Is Your PR Strategy on Holiday?

President's Day today provides many people with a three day weekend. Most government offices are closed, including schools, and all but essential services are staffed. So, the temptation is to assume the media is on holiday as well. 

Actually, just the opposite is often the case. Oh, sure, there are some reporters who take the day off to be home with their kids, but most working news rooms are struggling through what is generally described as a "slow" news day. They're looking for good stories.

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So, instead of putting your public relations or media relations strategy on holiday, consider what story idea you can pitch to your local media that just might get some coverage. It doesn't even have to tie in with the holiday, itself, although that's certainly an option. 

Some examples include a press release about a new product or customer, your CEO's latest speaking engagement, a new person joining your team, or a comment about a recent trend in your industry. The key is to think like an editor and come up with unique story ideas that would appeal to readers, viewers and listeners.

One way to make the whole process easier and more effective is to create a calendar of news events that you can refer to over the course of the year to see when and how certain events may affect news coverage and whether there's an opportunity to become part of the story.

Even if the media aren't interested in your holiday story, you can still revise your press release into an email blast to your client list. You can also post it on your web site and tweet about it, boosting your visibility and increasing the chances you'll be found in online searches in the future.