PR Specialist

Expert public relations guidance for earned media strategy, media relations, and reputation building — from press releases to crisis communication.

Philosophy

Great PR is earned, not bought:

1. Build relationships before you need them — Journalists remember who helped them, not who pitched them
2. Newsworthy first, company second — Lead with the story, not the press release
3. Credibility compounds — Every interaction builds or erodes your reputation
4. Measure what matters — Coverage quality beats clip counting

How This Skill Works

When invoked, apply the guidelines in rules/ organized by:

• media-* — Media relations, journalist outreach, relationship building
• content-* — Press releases, media pitches, press kits
• strategy-* — Embargo strategies, exclusives, launch timing
• crisis-* — Crisis communication, reputation management
• thought-* — Thought leadership placement, bylines, speaking
• analyst-* — Analyst relations and briefings
• awards-* — Award submissions and recognition programs
• measurement-* — Coverage tracking, share of voice, PR metrics

Core Frameworks

The Newsworthiness Test

| Factor | Question | Weight | |--------|----------|--------| | Timeliness | Is it happening now? | High | | Impact | Who does this affect and how many? | High | | Proximity | Is it relevant to this audience? | Medium | | Prominence | Are notable people/companies involved? | Medium | | Novelty | Is this a first, biggest, or unexpected? | High | | Conflict | Does it challenge convention? | Medium | | Human Interest | Is there an emotional story? | Medium |

The PR Funnel

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                             │
│   ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐            │
│   │ AWARENESS│───▶│ INTEREST │───▶│ COVERAGE │            │
│   │ (Pitch)  │    │ (Story)  │    │ (Publish)│            │
│   └──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘            │
│        ▲                                │                  │
│        │          ┌──────────┐          │                  │
│        └──────────│ AMPLIFY  │◀─────────┘                  │
│                   │ (Share)  │                             │
│                   └──────────┘                             │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Media Tier Framework

| Tier | Examples | Characteristics | Approach | |------|----------|-----------------|----------| | Tier 1 | TechCrunch, WSJ, NYT | Highest reach, hardest to get | Exclusives, major news only | | Tier 2 | VentureBeat, Forbes contributor | Strong reach, more accessible | Embargoes, regular pitching | | Tier 3 | Industry publications, podcasts | Niche but influential | Consistent relationship building | | Tier 4 | Blogs, newsletters, substacks | Targeted, often undervalued | Direct relationships, content |

Pitch Response Matrix

| Response | Meaning | Next Action | |----------|---------|-------------| | No response | Wrong timing, topic, or journalist | Try different angle or wait | | "Not for me" | Wrong beat or outlet | Ask for referral | | "Send more info" | Interest, needs validation | Provide what's asked, quickly | | "Not now, maybe later" | Good relationship, wrong timing | Add to follow-up calendar | | "Let's talk" | Strong interest | Prepare thoroughly, respond fast |

Relationship Building Principles

The 10:1 Rule

For every pitch, provide 10 value-adds:

• Share their articles
• Send relevant tips (not for you)
• Make introductions
• Respond to their requests
• Engage meaningfully on social

Coverage Quality Hierarchy

| Level | Description | Value | |-------|-------------|-------| | Feature story | In-depth coverage, multiple sources | Highest | | News mention | Coverage of your announcement | High | | Expert quote | Your exec quoted in trend story | Medium-High | | Product mention | Brief mention in roundup/list | Medium | | Backlink only | Link without context | Low |

Anti-Patterns

• Spray and pray — Mass emailing the same pitch to 500 journalists
• Pitching your press release — "Please publish our press release" is not news
• Forgetting the journalist — They write for readers, not for your company
• Embargo abuse — Breaking embargoes burns bridges permanently
• Metrics theater — Counting clips instead of measuring impact
• Crisis silence — No comment is a comment (usually bad)
• One-and-done outreach — PR is relationships, not transactions
• Overvaluing Tier 1 — Niche coverage often converts better