It’s the end of October already and you know what that means… no it does not mean you should break out your Christmas decorations, it means it is time to start planning for 2022! That’s right, we are well into Q4 and therefore we need to start organizing our annual PR calendars for next year.
Here are some tips as you get started on this task. It can be daunting, but try to have fun with it.
- Get organized. Clear your calendar, clear your mind, clear off your desk! Make sure you are organized as you sit down to analyze what you want to accomplish in 2022.
- Take a look back at 2021. Make sure to go through your calendar and see what worked in 2021. What PR initiatives were successful? What were some stand out media clips that really moved the needle for your client? That is a great place to start as you map out different themes for the next year.
- Go through your editorial calendars. Many publications literally hand you their coverage plan for the year, use that to your advantage! Pick the top magazines you want your client in and check out their ed cal (as we call it in the biz) – plug these key pitch ideas into your calendar! You’re almost done.
- Brainstorm with your team and start writing down ideas. Set up a brainstorm session with your team, you don’t have to do this alone! Bounce ideas around and see what creative thinking the client will truly appreciate.
- Take a deep breath – these plans are not set in stone. What’s the old saying? “Plans are meant to be broken.” So don’t worry, these plans will change, and that’s ok. New initiatives will come up! The news cycle is unpredictable. As long as you have a healthy mix of PR, marketing and social media influencer ideas in place for the year – you will produce a solid 2022 plan.
The last step is always to review with your client, explain why these press ideas will support their bottom line. Good luck! Now you can go set up your Christmas decorations.
