Slow Season for PR? Try These Hacks

The art of storytelling is an essential skill for any business hoping to build a memorable and valuable brand. The people who do this well know how to consistently deliver an interesting message that engages its target audience, evokes emotion, and stands out among the many messages we are bombarded with each day.

But what about when you feel like there’s just nothing new or newsworthy taking place within your organization? If we’re honest, this is likely the norm. The busiest seasons for your business might result in the slowest seasons for PR. This could happen when you’re working at max capacity to keep your head above water with new business. Your public relations strategy gets pushed to the back burner because things are going so well and you’re not worried about drawing more attention to your brand at the moment. But any wise business owner knows you need to be consistently engaging your audiences if you want to sustain this growth. Communications (i.e. marketing, advertising, and PR) has a long tail. You need to keep your pipeline full or risk running dry at the worst possible time.

Whether you’re in a “slow season” for public relations right now, or simply want to prepare for the next time you are, I have some tried-and-true advice to share with you for how I successfully create compelling stories for clients even when it feels like there’s not a whole lot to promote.

Be well-read on current news and events.

If you’re looking for inspiration for a story angle that’s relevant to your business, start by catching up on current news and events. Browse media outlets you know and respect – the same ones you’d ultimately like to pick up a story about your business. What are they talking about? Do you have an opinion on some of these stories? Do any of the topics directly impact your industry? Even more importantly, is there a viewpoint that’s missing where you can lend some expertise? A great story is fresh, relevant, and important to a broad audience. The more well-read you are on current news and events, the more opportunities you’ll find to create a story angle that relates back to something going on in your business.

What topic brings out your passion?

What topics really get you going? If someone asks you a question about ____ do you find you could talk on and on with knowledge and passion? This is where you want to focus your brainstorming for new story ideas! It’s had business owners and entrepreneurs lend their voices to some really unique topics, sometimes not even directly related to their business, but to a hobby or philanthropic effort they’re leading in the community. If business is humming along like usual and not really producing a great story angle, think beyond your literal products and services. What else do you know a lot about? Authoring an op-ed on a social issue, seasonal topic, or interesting experience that’s directly relevant to readers will still have your name and professional title tied to it, but will get you outside the box of only talking directly about your business.

Be a part of something bigger than yourself.

Speaking of thinking outside the box, think bigger than yourself, too. How do you give back to your community? What’s your legacy? Another great story angle is one that talks about how you’re helping to address a need in the community. Wherever you give of your time, talents, and treasurers is a possible story angle. It’s not self-serving if you look at it this way. You’re committed to doing the good work regardless of whether your story gets told. But by telling your story you’re increasing the opportunity for more people to learn about how you’re helping the community and to inspire them to get involved, too!

Uplift someone else.

In a similar vein as the point above, consider how you can uplift someone else for their good work in the community. Is there an employee you wish to recognize for going above and beyond? Is there a community partner who you’ve teamed up with to increase the impact of your work? Or maybe you want to thank a local elected official for standing strong on an issue that will positively impact the lives of others. All of these are possible op-ed topics where you may want to acknowledge someone else’s efforts. Again, your name and title will still be tied to the byline of the article, without the topic needing to directly focus on you.

Reset your expectations for quality over quantity.

And finally, if you find yourself consistently frustrated by a lack of PR opportunities, make sure your expectations are realistic. No one is getting multiple headline stories published about them on a weekly or even monthly basis – at least not positive ones! If you’re receiving this much press, you’re likely an elected official under public scrutiny, and no one wants that kind of PR. Be realistic and grateful for the PR you have achieved thus far. One great media hit per quarter is all it takes to maintain a consistent spotlight on your brand. Aim for quality over quantity, and be sure that when you do get media coverage, you’re further enhancing its reach by sharing the article on your “owned” media channels (i.e. website, social media, and email blasts)!

Having an intriguing story to tell is only part of the equation. How you frame the news, and who you target with your message will ultimately determine your success. Which of these tips did you find most insightful? Do you have another to add to the list? Leave a comment and let’s discuss!

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