What makes someone a great PR or marketing professional?

I'm a little bias, but regardless of the expense, I think that businesses and organizations need PR and marketing professionals. I hate that this is usually the first area to get cut during a downturn because it truly is needed to succeed in business. I mean really think about it, can you afford not to reach your audience? I think the biggest reason for this is that it's hard to tell this areas true value to the company.

Good PR people will do more than just publicize a company/organization or event if they are good. Every firm has something to market and this needs communication that sells at every customer touch point.

What great public relations people will do:

• Great PR strategists will help fill the gaps between advertising messages and editorial content. Many of these opportunities will be outside traditional media or not in the media at all. Today this will most certainly include a track record in social media, but also in old standby tactics such as events and other audience-engaging initiatives.
• Another factor that underlies a successful marketing and PR person is the ability to tread the fine line between generating messages that sell with language appropriate to non-advertising channels without lapsing into harder-hitting "ad" language. Potential buyers accept the direct sell in ads, but can be offended by the same language in a place perceived as being less sales-oriented. A good PR person will be someone who can do both.