Forget New Years’ resolutions, planning for a healthy PR program in 2024 should start when the days begin to shift from summer to fall. It is intuitively synched with the start of the school year and, unfairly, in line with the crushing weight of year end deliverables.
Setting up your organization for success does not have to be difficult. Instead of relying solely on KPIs, now is the time to be visionary by asking the big questions.
What good habits have paid off this year?
If your organization has the bandwidth to support speaking engagements and external brand building, then it’s no surprise that your strategic plan has mapped accordingly the places you want to be and the people you want to be talking to. So, has it worked? Was your prospectus accepted for the conference where all of your competitors have previously spoken? Did you finally start growing a social media community that has yielded increased forms of engagement and customer acquisition? How often did you find touch points with the few reporters that care most about your industry? If you’re unsatisfied with the answers to those questions, it might be time to reestablish your routines.
Has your dream headline been written?
A common trope of clients, “we couldn’t believe that no one cared about our product/ announcement; etc.” Did similar conversations take space in your Slack channels this year? If so, what big story has been missed and why? Was the news not timely? Not relevant? Did you lead with what the organization cared about and less about what your audience does? In 2024, commit to shouting from the rooftops “WHO CARES!” when announcement time rolls along and watch the tides turn in your favor.
Is a realignment of resources needed?
Activations that are fun and feed company culture are certainly worthwhile, but has too much energy been invested in activities that do little to move the needle? Similar to when establishing new health routines, just because you’re incorporating a food into your diet that is marketed as healthy, it’s important to determine if it’s actually contributing to an overall goal of health. If you apply the “everything in moderation” rule to your PR strategy and work as hard at the less fun work, you may find surprising results. Not every success will look shiny or appear quickly.
Who do you want to be?
Brands, like people, have limitless opportunities to reset. Take a temperature check of it and the industry and reevaluate how to best provide credibility and leadership. Don’t waste time if your current personality isn’t working. Is the brand personality who it wants to be? Does it lack confidence in any one area? Is it too quirky when it should be more serious?
Leading with vision can help uncomplicate the troubles that plague shallow PR strategies. Now, before the New Year is upon us, take some time to think about what your organization does well, where you desperately need to be acknowledged, where you waste too much time and who you really want to be. I think you’ll find that you have all of the answers.
Ready to kick-off the new year strong with a robust PR plan? We’re happy to offer a 20-minute PR prep session to help you get on the right track click the link here to get started – https://calendly.com/jcrp.