How to cockblock your own PR campaign

If you’ve ever wondered how to drive your PR efforts off a cliff, then you’re in luck because today, I’m going to cover just that.

First of all, why would you want to sabotage your own PR? Well, that’s not for me to judge. Perhaps you also enjoy cycling down steep hills with no brakes or going swimming with sharks when you’ve got a paper cut on your toe, I don’t know. But here we go…

1. In interviews, reply with ‘no comment’ to every single question. It’ll keep that air of mystery around you leaving people wanting more.

2. Do not. Under any circumstances. Contact a journalists/host/producer to introduce yourself or offer a story. You’ll annoy them.

They much prefer their shows & publications to have nothing on them so that they can go bust, leaving them free to spend their days playing kerbie and shouting at pigeons in the park.

3. Answer your questions with the same question.

For example:

Host: What do you help people with in your business?

You: What do YOU help people with in your business?

It’ll mean that your responses are always super quick, avoiding awkward pauses.

4. On TV interviews, be sure to empty the water from your glass and replace with vodka to help keep your nerves at bay.

If you can’t remember your interview the next day, don’t worry- this means you did a sterling job.

5. Press releases containing news stories are OUT.

Send out shameless sales pitches under the guise of being a press release instead.

They won’t get published.

So 10x the amount you send.

They still won’t get published.

So 100x and so on

6. Invent Your Own Language. Why stick to commonly understood languages when you can invent your own? Your press releases might look like cryptic alien messages, but at least you won't have to worry about being quoted out of context. Plus, it leaves an air of mystery or something.

7. If you want to pitch an article to Entrepreneur, Forbes or INC, make sure you know who their audience are and write something that is nothing to do with them.

They get so many business/motivation type articles. Interrupt their pattern of thought by sending an article about the best way to trim your nose hair or the top 5 mistakes people make when harvesting a mongoose.

You weren’t born to blend in.

8. What is it about your favourite soaps and TV series that gets you hooked?

The cliffhangers.

With that in mind, the next time you are interviewed for the media, end it in a cliffhanger to leave people wanting more.

Example:

Host- What final words do you have for the listeners?

You- Thank you. I have something very important to say, that is both liberating and groundbreaking.

Then just leave without another word.

*Mike drop*

So, that’s what you do if you want to turn your PR campaign into a flaming pi?ata, if that’s your thing.

If you want effective and meaningful PR that actually connects with your audience and helps you to build relationships though, comment YES to talk about what that could look like for you