When in Doubt, DON'T Send it Out

I just browsed through a white paper (http://img.en25.com/Web/CisionUS/Cision_When_In_Doubt.pdf - requires registration) offered by Cision, a media management company, which discussed the most basic principals of media targeting. The main message for PR professionals was to do your homework, research the journalist/blogger and their areas of interest, and only send information that is relevant to their area of interest. It sounds like PR 101 and makes you wonder why they would need to write a white paper on the most basic of PR principles. The media and communications professionals alike are all dealing with information overload and it can be easy to overlook even the most basic principals when pressed for time and stressed for results. So, probably not a bad idea to remind ourselves to stop and take a breath from time to time to be sure the media list is appropriate and the communication on target.