PR has shifted gear, and I’m enjoying its new-found sensitivity.
PR has changed; just like many other industries.
With many journalists being furloughed or, sadly, losing their jobs, the media landscape has entered a re-shaping process. For those who are without an income, I truly hope they can re-establish their careers — or find new ones — sooner rather than later.
I’ve never been daunted by picking up the phone to talk to journalists, editors and producers, but it feels very different at the moment. How we communicate with each other has changed.
Having spoken to other freelance PRs during lockdown, it’s now very clear that the usual tactics aren’t always appropriate. There’s been a shift in how we’re selling in stories — it’s become much more considerate and less frantic.
Space and time to dive deeper
Personally, I don’t think that’s a bad thing — it’s just different. It gives us all time to breathe, plan and figure out what great PR looks like for us, our clients and the press. Plus, we need to ‘listen’ carefully; goals are changing daily, so it’s crucial to keep up.
Who knows what impact this pandemic will have on our industry in the long term? Will audiences want much more community-led, humane and positive content?
With lives being severely disrupted, will brands have to learn to appeal to different emotions, values, priorities and desires? Will people see through tactics that have previously been successfully seductive?
A massive collective experience like this is bound to shift people’s perceptions of what a ‘good life’ means. As a result, we’re all learning in parallel.
Will journalists work at home more, freeing up office space (and overheads) now they’ve learned to put papers together remotely? How will the print press be impacted by the crisis now so many people are consuming news content online? Will more broadcast interviews be carried out online?
Sensitivity to journalists’ needs has heightened
With all of these questions bubbling away inside our heads, I think the industry is learning much more about human-to-human communication, rather than PR-to-journalist communication.
We’re pitching at a much more sensitive level. I enjoy this. I love getting to know people anyway, so I’m able to dig deeper, find out what’s important to journalists, and take a more personal approach, where I can.
Also, making loads of follow-up calls isn’t the most reliable way to reach the press right now; it can be thoughtless. It means disturbing journalists at home, who are usually office-based. They’re currently juggling remote planning meetings with hitting deadlines, whilst dealing with children at home, maintaining relationships, confronting personal anxieties, supporting older parents or vulnerable neighbours, and more.
Good news stories are needed
Despite all of this, there are still opportunities for coverage; the media want positive stories. They want to buoy their audiences (and probably themselves — who can blame them?)
So, if we listen to what they want, we’re extremely targeted with a pitch, and more tuned in to our instincts (to know when to engage, and when to hold back), national, regional and local coverage is still possible.
Remember, efforts may not be wasted if stories fall flat — if you’re able to source feedback, changes can be made, and you can re-pitch when the time is right. You’ve already prepared the ground.
PR has never been ER (we’re just not that important!), and now we’re seeing how it can be conducted differently. The wheels may turn slower than usual, but that’s absolutely OK for now. This is something that simply can’t be forced — respect that, and we’re already on the right — and maybe a better — path.
#staysafestaywell #bekind #bepatient
