Twitter allows for a greater online presence, and it can provide a connection between PR pros, consumers, and journalists that is closer than other forms of social media.

Putting tchotchkes in press kits is still a debated tactic among PR pros. Whether it's a coconut or cowboy hat, an object can often draw attention to a press release for both the right and wrong reasons.

In November 2007, Matthew Isaacs, principal at hospitality and event company The Bloc Group, found himself being recognized by passersby on the crowded streets of New York. The reason: After hosting an event for singer John Legend, Isaacs' company was featured on Taxi TV, an ABC offering that puts news, weather, and lifestyle stories on screens in taxi cabs.

Handwritten notes might be seen as an old-fashioned way to communicate - or at least a less obvious way to communicate if you are a communications professional. But people in PR say that's not always the case. Everybody gets numerous e-mails a day, but how many handwritten notes do they receive, apart from relatives?

Although the days when Second Life was a key tool for PR pros to test and promote products and brands have passed, the technology can still be a valuable instrument for internal communications, experts say.

Because social networks are no longer novel ideas, the way PR practitioners use them has evolved to be more casual and less gimmicky. For one, PR pros are now building their own brands on such sites and helping their clients by association.

Since Google and Yahoo became household names, Web search has been a part of the daily lives of many consumers. Yet often overlooked while gleaning the Internet for blogs, Web sites, and social networks are online forums and message boards.

Video is everywhere. Yet, the quality of the video is improving with the growing use of high-definition technologies. Organizations using video to communicate their message must raise the caliber of video quality to meet that standard.

Agencies and clients have used podcasts for years as another way to generate interest and promote their brands. However, despite a familiarity with the technology, subject choice, client comfort, and timing remain the major parts of a successful podcast.

In-home promotions might seem like a throwback to 1950s Tupperware parties, but with PR pros at the helm, these brand-building events are cutting edge, with viral marketing and social networking components.