How do you keep your PR campaigns relevant?

It's pretty simple. Be thorough and be professionally relentless. If there's a good story to tell, tell it by framing the story in a smart, relevant way and using all necessary communication channels to tell it. And if the story is not good, work with your company or client to fix that, or let it go if it's not worth telling.

- Develop a PERSONA MATRIX for your audience. - IDENTIFY THE SWEET SPOT between your audience's interests and your messaging. - BE WHERE YOUR AUDIENCE IS; select your channels and refine your content strategy.

I think what we’re missing here is honing in on the fact that your audience wants to know why X product/service will make their life better. What is the target audience lacking in their life? If it’s time, show why your product or service will save them time or make their lives easier. I also suggest looking at your own life to see who fits the audience you’re targeting and talk to them! If you’re targeting new parents, call your friend who just their first child and get their opinion on some of the things you’re working on.

Continuous review and improvement and understanding your audience are key to keeping PR campaigns relevant. Thorough audience profiling and using data to uncover insights will help develop a brief for a campaign. Dig beyond the most obvious insights a few layers and you may be able to develop a campaign which is both unique and relevant to the audience. The key is to understand your brand essence and key messages, alongside key audiences and stakeholders, so that communications are strategic and impactful, rather than just creating noise. Once a campaign launches, digital channels allow you to monitor responses in real-time. Look quantitively at the numbers, but also seek qualitative feedback where you can, which could be user social posts.

Check out 5 tips to make PR campaigns relevant and timely: 1. Research the market. Monitor the activities of competitors, new products in your domain and close industries. 2. Use new tools. Constantly search, study and implement new tools ant technology in your work: for automation and efficiency. 3. Try new communication channels. A new messenger, social network or blogger could be your breakthrough in gaining popularity. 4. Be flexible. Check the PR campaign against "intermediate" metrics (in progress) and make corrections. 5. Be relevant. Make updates to your product, service and communication messages regularly and relevant to the situation.

Ok let’s more beyond SMART. Your PR has to answer the question “why should I care?” Also nothing happens in a vacuum, so it’s important that you take the time to look up and think about what’s going on around you. What are the other competing demands for people’s attention?

It depends, really. By adhering to the fundamental PR strategy, the PR tools or channels should be opted so as to garner the most press for the businesses. For instance, if a well-known clothing brand wants to open a store and they want a well-known celebrity to officially open the store, the PR strategy should be created in a way that would ensure that the news is covered in both the business and entertainment sections of newspapers or electronic media.

Here’s where getting to know journalists and influencers in and out of your space comes into play. Know what they LIKE covering. Know what their editors like them to cover. And know the stories that are a slog for them. If you’ve got something of interest, consider exclusives, embargoes, or other ways to make it more targeted or more special. If you’ve got something you know is a stretch or a slog - how can you make it better? Is there a fun experience? Can you introduce an executive to the mix? This is perhaps where exclusivity is even more important, because there’s at least value in that they’re the only ones getting it. Going beyond “knowing your audience” and knowing the people who help tell your story will help immensely.

It is imperative to establish precise objectives within your communication strategy and chart a path toward achieving them. However, recognizing that communication is inherently dynamic and not a one-way street, it becomes crucial to incorporate flexibility and readiness to adapt to current circumstances. Thus, while a comprehensive communications strategy serves as a guiding framework for overarching goals, creating operational documents like quarterly communication plans is equally essential. These plans not only facilitate adaptability to changing circumstances through regular monitoring of external and internal developments but also provide a structured vision and work plan, ensuring the stability of your communication efforts.

Success in PR campaigns relies heavily on infusing creativity into every aspect. Innovative Storytelling: Craft narratives with unexpected twists, emotional resonance, or humor to captivate and be memorable. Visual and Experiential Impact: Utilize striking imagery and immersive experiences to enhance creativity, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration, bringing diverse skills together to generate innovative ideas for well-rounded, engaging campaigns.

As a journalism graduate who has been working in PR for over 10 years, I often think about what I learnt in school: newsworthiness criteria that media often learn in J School include a lot of room for brands and PR professionals to explore. Developments out of the ordinary, eye-catching activations or executions could make up for the lack of other very important items such as strong data points in certain (not all) outlets. Not having enough data or announcements to work with should not be an excuse to stop communicating about your brand. Creativity is important.

Creativity in PR is critical - but it must also be authentic. Audiences are too smart for staged PR stunts. By focusing on what is newsworthy and telling great stories, you will have far more success.

Infuse your PR campaigns with creativity by crafting compelling narratives, using captivating visuals, and adapting your message to various platforms and formats. Leverage humor and emotion to connect with your audience on a deeper level, making your brand's story both memorable and relatable. Don't be afraid to experiment with new techniques and ideas to keep your campaigns fresh and exciting.

Part of being creative is expanding your net beyond the usual media suspects. Sometimes, all the focus is placed on national publications like WSJ, NYT, USAT, AP, etc., but regional outlets might also be able to move the needle. In addition, newer mediums should be considered, such as having a podcast targeting strategy.

