Ask HN: Which books/blogs on PR would you recommend?

3 pointsjustliving14y ago4 comments

I am currently trying to teach myself about the basics of "public relations". Could you recommend any good books to start with? What about good blogs on PR?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

4 comments

michaelpinto14y ago

Eons ago i was listening to a Jason Calacanis podcast and he gave an amazing insight: You should always do your own PR. At first I thought this was unfair as Jason is a genius at self promotion which is a gift few geeks have, but then he spelled out his technique which I actually wrote down:

1. Make friends in the press BEFORE you pitch

2. Is your story better than anything on techmeme?

3. ...then look for writers in your space

4. Leave a smart comment on a story (i.e. linkbait)

5. Do a blog to linkbait (take your comment and blow it up to a post) this is because journalists obsess over the comments

6. ...do the same with twitter

7. Learn from cluetrain manefesto, it's about a conversation

8. Journalists hate PR people

9. Obsess about your market, know EVERYTHING about your space with anything less is more (don't do a long press release), use a casual tone and just write 5 words (i.e. a ping mail)

justlivingOP14y ago

thanks a lot, very insightful. Had actually never heard about Jason Calacanis. Will check out his podcast and his blog, looks quite interesting :-) !

Would you remember any other blog/book/recommendation you read at the time ... ?

michaelpinto14y ago

Here are my quick thoughts:

- Do a search on each big blog for "why I hate PR people" and learn from those mistakes (there is an infamous one on TechCrunch from Arrington)

- If you want to learn the basics just get a book like "PR for Dummies" to learn the 101

- In my own experience with PR you need to care about results: If that's the case unless you are willing to invest the time and have the skills there is actual value to hiring a PR pro. If you look at Apple back in the day Regis McKenna really helped to put them on the map (http://www.regis.com). When you hire a good PR person what they bring to the table is a good rolodex, not the ability to pump out press releases and the like. The rolodex and the doors that open are what you're paying for IMHO.

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4 comments

michaelpinto14y ago

1. Make friends in the press BEFORE you pitch

2. Is your story better than anything on techmeme?

3. ...then look for writers in your space

4. Leave a smart comment on a story (i.e. linkbait)

5. Do a blog to linkbait (take your comment and blow it up to a post) this is because journalists obsess over the comments

6. ...do the same with twitter

7. Learn from cluetrain manefesto, it's about a conversation

8. Journalists hate PR people

9. Obsess about your market, know EVERYTHING about your space with anything less is more (don't do a long press release), use a casual tone and just write 5 words (i.e. a ping mail)

justlivingOP14y ago

thanks a lot, very insightful. Had actually never heard about Jason Calacanis. Will check out his podcast and his blog, looks quite interesting :-) !

Would you remember any other blog/book/recommendation you read at the time ... ?

michaelpinto14y ago

Here are my quick thoughts:

- Do a search on each big blog for "why I hate PR people" and learn from those mistakes (there is an infamous one on TechCrunch from Arrington)

- If you want to learn the basics just get a book like "PR for Dummies" to learn the 101

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse