10 tips for PR agencies from The Simpsons

Get your story straight before you pick up the phone:

Always true, this one, but especially nowadays when a journalist might be live tweeting your conversation as it happens. A plaintive “off the record, right?” just won’t cut it.

Get the right team for the job:

Today’s PR industry incorporates dozens of diverse skills. Make sure you wow clients at pitches with a few carefully selected specialists.

Catchy wording goes a long way:

Whatever you’ve heard, copywriting isn’t a dying art. In an age where consumers write more every day than at any point in recent history, a great line or memorable name can make all the difference to the way your message spreads.

Never underestimate the power of a freebie:

However sophisticated your audience might think they are, nobody can resist a freebie. With the growing popularity of the ‘freemium’ model first thrust into the mainstream by online games company Zynga, getting people to buy your product is increasingly about giving a bit of it away first.

You can’t hide your corporate ties:

When The Simpsons got Banksy to direct their intro, he used the platform to critique the shady practices of the US merchandising industry. Not everyone is an anti-capitalist megastar, but they do all now have platforms, and no matter how edgy you pretend to be, they’ll expose you for who you really are given half a chance.

Prepare your client before a live TV appearance:

Even the most boisterous boardroom warrior is capable of clamming up in front of the camera. Now that 24 hour news and online bulletins demand a near constant supply of pithy soundbites, be sure to run through likely lines of questioning and prepare a script before sending your boy or girl out there.

Numbers are your friend:

Word a survey carefully and it will say whatever you want it to.

Never underestimate the inspirational power of a maverick:

Your rival may be sloppy, derivative or unethical, but if they’ve got a charismatic frontman they may have the edge. Seek out inspirational individuals within your client’s business who can give their brilliance a human touch.

Don’t try and jump on every bandwagon that comes along:

If you don’t provide “innovative interactive solutions”, don’t say you provide “innovative interactive solutions” on your website.

Sometimes, simple really is best:

A great message speaks for itself.