The difference between proactive and reactive PR – and why the best made PR strategies have a little flex
In PR, we love a good plan. It’s what we live for! Working on PR strategies for our clients is the cornerstone of where our work begins. It by definition is the starting document that focuses our objectives, audiences and allows us to use our experience and expertise and tactical methods to ensure we can deliver on the wider business goals against a timeline for delivery.
But our fast-paced world, even the best-made plans are subject to a little flexibility, and we encourage our clients to embrace that with us when starting any PR journey. It benefits both for us as an agency and our clients if we’ve got a little room in case things change direction and keeps everyone around the table a little more open-minded to new ideas.
That’s why we try to leave opportunity in a public relations strategy for both the planned, considered and proactive opportunities, but also keep one eye on the things we may not be planning for, ultimately, to have a plan in place for the unplanned.
The latter can be particularly effective in public relations, as often the unplanned opportunities can be the ones that land really well. Sometimes the news or current affairs gives us a nice angle for a story, and we have to move fast, but it pays off.
Take for example, the timely opportunity we worked on with Largo Leisure to rename a nearby landmark to their holiday park ‘Loch Tay Tay’, gleaming the attention of ‘Swifites’ everywhere and maximising the exposure just days ahead of the Scottish leg of the sold-out Eras tour in 2024. This opportunity secured international coverage for our clients, and with the partners involved gained some fantastic traction online – all through a play on a name and a timely superstar gig in town.
Consider too the other side of reactive PR which is the one you hope you don’t need, and that’s crisis comms. It’s the very definition of planning for the unplanned, and in our opinion always worth the time to work on contingencies that we hope you may never call on. Having a clear plan of action with regards to communication channels and approvals can pay dividends to have in place if a crisis hits.
Sometimes, within planned activity it pays to have a ‘wishlist’ as a client of things you’d love to see happen but may not have the time to action – we love a good challenge and can be the resource in your back pocket to get things done. Often, we are asked to research relevant award opportunities for clients which is a great way to secure PR, or maybe there’s a guest speaker or a high-profile visit that would elevate your brand awareness.
Brand awareness and recognition in their specialist area on SEND education was on the agenda for our client The Complete Education Solution (TCES), and with our support, they secured a visit from His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver. The visit highlighted the fantastic work of the school, particularly in the education space as a real trailblazer within their sector.
It’s something to consider if you’re thinking about engaging a PR firm and what you want them to deliver for you. The bread and butter stuff is great and can be very effective, but stepping out of your comfort zone for something timely, reactive and a little out there can be such a great way to secure powerful PR outcomes.
