Why do PR people continue to perpetuate the notion that PR is random? I'm not saying that they can tell a reporter when to run a story; however, there is no reason for a PR person to not be intensely familiar with the reporter's deadlines and competing priorities. PR people need to learn to "track" their target media. Most reporters participate in social media -- or have their own social media platforms -- PR IS NOT RANDOM, but it does take thought and planning.

Don't PR people know who their audience is and how to engage them? I have always taken offense at PR people who write plans with "media" as a target audience. In planning, are the media not a channel or an audience who can take action? Truly this is changing. As individual media members can create specific movements or actions, their audience can create concensus for or against a point of view, a product or an organization. However, if that is the case, then that media is a target audience, not a channel.

PR can be the essential strategic component that brings all facets of marketing together in a cohesive program -- use it wisely or it will not be of value.