Too often, a lengthy approval chain is where good ideas go to die. To avoid ‘death by committee’ and get the most bang for your buck, here are a few suggestions from our side of the desk.
1. Don’t mark up changes: More often than not your publicist will have written material in a tone suited to the publication or social media platform they are taking it to. You have employed a professional writer for a reason – if you need to make changes, list them in an email so your publicist can revisit their work and implement them for you.
2. Take risks: If you want your content to ‘go viral’ be prepared to take a risk. Let go of any hesitation and leave it to your creative team to come up with an idea they know will work. Be clear about your goals from the outset and if they are off brief let them know, but try your best not to ‘water it down’. Consumers are over having marketing drivel shoved down their throats and will immediately switch off if they feel they are copping a sell. They want to consume, share and interact with material that makes them laugh – everyday stuff they can relate to.
3. Believe in subtlety: Don’t be too obvious – people are inquisitive, if you give them all of the information up front they will take it and let it go. If something is missing, they will look further. So leave out the logo and keep them guessing! A good agency will have a long game strategy to ensure your brand gets the credit, and when the accolades come, they will be worth waiting for.
4. Be prepared for the spotlight: If you want to be in the media, then make yourself available… a lot. When the media want a story, they want it yesterday. To get the best results from traditional PR, you are going to need to fit in with their schedule.
5. Lay it on the table: Be clear and concise about your goals and vision from the outset. Publicists and digital creatives are professional communicators and they love a two-way conversation. The face of success is often subjective, and a frank discussion about what it looks like at the beginning of a campaign can go a long way to achieving the desired result.
