facts and without offering an opportunity to comment. That stinks!
It's not so different is it?