It is a classic dilemma – your client thinks they have a brilliant story idea, and accordingly, you apply the process of developing that angle (frequently self aggrandizing) only to learn that the news cares little about it.

The client is pissed, and you wonder what went wrong.

This happens in our business more often than we’d care to recall, but it is precisely this lesson that calls attention to, what should be, the role of a public relations professional.

1). Be in touch with the news cycle. Unless this is a stand alone product/service/mascara, every story must have some timely connection with the news cycle. This means that prior to applying long hours of development to your clients whims, you need to address how those can possibly fit in with the news’ agenda. It’s critical.

2). Pushing back on your client is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s your job, at times. They need to understand that selling widgets is incredibly interesting to them, and probably the people who buy their product, but self promotion (no matter how clever) is a difficult thing to describe, while any scent of it is odious to journalists.

3). Go the extra mile in addressing editors. This primarily means finding the right one. Do the research, read their columns, and by all means, make sure your pitch fits in with what they’re interested in. Be creative in adapting your story, and then, once you have their interest, the gift lies in reintroducing those client messages you originally intended to promote.

As PR professionals, it is our unique duty to broker content between our clients and the media. And yes, it is difficult to please both, but the more you can act as an advocate for the editorial community, the more press you will get. And the more press you get, the more you can push back on your client. It’s a nice feeling, actually.

It’s estimated that about 1 in 4 Americans has been on television in one form or another.  With cable channels multiplying rapidly, reality television’s clear programming dominance, and average households clocking more than 5 hours of television per day, it’s never been easier to get yourself on television.

But are you sure that’s a very good idea?

I like to remind our clients – “You’re used to seeing professionals on TV who look effortless and natural.  Only when an amateur gets in front of the camera do you get an idea of how tough it is to be good television.”

Still, we all want to share ourselves with the world.  And whether this means being interviewed by a local news station, appearing as a contestant on a game show, or hot-tubbing in the next season of “The Real World”, there are a number of simple ways to make the most of your 15 minutes of fame.

A few selected on-air no-no’s, and what you should be doing instead:

DON’T wear white – “On TV you’re always seen before you’re heard”.  Even before they hear anything about you the viewers at home are swiftly deciding if you’re worth listening to, and your appearance has everything to do with it.  This means no white shirts (they wash you out), no crazy patterns (they draw attention away from your face), and for god’s sake comb your hair.

DON’T be a deer in headlights – If you really pay attention to people on television, they very rarely look at the camera.  While a host will address the audience directly by speaking to a camera, all of the guests speak to the host.  Of course having a camera shoved in your face instantly creates an intense desire to look at it, but you must resist that urge at the risk of looking stranded and panicked.  Unless specifically instructed to do to (like on a webconference style CNBC show), just talk to the host and you’ll be fine.

DON’T go in cold – Why do you think every media savvy person, when ambushed with an on camera interview, says “no comment”?  Once a sound byte gets recorded, it’s eternity.  Thus, it behooves you to know what you’d like to say.  Perfectly rehearsed monologues aren’t necessary (and frankly look stale and boring), but do plan out bullet points of things you’d like to talk about.  Stammering into awkward pauses is the easiest way to get the producers to call in the proverbial canes to yank you off screen.

DON’T forget to act – If you’ve got on a nice basic colored shirt and your hair is kempt, the next chance you have to turn off an audience is with your physical demeanor.  Viewers like to watch people who look active, interesting, and engaged.  Sure, you’re nervous, but lean forward, nod, even smile a little.  No need for melodrama, but a happy expressive face is one we all like tuning in to.

DON’T throw up on Fox News – One of my clients was about to be interviewed on a national morning show, whose nerves got the better of him and whose stomach betrayed him just moments before he went live.  I should have been serving the guy wheat grass and OJ, not lighting his cigarette and ordering more lattes.  Not to worry, the interview was a success in spite of gastric pyrotechnics, but wouldn’t you rather skip the drama?  Take care of yourself before an interview, starting with a good night’s sleep and staying fresh with plenty of water and a reasonably fortifying breakfast.

You’ve got a pretty solid shot of landing in front of a television camera (and if that isn’t good enough for you, try surfing casting websites or combing a media sourcing service like HARO).  Keeping just these few tips in mind, you should be well prepared to make the most of your moment in the spotlight.

Of course it helps to actually know what you’re talking about, too.

People rarely “listen.” It’s that elusive quality to which women are more prone to developing, and to which men generally don’t understand. Period.

Both professionally and personally, the benefits of listening (actually) are inestimable. But just as it takes discipline to think about your life, it also takes discipline to remove the blinders that keep you from missing valuable stuff. Listening is not a passive activity.

When I was a much more junior executive, I was preoccupied with being heard during group meetings. This usually meant cataloging (what I thought were) my important points beforehand and then looking for opportunities to be noticed. What I had hoped to portray and what were ultimately communicated were two entirely different things. First of all, the decision makers at the table saw that I was decidedly not one, while other juniors saw me as ambitious (not the good type).

It wasn’t until years later that a mentor taught me the value of listening. The advice was intended to mitigate some of the nervousness and insecurity I felt when pitching to clients or reporters, but it opened the door to an entirely new world about interpersonal communication. Besides the marked improvement in listening to what journalists were actually looking for, I discovered an overall betterment of my professional pursuits. Taking the time to develop this skill brought me closer to my work, knowing my employees, and putting my practice on a sharper trajectory upwards.

And yes, my wife likes me more as well.

I think we are witnessing the overall decay of professionalism, especially in the listening category. Shedding the egotistical shell which enables better listening is never an easy task, but believe me, the suggestion is worth it’s weight.

All too often, young and tenured professionals alike make the mistake of NOT asking for help. Whether it’s the insecurity of not being current or understanding new material – not requesting help is a galactic rookie flaw.

The point of being successful in your job should be, well, self evident. I’ve seen too many marketing and PR “experts” wave their right to critical insights simply because that, in their elevated position, there’s a feeling they shouldn’t have to. That it’s better to position yourself as “in the know,” and wing it.  (People like this frequently end up in swank executive roles, only to have the rug swept from underneath them when faced with real challenges.)

Young professionals simply need to grow. Recently, I gave a young project manager at our office a significant task – slightly outside of her usual bailiwick. It was so refreshing to have her first digest the information, and then come back to me with a number of question on how to manage goals, expectations, and some direction on how to accomplish our objectives. My reaction wasn’t critical on her level of experience, but rather, praise for her honesty and willingness to do the job well.

In my experience of dealing with Fortune 100 execs and thoroughly talented business thinkers, it is clear to me why these individuals accomplish substantial goals. They have a genuine interest in the advancement of their pursuits and understand, amongst many other things, that asking for help is simply a means of achieving their ends. On the other hand, executives that feel “posturing” is more important than substance will (eventually) find their place among applicants and middle management.