I would like a quick show of hands (okay, not really)… How many times has someone told you (or you have told someone else) “I need a press release!”? And, that marks the extent of the solution to your public relations challenges. 

Unfortunately, a true strategy is often overlooked by marketers because PR appears complicated, not easily quantifiable and honestly, can be quite varied from one organization to another. All of the listed reasons are why a solid, personalized strategy is necessary.

There are many simple questions to ask yourself when developing your strategy. Be sure to think not only of this specific project, but also of your entire organization and how this integrates appropriately.

Some things to think about when crafting your PR strategy:

• Who is your top target?
• Who can you reasonably reach?
• What are the best channels to reach these targets?
• Are there multiple channels I should use?
• What is my message and how does it work into every other area of my organization?
• Do I have a deadline and does that match with media deadlines?
• What are potential pitfalls or pushback?
• What do we want to accomplish through this outreach?
• Where do we direct readers for additional information?

So, what’s next? Even when a calculated strategy is in place, I get it. A PR professional says to you, “There is a solid plan to hit all of our targeted media with a specialized pitch, followed up by more wide-reaching outreach. We feel confident. But I can’t give you a guarantee of who will pick up the story.” That is tough to swallow for someone who is carefully watching their bottom line – or who answers to someone who is.

There are ways to get guaranteed distribution. Wire services can offer a wide range of media hits and these are certainly valuable. But to truly reach your target demographic, you’ll need to reach a little deeper. And these pick-ups are the ones that have the capability to make the most noise.

A solid public relations strategy, which weaves seamlessly into your organization’s consumer outreach, often takes time and patience to build, but could end up becoming your most valuable touch point.

Taking time to explain the process and offering up a thoughtful and comprehensive strategy is your best opportunity to show your value in public relations. And over time, with thoughtful diligence, your message will be much more far reaching than you initially hoped.