With the Memorial Day holiday right around the corner, now is a good time to ensure your PR program is on the right course for the summer season.
Although the summer might not be the best time to launch an aggressive PR campaign, it is beneficial to have a good stream of news to show prospects, investors and other key stakeholders that your organization has momentum. Review your pipeline of news announcements and keep a schedule for the summer months to stay on track. This can include new customer wins, new hires, award honors, etc.
While some might anticipate a slow down in media opportunities from June through August due to reporter’s schedules, e.g., summer Fridays, vacation, it is important to maintain a pulse on key contacts and keep a steady PR pace going. It is true that it might be more challenging to reach media, but if other organizations choose to quiet down during the summer months, this can be an optimal time to reconnect with a key reporter or make a new contact. Touch base with priority reporters each month during the summer to ensure you are offering them any necessary resources, research or quotes that will support stories – especially as their other resources may be hard to reach.
Finally, summer months mark the time to plan PR activities for fall/winter and get that big campaign ready. Think ahead as you are talking to reporters over the summer months, as it might be appropriate to prepare them for something coming down the pike in September.