The PR & marketing calm before the Q4 storm

August is a very different work month. For one thing the journey to work with its much-reduced traffic is a dream. However, for PR & marketing it’s a real change from our usual rota of releases, events and launch of articles and longer form content.

With many clients and journalists away on holiday, it is a quiet month for active PR & marketing. Events too are largely on hold, awaiting the exhibition season which begins with a bang in September.

A time therefore to get your head down and write, review and plan. (It’s not by chance I’m catching up on my lack of a blog for a while, with this latest piece!)

In short, there’s time for some thinking. Often a luxury we don’t always have in our usual working weeks, but one it’s important to prioritise, and one we encourage across the team at Nielsen McAllister. Giving yourself time to think is an essential part of account management and for us to ensure we deliver results for our clients’ PR & marketing.

Now, I’ve already shared my love of a plan in a previous blog, and reviewing progress to date against a PR & marketing plan is as good an opportunity to start that process of thinking.

Indeed, it’s here that I’m reminded of my colleague Simon Kinnear’s words. A review, and time to think, gives an opportunity to raise the crucial question of ‘So what?’

As he said; ‘“So what?” are the two most important words in PR & marketing… whatever the message, however you’re delivering it, take that moment to ask yourself: “so what?”… Does your article / press release / social post / video / advert / report, truly deliver value and meaning to its audience?’

Now I know the words PR & marketing plan are missing from the list above, but we can all insert these. Taking the quietness of August to review the bigger picture and find out if our plans, and therefore we, are delivering. After all there’s still time to adjust and ensure that you are on track for 2023, even with a busy Q4 ahead.

Putting time to think and review is key to any PR & marketing campaign. As is adjusting tactics where needs.

For example, a recent review highlighted that while a client was performing well with their trade coverage, we still had opportunities addressing their target local audience. Updating plans to highlight their work in their local community and actively targeting local media contacts, has once again put them back on the map and ensured releases are relevant to all their stakeholders.

So, with just a few weeks to go until September, I will continue to use August as a time to think and ensure that our PR & marketing services are delivering for our clients. This, alongside catching up on my to-do list of blogs, make it a moment of calm before the Q4 storm.

Want to find out how we can provide PR & marketing support for your business all year round? Contact us and we’ll be in touch for a chat.