Even though July and August are generally synonym of “empty offices” and “lighter workloads”, the summer months may be an opportunity to keep up the hard work – especially in the PR sector! This article lists 6 reasons why PR activities must be maintained throughout the summer.
The summer holidays have been in full swing for a month now! While time seems to be temporarily frozen, it is legitimate to wonder whether it is necessary to pursue your PR activities – and thus pay your press relations agency – over the summer period. Spoiler alert: it definitely is!
In case you still have doubts, here are 6 reasons why you should consider doubling down on it:
- Stand out from the crowd
Summer may be a great time to gain traction and conquer new market shares. There are fewer journalists available, and the corporate communications departments are deserted as well. Yet, that does not mean you cannot take advantage of the opportunity to communicate, because the press keeps rolling! It is therefore vital to stay on top of the news. In addition, depending on your activity, it is of course possible to react to topical issues of specific importance (such as summer cyber-attacks, a major server breakdown, or other events) by offering your own perspective in a written form – a byline or a media alert, for instance – or an interview. In this case, it is important to remember the golden rule before taking the plunge, namely having an AVAILABLE spokesperson on call – because availability is definitely your greatest strength during these quiet times. This way, you can quickly reap the rewards of your diligence.
Furthermore, making an appearance on TV or in a radio programme can also be a great opportunity to shine. Just like other employees, most of the company’s C-suite – including those used to appearing on TV and radio – are also going on holidays. Journalists are therefore looking for new faces for their summer programmes, which may be an opportunity to promote your business!
Finally, the icing on the cake: as the competition is much less fierce during the summer holidays – because a lot of people are incommunicado for a long time – the media may just cover your stories more easily!
- Assess the progress made during the first half of the year
As summer is the best season for anticipation, it is also the ideal time to reflect on how the year has started. Thus, you need to ask yourself a few key questions: which actions worked best? Which message received the most coverage? Or, on the contrary, which topics had trouble finding an echo? Which are the areas of improvement?
Based on this assessment, it will be much easier to review and adapt your PR strategy for the months to come.
- Adjust your PR strategy until the end of the year
So you feel like there is nothing new under the sun… Well, quite the opposite! The previous point is designed to help you assess and reshape your press relations strategy and programme. Therefore, summer is the ideal time to start planning for the remainder of the year… and hold brainstorming sessions!
- Create more contents in anticipation
Nowadays, the scope of press relations work is broader than ever. Only a small handful of agencies limit themselves to producing press releases and conducting interviews. In fact, content creation has become a permanent fixture of communications strategies; the evidence lies in the fact that there is now a whole range of publications, such as bylines, whitepapers, and blog articles, that enable agencies to diversify their activities and offer content formats that meet the needs of their existing and potential customers.
Since writing requires time and concentration, July and August make an extremely fertile ground! With this approach, you can get back more smoothly into the swing of things in September and roll out your communication plans with the advantage of being prepared. The bylines for the coming months are being reviewed and validated, the blog articles meant to illustrate the next marketing campaigns are all finalised… Say goodbye to anxiety and hello to serenity!
- Get ready for September
There is an upcoming event in September, a trade show in October? The key word is: anticipate! As the “return-to-work” period is always intense, there is no point in finding yourself overworked if you have the opportunity to clear at least some of your plate! July and August are the ideal time to start carrying out some actions to get ahead of the game, such as rolling out “Save the date” mailing campaigns or initiating a smooth approach with journalists who have just returned from holiday or are about to leave for one. You also need to conduct a study in November? The same applies: as preparing this kind of study may be a long process, it is a good idea to contact the survey companies beforehand to check your questions and get started as soon as possible.
- Meet journalists in a more relaxed context
In the end, summer is far from void, professionally speaking. Why not take the opportunity to arrange less informal encounters with journalists who are still in-office? It may be the perfect occasion to share a nice lunch under the sun, enjoy a drink, or even play pétanque! After all, these convivial moments are also the very essence of press relations!
In conclusion, you should not be afraid to pursue your communication activities over the summer: your PR teams are by your side to anticipate every eventuality and continue to unlock opportunities for you! 😉
By Laure Guyon
