I'm in the unique position of not just  being a PR professional with nearly two decades of experience, but I also write a blog totally unrelated to my career.  If you don't know, I am also known by my alter ego SteelerGurl (http://steelergurl.com) and write about the Pittsburgh Steelers on my blog.  For me, it's a passion, a hobby - but as readership has increased, so have the PR pitches I receive.  

That said, as a PR professional, it's an exercise for me to actually go through the pitch and try to figure out what was going through the mind of my peer on the other side of the computer.  The pitches have ranged from really good to very formal to just really quite bad.

Here's what I recommend:

• Be familar: Take the time to read the blog, learn about the writer and get to know what they cover.  I'm not formal and what works well for me is a personal pitch from someone who clearly knows what I write about and who has read the "About me" page on my blog.  If you know that I am a PR professional, and it says so on my blog, that should let you know I won't take bad pitches well.  Added pressure? Maybe. 

TIP: Get personal, know the blogger as much as you can, learn their style.  Most importantly, read their blog before you make the pitch.

• Be Relevant: I cover the Pittsburgh Steelers on my blog, the name is SteelerGurl, after all.  So pitches regarding college football or lacrosse, or basketball likely won't see the light of day on my blog.  But, had you followed tip #1, you would have known that.  Just because someone writes about sports doesn't mean they cover all sports.  The thing about blogs are that many are niche, it's not the same as sending to a sports editor who may consider a broad range of sports related stories.  In other words, if it isn't Pittsburgh Steelers related, I am likely not covering it.

In light of the Tiger Woods meltdown, it comes down to this: Image really is everything.

If you doubt that, just look at what transpired since the scandal broke on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  More than 10 alleged mistresses and now, two endorsements have either severed their relationship or phased Tiger out - and that's just as of today.  More to follow, I am sure.

The bottom line is whether you are an athlete, a business owner, or just a regular person, image is everything - perception is reality.

So, what exactly can you do to enhance your personal brand, no matter who you are?

First, be true to who you are.  Live according to your personal code of ethics and work in places and with people whose values are close to your own.  For example, I once had a job with a Fortune 500 financial services company, before taking that job and knowing I was going to be spokesperson, I had to do a lot of research and make sure that I could "sell" what it was they were offering.  In doing so, I realized that the values of this company were outstanding and that it was, in fact, a great place to work and they were doing great things in the communities they served.

Second, make sure that others know your values and what you stand for - whether its online, in person or through friends, family and business acquaintances.  People do business with people.  It's not just the work you do, but the person you are.

In Tiger's case, not only did he not live up to the values that most organizations thought he possessed, he didn't handle this public relations nightmare in quite the right way, but I will leave crisis communications for another post altogether.

For those aspiring athletes out there, and for you already established professionals as well, Media Frenzy Communications, in partnership with DOROMarketing, has created a program specifically focused on personal branding for athletes and includes tips for endorsements, marketing yourself, and what to share with your fans on- and off-line.  The program, Clutch, is available as a one-on-one consultation or as a group presentation. 

For more information about Clutch, please contact me at lahne@mediafrenzycommunications or Mia Jackson at mia@doromarketing.com.