Writing: The No. 1 skill for PR pros

The landscape of our profession is continually changing, and we have new tools to learn almost daily, but a commitment to fundamentals is what makes one PR practitioner stand out from the next. We’re a fast-learning, information-hungry bunch, committed to understanding the latest trends. We should also show a commitment to traditional PR principles.

The brief, casual language of social media has confused some people on what good writing requires. As someone who’s been in the profession for a few years, I’d also add that writing is often overlooked as an essential.

Messages in 140 characters won’t always get you where you need to go. Here are two reasons why PR practitioners should embrace solid writing skills:

We pitch writers every day. You know those journalists you reach out to daily? Odds are they’ve been well trained in the craft of writing. It’s our job to impress them with materials so well written that they can copy and paste them.