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So…I’m thinking PR and Marketing aren’t the same thing…yet…

July 3, 2007 | Filed Under Online Marketing, PR 

Other than my blatant overuse of ellipsis in the title of this post, I think what I’m about to talk about is pretty clear. Over at MarketingProfs:DailyFix they’re talking about the similarity of PR and marketing in the current globalized, web 2.0 land we’re living in.

You know the one, where the internet makes it easier to talk to your colleague in Sweeden than your next door neighbor with the beagle that howls INCESSANTLY but you just don’t know how to go over there and say “can you please make your dog happy so it stops braying like a donkey?”

Gosh, I wish my neighbors had Skype.

Back to the issue at hand. Is PR different from marketing.

I answer, at this time, a resounding YES!

In my opinion, the mind that is able to comprehend an online marketing campaign is different from the mind that conceives an offline PR relationship.

A lot of it is about connections. If you’ve been online for a long time, you know how to strike up conversations and get to know bloggers, podcasters and the like. To get a radio campaign going, you need to have resources and information that may not be as easy to find.

Personally? I don’t know that I want to talk to station managers, receptionists, and goodness knows who else in order to get an interview when I can go online, find a podcaster with a good listener base, and send a friendly how-do-you-do email.

It’s just easier for me. Plus it’s effective. Why would I take the time and effort I’ve spent learning how to communicate effectively online and then decide I’m going to decide to learn how to be effective at marketing my clients offline? Talk about a waste of time - plus there’s more competition. I’d be starting at the bottom of my game and spreading out my services so I’m jack of all trades, master of none.

I do see the point they were trying to make though. Public relations and marketing do start looking a lot alike when you’re putting up a Squidoo lens or a MySpace page. How is the public perceiving you when they see that page? Does your page look the same as Suzy’s from the 8th grade? If you’re a business owner I should hope not! But since the big push of Web 2.0 is to be yourself because that will help define your niche…as long as you’re aware of what you’re putting out, and it’s truly something you enjoy, go ahead and put that Justin Timberlake video on your MySpace page.

A lot of us don’t mind that he’s “bringing sexy back” - it’s got a good beat and I can dance to it.

(In case you missed it, that was me mixing my marketing with my public relations. I admitted I listen to Justin Timberlake - and I probably offended 20% of my readers, and the other 80% are laughing. I like the laughing 80% - that’s how you niche using your personality.)

So sure, you could do marketing and PR all at the same time. Good luck making it targeted and effective. If you can, you’re a better woman than I…and I’m okay with that.

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