You have a PR team!
Whether you've hired a full-time in-house PR person, a part-time contractor or an agency, you and the business have committed to a PR program. This is a great first step. But the work doesn't stop there.
A responsible leadership team will not simply hire a PR person or team, walk away and assume that press coverage will start appearing overnight.
While there are no guarantees in PR, there are certainly steps that you can take to ensure you are getting the most out of your team.
- Communicate objectives clearly: Communication is key throughout any PR program -- from your search for a team onward. Clearly state your business objectives during your search but also share adjustments to your expectations as the program builds.
- Remain an active participant: This is particularly important if you have hired outside assistance. You -- or someone with the appropriate resources and access internally -- must remain an ongoing point of contact and active participant with your PR team so they have everything they need to be successful.
- Listen to the experts: You hire lawyers for their legal expertise and you wouldn't pay them only to ignore their advice and go in a different direction. This should be the same case with your PR team. Otherwise, what's the point in paying them to be on your team?
There are many other elements to creating a successful PR program but these three points should get you on the right track so that you are leveraging your PR team properly.
