The 10 Commandments of Great PR - Rules 1-5

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Editor's Note: Click here to read the second half of this article for rules 6-10.

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If you want a magic marketing bullet—public relations is not it. If you want to reinforce your brand, build relationships, and establish yourself as an authority, then count on a well-organized, planned, and executed public relations program.

Here then are the first five commandments of great PR:

#1. Don't delude yourself about the value of "contacts."

People in service professions, who think they have contacts because, well, they have contacts, fool themselves. Your contacts are only as good as the people with whom you do business—your client list.

When I worked for WBZ-TV in Boston I had contacts at TV Guide. When I worked for the Vietnam Government, I had contacts at the White House who returned my phone calls right away. It was certainly not my charm, wit, and good looks. It was my client list and my ability to deliver something of value to people who wanted it.