End-of-Year PR Strategies to Kickstart Your Q1 Success

As we approach the end of the year, savvy PR pros know that this is the crucial time to set the stage for a strong first quarter.

Here are key strategies and action steps to ensure your organization starts the new year with momentum:

Reflect and Refine

Most of us will be focused on campaign wrap-ups and end-of-year reporting in Q4. Why not also use that time as an opportunity to evaluate in addition to report? Before diving into new initiatives for Q1, take time to assess and analyze your PR efforts from the past year and use those insights to inform and refine your efforts next year. Some action steps may include:

• Review media coverage and analyze its impact: Go beyond tallying media “hits” and look at which outlets were best at including key messages, which reporters took a deeper dive to tell your story, and what feedback you received from aspirational publications.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your key messages and narratives: Did your messaging resonate this year? If so, how? If not, why not? Will they remain the same moving forward or should adjustments be made? Is there a better / more accurate / different story that should be told moving forward?
• Identify top-performing content and channels: Where did your PR efforts get the most bang for the buck? Look back to determine if certain opportunities were worth the time spent to make them happen. If so, how can you recreate that success next year? If not, what are the areas where the ROI was higher and how can they be enhanced next year?
• Update communications goals and objectives: If you were able to reach all your stated goals and objectives for this year, congratulations! That also probably means that they need an update for the coming year. If they weren’t reached, this is the time to conduct an analysis and potentially an update for the coming year.

Showcase Your Year-End Accomplishments

You worked hard this year and now is the time to highlight your organization’s achievements to build credibility and attract attention for the coming year. Here are just a few ways to accomplish this:

• Create succinct and compelling content: Whether it’s in the form of a blog post, website news blurb, press releases, or social media campaign, use the opportunity to emphasize key projects completed, major deals closed, or growth milestones achieved over the year. An important element here is to ensure that while you’re reflecting on successes, keep future goals part of the message. Whether it’s hinting about an upcoming initiative, teasing new projects, or officially launching a Q1 plan, make it clear you’re not resting on your laurels.
• Share Client Success Stories: If you did great work for clients this year, reach out and ask them to share a testimonial, or better yet, write a case study about the work to showcase how potential clients can benefit from your services.

Strengthen Client Relationships

You may already have a solid relationship with your clients or relevant stakeholders. That’s great, but don’t assume that there isn’t additional strengthening that could happen. Consider doing the following:

• Take your clients out to lunch or dinner: Use the end of the year as an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the year, but also to talk about what they have planned for the coming year. Bonus points if you can discover ways that you can be a better resource for them. Is there a project they haven’t been able to get off the ground that you can help with in some way? Are there new pain points that you can help address? Use the time to listen more than talk and then incorporate what you’ve learned into your PR program for next year.
• Send holiday greetings with a purpose: If you’re already sending out messages or gifts to clients, take the extra step to include a personalized message, tying them into your brand’s mission and don’t forget to express gratitude.

Plan Your Q1 Content Calendar Now

Content creation often gets pushed aside during the busy end-of-year period, but planning ahead can make Q1 more manageable and strategic. Here are a few ways to make Q1 content front and center:

• Identify top trends and topics for the coming year: Forecast what will be top of mind for your clients or organization in the coming months and plan your content accordingly. Some of the best sources for trend content forecasting include industry publication editorial calendars, industry conference session topics, and listening to your clients or leadership speak on what’s top of mind for them right now.
• Assign content authors now: Give team members or subject matter experts the heads up that they’ve been slotted in for Q1 content. Provide deadlines and expectations up front to ensure clarity and mitigate last-minute pushback on timing.
• Schedule speaking engagements, webinars, CLEs, etc. for Q1: Calendars fill up quickly. To ensure your program gets the attention it deserves, plan it early and get your invites out before the end of the year.
• Align social to all of the above: Support and amplify all your planned efforts with discrete social campaigns that can be designed now.

Pitch Timely Thought Leadership

Take advantage of end-of-year and start-of-year trends in the media by offering thought leadership pieces that tie into larger conversations. Some great ways to do this include:

• Predictions for the coming year: Pitch articles or thought leader resources that showcase your client’s industry knowledge and offer predictions for the upcoming year.
• Reflect on key industry changes: Write about how the past year’s trends, challenges, or regulatory changes will affect your or your client’s industry going forward.

Stay Prepared for Potential Crises

Now is a great time to pull out your crisis communications plan and give it an update. Here are a few areas that might need a quick fresh:

• Conduct a vulnerability audit: Now is a different time than when you first drafted your crisis plan. Look through the potential scenarios and update based on any internal or external factors that may have changed.
• Update contact information: It’s likely that staff members have left, and new ones have joined. Make sure that you have recorded all available ways to reach any new team members.
• Train or refresh key spokespersons on crisis messaging: Your designated spokesperson(s) should receive media training at least once a year. If it’s been more time than that, get a refresher training on the calendar now.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only close out the year on a high note but also position your or your client’s organization for a successful start to Q1. Remember, effective PR is about building relationships, showcasing value, and staying ahead of the curve. Start planning now, and you’ll reap the benefits in the new year.

Need some support setting yourself up for a successful Q1? Reach out and we’re happy to talk.

Posted In Public Relations