By Andrew Blum*
The old saying, “time is money,” unsurprisingly also applies to PR and communications.
Doing top-notch PR for your clients or company takes time, but there are a number of ways you can cut down on how long it takes to get it done properly.
First, think about how big you can make your PR and communications budget, and use it wisely. Staffing is important, so use your budget to hire the best people, and assign them to projects they can excel in. Public relations is often a group effort, and great communications can be the result of a dedicated team. Lastly, push for money in the budget to be utilized for outside vendors, like a PR agency or other related PR services.
These PR services can include vendor tools and technologies that help you conduct your PR and communications efficiently and quickly. One example is Critical Mention, a platform that helps track your mentions and media hits across mediums such as TV, radio, online news, and social media. Services like Critical Mention also allow you to quickly create organized media reports that you can send to your clients.
And while we are at it, don’t forget two other areas you’ll need to fine-tune in order to reduce your time spent working on them: internal communications and social media. Services like Critical Mention can give you the intel you need to work in these sectors, but there are also free tools like Topsy and Hootsuite, that can help you pinpoint your social media presence as well.
In summary, establish your budget, find the right people, and utilize the best technology to communicate on the necessary channels quickly. These tips will save you lots of time and win praise from your boss and clients alike.
*Andrew Blum is a PR consultant and media trainer and principal of AJB Communications. He has directed PR for professional services and financial services firms, NGOs, agencies and other clients. As a PR executive, and formerly as a journalist, he has been involved on both sides of the media aisle in some of the most media intensive crises of the past 25 years. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter: @ajbcomms
