Is Your PR Like March Madness?

Hoop Fever

"The March Madness of college basketball can teach us a lot about public relations." So says Kate Grusich of Cookerly PR."

Even if you don’t have hoop fever, here are two rules she suggests can be applied:

1. Have a Game Plan. A game plan and coordination matter. What are your marketing goals and overall objectives? Is there consistency in the brand messaging, logo, website and communications materials? Do all the players in your organization know the basics and work well as a team? To maintain the right public image and get the intended message to internal and external audiences, you need a well-researched and logical roadmap that sets measurable objectives, deadlines and responsibilities. This type of planning can be the difference between public relations success or disaster due to misinterpreted information.
2. Slow and steady does not usually win the game. In basketball, quickness counts. The same goes in business communications. In today’s cluttered world, people’s receptivity to your message can change in just a few hours. Timeliness is a powerful tool, so you have to be ready to strike when the opportunity presents itself. For example, you can connect your message to breaking news and trends or observances to drive brand interest and value. You can post to Facebook when you know your audience is most active there. If you’re looking to reach an audience, it’s important to be in the right place at the right time. Your marketing message will resonate with more people and prompt more action.

A professional public relations expert as well as a fan of professional basketball (Well, really just the Golden State Warriors) I think her suggestions are priceless. To read more, visit her blog. To learn more about planning your next campaign click here.