Whether you are promoting a new product, company-backed research or a new area of expertise, developing a solid plan is an important first step. Time and time again, it has been proven that sketching out a solid strategy, from research to execution to evaluation, can help you achieve success and garner positive PR results.
Research first
What have the results been for similar campaigns? What is the media’s interest level in the subject matter? Reporters (especially those covering technology) shift focus quickly, so it is important to gauge current trending topics to determine how what you are promoting might be received. Reading your target journalists’ recent articles and scanning their Twitter feeds is a must.
Gather the team
After completing the initial research, bring the team together to discuss and collaborate on strategy. This is the time for brainstorming and infusing the campaign with creative ideas and tactical elements.
Put it on paper
Creating a plan with a timeline will help everyone stick to the strategy and schedule. While it is important to build in some flexibility for any unexpected events and/or to adjust or leverage relevant news impacts, following a schedule is helpful.
Evaluate results for future planning
Don’t forget to grade your work following the campaign. While it can be difficult to predict results at the beginning of a promotion effort, taking a close look at what worked and didn’t work following will help you plan future PR initiatives.