Think Your Company Is a Leader?

Well, don't tell the media. The New York Times had a recent article quoting Tom Gable (click for bio), past editor and head of his own PR firm, that when his company reviewed wire releases for a week, they found most who cited themselves as leaders were "empty, unsubstantiated and had no news value." Amen to that! I have been trying to tell both client and non-client (read: employer) companies that everyone's a leader. To say so is only to identify yourself as a neophyte and your material as hyperbole (read: untrustworthy). Relatedly, I was thrilled to find that someone besides me out there is also saying something I strongly believe; it's Dan Wool at Arizona Public Service (APS): "great product is the best PR." I usually say "find what you do well and market THAT" (as opposed to what you want to do well). Thanks, Dan, for saying it better and for emphasizing PRODUCT. Dan's a panelist at Arizona Technology Council’s July Council Connect so if you're a tech-head in charge of PR, check it out.