Public Relations

Reportedly, Gore Vidal said, "Never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television."

And if that's not enough for you to increase your publicity efforts, Alan Corenk is quoted as saying, "Television is more interesting than people. If it were not, we would have people standing in the corners of our rooms."

But not all people like the spin doctors. Robert Fitzhenry said, "The art of publicity is a black art."

And you have to laugh at the lyrics to Jimmy Buffett's song "Public Relations" from his musical Don't Stop the Carnival:

Public Relations, Public Relations
Boozing and schmoozing, that's what I do
PR's my vocation
And I'm a sensation
Public relations
Such hullabaloo

I appreciate the talented PR folks who make my job easier. They are organized, responsive, easy to find when a problem pops up, and they don't push when I say, "This is just not a fit for our audience."

If you're hiring a PR professional, look for someone who responds to your calls and emails quickly, someone whose writing is free of mistakes, and someone who has nice manners. Those qualities will endear them to the reporters and producers to whom they're pitching your story.