2020 is finally underway, and for many people that also means setting goals for the New Year. We’ve all made them at some point, from stepping up your game at the gym to toning down your spending. For many people, making a yearly pledge is a comfortable tradition, but let’s face it, for many of us (myself included) sticking to that resolution is much harder than it initially seems. In fact, research shows that this year most people were likely to give up on their New Year’s Resolution on January 19 and that by the second week of February approximately 80% of people will have dropped their resolution. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a new one (or three)!
So, for all of the PR pros out there who have already abandoned their initial New Year’s resolution, are looking to make another or haven’t made one at all, here are a few to consider to enhance your PR strategy.
Take Your Communication Offline
A crucial part of any PR job is establishing and maintaining media relationships, and there is no better way to do that than in-person. So, in 2020 make it a priority to get offline and get some face time with your reporter friends and make new ones too. Something we hear from reporters all the time is they love when PR people take the time to get to know them and make a genuine human connection.
Whether it’s grabbing coffee with a reporter, turning up to a networking event or even signing up for a training session, there are plenty of opportunities to expand your media horizons in-person. Relationship building is key to PR, so make the effort to get away from your desk and into the fray!
Integrate Your Campaigns
The media landscape isn’t the only area constantly shifting, marketing and communications are too. This year see how PR can fit within other marketing and communications activities. How can content marketing, digital, research, paid media, social media and SEO enhance campaign success? Make sure you’re ahead of the curve and are bringing fresh and innovative ideas to achieve a compelling integrated campaign.
Even if an integrated campaign may not be feasible every time, or for every client, it’s still important to keep up with the changes taking place within the communications industry and flex your creativity muscles so that when the time comes you can produce an innovative, forward-thinking and effective public relations campaign.
Keep Consuming
While there may be quite a few of us who have vowed to consume less in 2020, there is one thing PR pros should be aiming to consume more of, content. We all know it’s important to keep up to date on the news of the day, especially where it concerns our clients and daily objectives but it’s also important to expand beyond our go-to media outlets and seek out varying perspectives and emerging trends. Being knowledgeable about different industries can bring out more creativity and bring out more opportunities for your clients and overall PR strategy.
Inspiration can strike anywhere and at any time. So, this year read more books, expand your podcast library, hunt down new blogs, read about an emerging industry and take your time with social media. From politics to pop culture and beyond, staying connected and on top of the trends makes PR pros better at their job.
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