Why timing can be key – the art of PR and trust

Recently I‘ve had a couple of projects where time has been short and the pressure of getting the right publicity has been high.

I have to be honest that I’ve discovered I don’t enjoy these types of situations. Unfortunately, I can’t control the news and what is being covered by journalists – with luck behind us there is a space available to cover my client’s stories but more often than not, we have to wait for an appropriate slot/space to come up in a magazine or an editor to commission a certain themed article from a journalist.

If we have time in advance to discuss a project and the aims, then time to create articles that are newsworthy and fit in with each publication, then if a big news story or inclement weather hits we still have time to run a campaign.

These are my tips for having a fantastic campaign experience.

• PR can take longer than you think – add 2 months on to any project at the beginning if possible and bear in mind there might be 4-6 weeks of following up and chasing up of results at the end of the campaign.
• What you think is news might not be suitable for coverage – a good PR will find a different angle. Trust them – if they need to do this it’s for a good reason. Sometimes “plan b or c” will bring you better coverage.
• PR is a subtle art. It’s a gradual way of building reputation. If you want a quick, sharp shock & exactly what you want to say you might be better to spend some money on an advertising, or advertorial campaign.

Good luck with your planning & campaign – enjoy the fun you can have with them.