When you think about it, public relations is a lot like a jigsaw puzzle. You have many different pieces that come together to create something that works together. When these pieces stand alone, however, they don’t look like much. Sure, you can see parts of the picture, but without the whole vision, it doesn’t make much sense.

We often meet with prospective clients who are intrigued by some of the newer and more exciting elements of PR – especially web-based tactics like HTML newsletters, Facebook, Twitter and online videos. And it can be tempting for companies to compulsively sign up for a Facebook account and begin posting status updates. But tactics such as Facebook, in the absence of a solid PR plan grounded in strategy, don’t make much sense when they stand alone.

When we meet with clients or prospective clients to discuss their PR goals, our objective is to help each of them take a step back and look at their company’s past, present and future. Once we identify what makes their business and goals unique, it makes much more sense to start putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

The power of PR is that it can be used as a catalyst for positive actions that benefit your organization. This power is lost when the pieces are not working toward common goals.

Puzzles are fun, but they are an exercise in patience. Stepping back and looking at the bigger picture will help you figure out how the pieces fit together.