Now is the time to make some professional resolutions which will make you a better, more productive PR person.
Short on ideas? Here are three to get you started, along with some tips to help you accomplish them.
Update your journalist lists
Your press release will only be as powerful as your press list. It may not be the most exciting task, but it is vital that PR professionals update their journalist lists regularly.
As we all know, the media landscape can change quickly. Those trusty journalist contacts that you rely on time and time again may change roles, perhaps moving into a completely different area of expertise.
To combat this, you should be reading industry news so you can keep an eye out for when new editors or producers have been appointed. This will also tell you when media outlets are launching, shifting online or ceasing publication. Staying on top of changes within media outlets will help keep your media lists up-to date. You could also conduct some research of your own and find out who is writing about what. New year - new lists!
Research key topics for 2018
Many PRs count communication and strategy as the most valuable skills. But in practice, one cannot put those skills to good use without a strong foundation of research and information gathering.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, drones, machine learning, block chain, GDPR and general digital disruption, PR people need to be prepared to learn and understand big issues like these so they can discuss with clients and journalists.
According to some experts, artificial intelligence will also emerge as a critical PR tool.
Curtiss Sparrer, Principal at Bospar PR, told Business News Daily,
"In the past executives may have tinkered with AI to schedule their calendars, but 2018 will see the end of the experimental phase and the beginning of applying artificial intelligence to solve the most soul-crushing marketing problems”.
Prepare for key dates
Now is the time to begin preparing for key dates, for us here at BlueSky Education, this includes the deadlines for course applications so we can work on promoting degrees and programmes. For other PR companies this may be product launch dates or the release of a new film.
PR people can also target national days like International Women’s Day or Equal Pay Day. This could mean, for example, preparing key spokespeople on gender equality. Or, to provide another example, if you have research about consumer spending you could pitch it ahead of Black Friday. Planning and preparing for these days ensures traffic and engagement because it’s simply timely.
Now what resolutions have you made to help you at work in 2018?
For help with your 2018 PR, contact BlueSky PR.
Author: Kate Mowbray
