By Leo Valiquette

A recent example of how not to manage the hack-flack relationship provided some entertainment value for the Twitter crowd and profound embarrassment for the National Post earlier this week.

The war of words between marketing consultant April Dunford and Post writer David George-Cosh in such a public venue (though as you can see for yourself, most of the venom was flowing one way) demonstrates the importance of keeping one’s rants private. That’s what e-mail is for.

This whole stink seems to have been sparked by the perception that a phone call was not returned quickly enough. Well, striking while the iron is hot are words any PR practitioner should live by when opportunity comes knocking. Be that as it may, tact, courtesy and professionalism should rule any interaction between those with stories to write and those with stories to pitch.

Thanks to social media, any one of us can easily find ourselves in the public eye. We will be judged by how we act and conduct ourselves toward others. It’s your image, your personal brand, that’s on the line.

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