If you’re managing a PR agency relationship, it can be easy to get caught up in the details and lose sight of the big picture.
Content calendars have a time and place – but the time and place is rarely four, five or even six months out
Content calendars have a time and place – but the time and place is rarely four, five or even six months out. If you’re not focused, too many pitch angles, content calendars and press releases can overshadow results that are happening right now.
There is an inclination among communicators to develop evergreen content – or at least materials that will have a long shelf life. This is especially true for noteworthy, annual day-of-the-year time pegs that link to the evergreen angles.
But an over-reliance on evergreen content can lead to a noticeable lag between the development of pitch angles and their eventual use – or at least the right place and time. This is because the pace of change in news cycles is fast, making it difficult to predict what will be relevant six months from now – or even tomorrow!
Ask your PR firm to narrow their focus to ensure a compelling angle is being pushed hard
In an effort to be everything to everyone, some PR firms take on too many writing projects and pitch angles. This can lead to a diluted message and ultimately, lackluster results. Simply, sometimes less is more with focusing media outreach.
A more effective strategy is to choose two or three areas of focus and push those angles hard. This ensures that your message is clear and that the right people are hearing it loud and clear.
If you’re not getting the results you want from your current PR firm, ask them to narrow their focus. It just might be the boost your placement and interview totals.
Never let PR agencies suggest their press releases are proof of results
Press releases are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. PR agencies that focus on the volume of releases they generate rather than the quality of media coverage they secure are doing their clients a disservice.
Likewise, PR pros who believe that more is better when it comes to pitch angles and content calendars are missing the forest for the trees. An overabundance of pitches and ideas can actually have a negative effect, overwhelming reporters and producers with too many options and making it difficult for them to choose which story to pursue.
Quality trumps quantity every time when it comes to PR. A well-written pitch that contains newsworthy information and is pitched to the right outlet has a much better chance of being picked up than a dozen poorly conceived pitches sent to uninterested reporters. The same goes for story ideas – one great idea pitched to the right reporter is worth more than ten average ideas sent to ten different reporters.
The bottom line is that results should always be the measure by which PR agencies and professionals are judged. Press releases and content calendars are simply tools that help us achieve those results. Never let anyone suggest otherwise.
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