A poorly timed communications strategy can see months of hard work flop.
Simple tips to maximise each and every opportunity within your comms strategy:
1. Piggyback the news agenda
Media are working towards a packed calendar of events, seasonal hooks, and anniversaries. Lean into this, and tailor your content and pitch to suit the needs of journalists.This strategy allows you to plan ahead and make considered and strategic changes to your comms messaging to better align with the news agenda.
Equally, don’t be quick to jump on an already crowded topic if there are others better placed to do so. Find your niche, the topic you’re an expert in.
2. Monitor your competitor
Are you consistently pipped to the post by a competitor landing the coverage opportunities you’d hoped to secure?Perhaps you produce similar data reports, and they’re obtaining the lion’s share of media pick up? Or are your comments and expert tips overlooked in favour of another’s?
– Find a pattern: Are they releasing their data / report at a similar time each year? If so, can you adjust your internal deadlines to get the data ready sooner? You have to be agile here.
– Relationship building: Identify the media outlets and journalists who consistently cover your competitor, and become their best friend. Invite them for a coffee or set up a call and put their needs above yours. Ask them what they want to write about and understand how you can meet those needs.
– Create a differentiator: It’s time to shake things up, and perhaps that’s a shift not just in comms strategy, but brand positioning. What can you change or implement that would set you apart from competitors and peers? Take a step back and look at the bigger picture, not at where you started but where you want to get to.
3. Tap into Google Trends
The media landscape continues to change at pace, and what’s trending on social media is often informing journalists and the content they’re sharing on digital news platforms.You might assume that a particular trend won’t impact you or your target audience, but they will, if not immediately then through a ripple effect.
You can track trends daily through free tools such as Google Trends to see which key words are being searched. With that insight you can identify suitable and relevant opportunities to get involved, and be a part of the conversation – even direct or lead the narrative.
4. Be a day ahead (or more!)
The national papers reveal their front pages the night before they go to print. Being across these a day ahead gives you the chance to adapt your comms strategy at short notice.What’s on the front pages often informs broadcast segments for the following day. If you spot a headline story and have an expert available to comment, be ahead of the curve – pitch your spokesperson while producers are pulling together their programme schedules.
5. Throw away the saying “but that’s how we’ve always done it.”
If media coverage is drying up and what once would have generated coverage is no longer landing, it’s time to review your strategy.
Consider bringing onboard a communications expert, someone fully immersed in the ever-evolving media landscape, who will be able to provide counsel and recommendations on steps needed to revive and refresh your comms strategy.
Contact:
- Rooster HQ, London – Yasmine Triana, Director & Head of PR, T: +44 (0)7568 429827, E: [email protected]
- Rooster South West, Bristol – Arabella Halfhide, Senior Account Director, T: +44 (0)7376 418927, E: [email protected]
