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:

• Build relationships before you need them — Journalists remember who helped them, not who pitched them

• Newsworthy first, company second — Lead with the story, not the press release

• Credibility compounds — Every interaction builds or erodes your reputation

• 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