We’re not afraid to point out PR tribulations—as long as each is followed by a solution. In our ongoing quest to improve our craft the following three troubles are imminently solvable, provided each one of us gets on board with the solutions to these problems. Pronto.

1. Lack of attention to detail

I read a resume last week from an eager candidate…who misspelled his own name. No kidding. The name didn’t match the spelling in his cover e-mail. Not talking about a nickname either.

While this is extreme, it is indicative of a level of laziness to which many PR practitioners have sunk. Technology spells for us (sometimes)…corrects our grammar (sort of)…tells us where to go and when to be there (when we feel like it)… So a slothful generation has entered the workplace with these crutches in place and thinks Smith Corona is a microbrewery.

The solution is not to strip everyone of those flavorful Berries, but rather to stop taking everyone’s word for it when they recite on cue and in chorus, “Like, we have most excellent attention to detail, dude.” Those of us who came up the hard way—read: entered the workforce pre-1992—need to remember we’re guilty too. When was the last time you thumbed through a Thesaurus (not Shift-F7)?

Here’s an assignment: If you’re new to PR find someone who’s been around a bit and demand some help. Ask them how to improve your own detail skills. Make them tell you how.

If you consider yourself seasoned, design a lunchtime seminar for the newbies. Make sure it involves a pencil and pad. Don’t just tell ‘em—show them how to find details and pay attention to them.

2. Tactics for the sake of them

Successful PR is built on proven methodologies. As the world changes the tactics we employed even a couple of years ago are not applicable today. For example, someone please explain to me why every pseudo-tech company under the sun continues to allow agencies to write White Papers on their behalf! What’s that about?

White Papers still have a role, but here’s a news flash for Marketers: There’s a spiffy new place called the blogosphere that serves as a strong vehicle for delivering White Paper-like knowledge with efficiency. Same is true for other PR tactics (um, what’s a press conference, Alex?) that are time consuming—great for agencies that continue to bill by the hour.

This solution comes from agency types and our clients. We need to sit down with a list of our tactics. Across from each, we need to write down the business objectives served. Anything that doesn’t have a clear tie to business gets axed or modified immediately. For example, say you’re crossing White Papers off the list and blogging is way too scary for you. See if you can condense your venerable White Paper into a bylined article or a sidebar for an appropriate vertical trade. Or write it simply and to the point, then send to your friends so they can pass it around.

Three cheers for the quick!

3. Angle-free pitches

That there is even a need a need for BadPitchBlog is a strong commentary on the industry. We should all know by now that pitching is not telemarketing. Media have been telling us since we came on the scene to please read before pitching, and still we are not listening.

We send pitches that have no tie to anything bigger—no story. We do it for shits and giggles. We do it for volume.

The solution here is simple. Remember Bernays? Without Eddie, we’d be flipping burgers, because it was EB who understood that a real story had to be tied to the psyche of our nation. We’re not all so lucky as to have an Uncle Sigmund to provide insight into our collective consciousness, yet today can use the crutch of technology to jump ahead and read, read, read. Then read more. And then pitch.

We covet creativity, but creativity doesn’t make a pitch work. When we write a letter or punch buttons on the phone, we damn well better know what we’re talking about and there has to be fire behind the smoke. Otherwise, we’re wasting everyone’s time, mostly our own, dudes.

Okay fine, I’m getting off the horse. Let’s aim a little higher…if we solve three problems at a time, we’re moving and we’re grooving. And I’ll write about something a lot more cheerful in two weeks.

Erin Mitchell is RLM’s group director and fan of constantly raising the bar. Especially her own.