We recently encountered a client situation that is becoming increasingly common. Our client, a global consultancy, wanted our help in raising awareness of a newly elevated practice at the firm. The division is in high demand for its expertise in helping companies structure safe workplaces during COVID.
All good, right?
Until the client asked: “How likely are we to get media traction between now and November 3? Aren’t we going to be competing for coverage during this election cycle?”
Our client wondered if the company wouldn’t be better off postponing its campaign until after the election.
This issue of timing – determining the optimal moment to share news – has always been a piece of providing good public relations counsel to clients. But it has never been more critical than it is now, as we confront a shrinking media landscape alongside epic news stories that are consuming much of the media oxygen.
We considered our client’s question: What might the news landscape look like after the election? Would we have a better chance of generating media interest after November 3?
Our answer was, No, we recommend pursuing this news opportunity now rather than after the election.
Why? First, because we already had a timely news hook to peg our story to – the pandemic. While the Presidential race is a leading news story, it is also true that a number of outlets and journalists continue to cover business news that is separate from the election.
In addition, we anticipate that holding this story until after the election will place us in the middle of one or two other big stories – fallout from the election and the advent of a vaccine or vaccines.
In this case, delaying the news doesn’t buy us anything – and, in fact, may weaken the story if interest in business responses to the pandemic has waned.
All of this has caused me to reflect on the dangers of trying to time the media market.
As PR pros, we are experts at finding good news hooks, newsjacking opportunities, or story angles to increase the chances of media interest or pickup. We study calendars, track trends, and consume news voraciously, all with a goal of correctly anticipating media appetite for a particular story, at a specific time.
But what about those times when it isn’t crystal clear when to pitch and when to wait? How do you decide whether to share the news now – or wait for a better opportunity in the future? What if there is no clear determinant in pitching now vs. later?
Here’s what I will tell you: In all my years of trying to time stories, I have gotten burned more often when I delayed a story, in the hopes of a future unicorn moment than when I have gone ahead and pitched now with what I had. You can guess and hope all you want for what the media landscape might look like in the future – but if you have a good story now, I’m a proponent of pitching sooner rather than later.
How about you? Do you have any tips for determining story timing when the crystal ball is less than clear?