The “I Can Do PR Myself” Syndrome
Ah, every PR person knows that their job isn’t rocket science. That said, there is a science to PR. It’s important that a PR project is approached strategically in order to get the best results.
Last week a business owner called me. It wasn’t a great call from the start, but she said, “Why would I hire you to do something I could do myself?”
I told her to go ahead and do it herself. Maybe I was acting like a baby... but I just didn't get why she approached a conversation with me like that from the start?!?
If you want to work with Red Jeweled Media, you need to have some sort of intellectual humility that you cannot possibly run your entire business soup to nuts on your own. You need help – and marketing help is one that business owners often seek out.
The other day I dropped my iPhone. Someone suggested I buy a new screen and fix it myself after watching a YouTube video they sent me. Are you kidding me? Me fix my iPhone? I don’t think so. I found an expert who could do it quickly and right and voila, it’s done! Sure, I could have saved money doing it on my own, but my time is better spent on what I know vs. learning what I don’t.
I’m hearing more and more business owners doing PR, social media and blog writing on their own. It’s a great way to save money (particularly if you don’t have any) and it can be a great learning experience too. A lot of my best clients started out doing various marketing activities on their own. They learned how hard it was and how much work was involved. They have a rare appreciation of the difficulties and stress we PR, social media and marketing specialists face – and they are more celebratory of the wins when we get 'em.
But I do have one gripe. If you’re going to do your own PR, marketing or whatever, please don’t call me and ask me why you’d pay me to do something you could do yourself. That’s not nice. Just saying…