Taking a Deep Breath Creates Better PR

One of our teams recently helped their client apply for -- and win -- a prestigious award from a national publication for outstanding innovation in their market.  As always with these sorts of events, the first inclination of PR people inside and at the agency is to get the news out -- and fast!  I have been at events in which we had a draft of the award release written before the award even was announced, anticipating a win and wanting it on the wire as soon as possible.

Our team beat all speed records and had a good draft of an announcement of the award prepared for our client -- someone we have worked with at several companies.  Our client reviewed it thoughtfully and said it was good, but asked if it could be even better, given the significance of the award.  It was a great point from a good client and caused the team members to do what all of us often fail to do in the speed of work life today -- slow down, take a deep breath, and be present only with the communication opportunity at hand.  It was interesting to see the team's reaction to this challenge from their client.  This is a group of talented and competitive individuals who don't like to lose any contest.  They worked collaboratively with the client to determine what could make the announcement better, stronger, and more interesting.  They didn't add fluff.  They took more time (in a concise way) to explain what this award actually means, how the winners were determined, and what our client has done from an innovation standpoint that truly provides great value to their clients and a breakthrough to the industry.  As part of providing context, the team added some third-party data about the need for this type of innovation, which was much more valuable than an empty congratulatory quote from a partner or friendly analyst.

We got some great feedback from our client, including one of their board members, a customer and a member of their sales staff.  The extra effort put into crafting this announcement was well worth the time put into it and our client's willingness to wait for something better was a smart investment.  Since Google searches keep announcements like this in the public domain for a long time, it's great that this news item stands out for our client and explains what they are doing well.

I know this recent exercise has impacted this team and caused them to think more about how to always make something better rather than deliver it faster.  This is truly what the best public relations does for a company, especially on the agency side.  Our job is to have perspective from the breadth of companies we work with and experience we have within the industry.  We need to help our clients think beyond the daily grind to make sure every part of our program is helping them advance a strategic plan that helps them close more sales and confirm with existing customers and employees that they have chosen the right organization.

So this afternoon or tomorrow morning, when you get a panicked call from a colleague or a client that a particular announcement or launch has to happen NOW, help them to take a deep breath and think it through before proceeding.  The better outcome will be worth the extra time involved.