When to run a PR campaign

When it comes to launching a PR campaign getting the timing right can determine how big an audience your brand reaches.

The initial launch of your campaign is critical, as it’s the time when your message sees the light of day and is new and exciting to the public and press.

If you don’t ace the timing then your campaign may be overlooked in the media’s eye and once you’ve already launched it, you won’t get a second chance. 

However, by doing some strategic planning and research you can take advantage of what’s going on in the world and your industry to secure as much media coverage as possible.

So what should you consider?

Don’t rush 

After all the hard work you’ve put into your brand you might be excited about getting it out into the world as soon as possible, but it may not always be the best idea. 

Sometimes it’s better to hold off on a media push for a little bit until you’re entirely sure you have perfected all the details and are fully prepared for your potential future customers to be introduced to your brand. 

To make your brand look more credible, make sure that your website works effectively, you have a good social media presence and you are ready to provide the product or service you’re putting forward. 

What is going on in the world? 

One of the main regards to keep in mind is to look at what is going on around the world and your industry. 

It’s very likely your media outreach will go unnoticed if it lands on the same time as an important event or breaking news. 

Of course it is not possible to foresee everything that will happen on the day you’re planning to launch your campaign, but it’s still beneficial to closely follow the news prior to your announcement to prevent it being overlooked in the news flow. 

You may also need to be flexible and ready to move the date to a time when it’s best received by the public.

Think of holidays 

One good option to generate buzz for your campaign is to tie it together with a holiday or celebration. 

You can use the hype around Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween etc to your advantage because that’s the time when the consumers are purchasing more and the media is hungry for holiday content.

For example, you could alter the messaging so it’s suitable with the festive season, you can provide special holiday offers and bring brand awareness by giving back to the community through charities. 

Leave enough time for journalists

Although it was suggested previously that you shouldn’t rush with your media pitch, you also can’t leave it until the last minute. 

You should leave journalists enough time so that they can write up a good quality news story that shows your brand in the best light. 

They may even get back to you asking for more information or interviews which could make your story much stronger. 

Research your competitors

Beside looking at what’s going on around the world, you should also keep an eye out for what’s happening in the industry. 

For example, if you’re planning a product launch then it’s good to research your competitors to prevent launching something similar at the same time. 

Or you can find a way to do it differently to stand out from the crowd, for example cater your campaign directly to your target audience with strong and specialised messaging. 

© MOTIVE