Our clients want immediate results—an interview right away, a coverage in the Wall Street Journal, a podium speaker in a high-profile conference. We do too! Who doesn’t?
But the phrase “Slow PR” is what we typically experience. As you know, Public Relations (PR) has always been about relationships, and “slow” underscores this point. We start with locating our key audiences and seeking media outlets where the audiences come together. Next, we research the outlets and each of their editors and journalists.
We then find those journalists who are sympathetic to our cause, follow their reporting, build rapport, and send them news that interests them. We learn to identify what they like to cover and how they like to cover it. By making ourselves their allies, they’ll be more likely to align with our interests. All this work takes time, but based on my decades of experience, I think it is the best practice.
Slow PR Is Efficient
While “Slow PR” may not be an ideal choice of words, we can reword it as “targeted” or “effective” PR. Rather than sending a pitch to a mass of unrelated reporters and journalists, we send it to the right journalist at the right time.
Today, I received a heart-felt email from an editor whom I admire very much. Her magazine has won many editorial excellence awards. She is an editor who is sympathetic to one of my clients’ cause. Her reply message kindled something deep within me that inspired me to write this short post. She wrote, “Yes, we’re a little shorthanded these days and on deadline again, but I do like this story. Just please keep in mind – and I know when you have clients, they want quick results or to be doing interviews right way. But we look at stories months and months in advance. So, this might even be a story we’d consider for next year, a lot of clients forget that when dealing with magazines…” She ended with a smiley emoji.
The editor has lots of experience in the communication and publishing industry. I felt grateful for her wisdom and wanted to share with you too.