PR is more like an ongoing dialogue than a solo performance. It's not just about putting messages out there; it's a two-way street. If someone in the audience has a question or concern, you don't hit pause; you adapt on the spot. Quick, on-point responses demonstrate you're not just reciting lines; you're actively engaging.

Listen! What's everyone else talking about? Keep up with the news so you know what the issues of the moment are. People are much more likely to listen to what you have to say if you're speaking about topics they're interested in.

I think one of the biggest mistakes PR pros make is not moving at the speed of news. To be relevant, you have to be nimble. You have to constantly be pivoting your strategy - from the timing of when you are pitching to who you are pitching and even what the headline is - it needs to evolve as the public conversation evolves. The day after a headline breaks is too late.

One of the biggest mistakes I see brands make with their PR campaigns is to set it and forget it. While it’s important to have a thoughtful strategy and plan at the outset, the most effective campaigns respond to trends, opportunities, and even hiccups that present themselves throughout the course of the work.

Part of responsive action is to encourage and respond to feedback. Many are afraid to listen. The words of the customer or user are very important for crafting and improving effective messaging. Don't depend on the "one-way" street approach. Even negative feedback has its uses.

La qualité intrinsèque de tout professionnel des relations publiques est déterminée en grande partie par son sens éthique et son engagement à respecter les normes les plus élevées de la profession. Cet engagement éthique est encadré par un code d'éthique rigoureux, formellement endossé par des associations professionnelles respectées, telles que la Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques (@SQPRP) et la Société canadienne des relations publiques (@SCRP). Ces normes éthiques élevées sont essentielles pour garantir la crédibilité, l'intégrité et la confiance dans le domaine des relations publiques, tout en protégeant les intérêts du public et en respectant les parties prenantes.

We all know people who have embellished a story to make it more dramatic or impactful. Distance yourself as much as possible from these toxic individuals! Who you associate with will have a huge impact on your career. Avoid people who cut corners and work with those who help you rise to your best self. That means taking the hard road to stay true to your beliefs and the facts that back up your campaigns. If you do your job right, you will have lots of champions and influencers willing to help you. You don't need those other individuals.

Consistency extends to brand messaging as well. All campaigns, all advertisements, social posts, etc. With each post or message, your brand is presented with the opportunity to layer and enhance your identity.

Yes, consistency is a crucial aspect of public relations and campaign strategy. Being consistent means delivering a regular message for media outlets, audiences, and important stakeholders. Ultimately, it helps maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.

In a B-to-B scenario, consistently providing strong, usable and truthful content about your client, or yourself, is crucial to a successful PR campaign. True professionals are constantly learning and growing, so when you can be a source of consistent continuing education to other industry leaders, it benefits everyone involved.

Being consistent is crucial to any PR strategy. If you want people to watch your pages you have to post often, and with relevant material. You need to keep your audience in mind and switch things up all of the time. It is a never-ending balancing act.

Consistency falls under a few categories. Being consistent in your brand messaging. Being consistent in pitching your contacts. Also, delivering consistency to your client is vital! What did you promise during the proposal stage -- how often are you speaking with client(s); how often are you providing results; how often are you providing monthly reports and more!

Storytelling is an essential pillar of a PR campaign. While you get busy working away in defining your goals, aligning the overall PR strategy with your organization's or client's brand messaging, identify elements that could bring a timeless appeal to your PR campaign. In a recent campaign for a new project launch, I began by linking the market outlook to the project's need. This storytelling approach provided clarity and garnered extra attention. Always remember to discern the heartbeat of your campaign by placing yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Only by doing so can your PR campaign remain relevant.

Understand the difference between marketing and PR. You can have the best media relations in the world but if you lack news judgement or the ability to align your client’s business objectives with what is newsworthy and of public interest, you will burn your bridges by wasting the time of your media contacts with a non-story. They won’t be so quick to take your call next time if you “sell” rather than “pitch” what they are looking for. This is how I achieve my business philosophy of win, win, win. The reporter wins because you have given them a good story, the client wins because they have earned media and third-party independent endorsement, and I win because everybody is happy.

Every PR campaign is carried out with some intended outcomes. These outcomes are guided by objectives that takes into consideration the target audience, the message, channels and intended outcomes. To remain relevant, the PR professional should ensure the campaign is aligning with its objectives and on it way to achieve the intended. outcomes. This can be done by measuring the campaign progress and ensuring you are on track. Monitoring and evaluation mechanism should be part of the campaign from the very onset. That way, it is easy to stay on track and relevant.

Be generous with your data. Once a campaign has achieved its initial objectives, consider sharing your knowledge and understanding with the wider community. For example, often, we consider investments in research to be proprietary and something to keep to ourselves. This can be self-defeating and limits ongoing impact and relevancy. If appropriate, look for ways to share insight with the audiences and communities that could continue to gain additional benefit from it. Not only does it continue to provide an opportunity for awareness and media coverage, but it also positions a brand as having greater awareness of issues and a willingness to contribute to ongoing conversations.

Always aim to create a win-win situation for the outlet and your messaging. The media doesn’t exist to do you any favors, they have their own goals and KPI’s. If your news doesn’t have an interesting angle that brings clicks, you are going to have a hard time making it land.