A New Year Means a New PR Plan for Your Business

By: Beth Kneisler, Account Assistant - Leonard & Finco Public Relations

It’s hard to believe, but 2010 is officially underway! I imagine I’m not alone when thinking at the start of every year, “Gosh, where did this past year go?” We’re all very busy and before we know it, the days and months can quickly get away from us. For this reason, it’s important to take time to develop your PR plan for 2010 now.

Here are some tips to help you get started on your planning:

• Set realistic goals – To start a new year’s PR plan for your business, make a list of specific things you’d like to achieve by the end of 2010. Perhaps you’d like to have a feature on you or your business at least every other month. Maybe you’d like to increase traffic to your Web site or you’d like to gain three new clients in a new city. Whatever you decide on for your goals, make sure they are realistic and that you don’t put too much on your plate.
  
• Seek out opportunities – A good place to start is to check out editorial calendars from business publications or trade journals that are in your target markets. From the calendars, you’ll be able to find upcoming features that your business could act as the “expert” on that topic. Keep in mind, magazine typically work a few months out so you’ll want to throw your hat in the ring early. Other places to look for opportunities include: newspapers and news or radio stations. Also, look for speaking opportunities through your chamber of commerce. Once you have found what opportunities you want to take advantage of, pick a few things to accomplish each month.


• Monitor success – One key component to any successful plan is to monitor your success. Maybe you gained new clients after a recent feature of your business or traffic to your Web site has increased. If you tried an opportunity and it didn’t seem to garner any positive attention, you may want to try a different form of media.
  
• Revise PR Plan – As you get further into the New Year, make sure you are continuously looking at your PR plan and making adjustments. We all know goals can change throughout the year, so you want to make sure you are adjusting your plan to fit your new goals. Also, by looking at your plan often, you are more likely to stick with it throughout the year.

After reading these tips, what are some ways you’d like to promote yourself and your business this year? We’d love to hear your thoughts!