I love music and still hold onto the fantasy that I’ll one day headline a sold-out arena tour backed by a killer band that rocks. The lights will dim, the crowd will roar with excitement and the click of the drummer’s sticks smacking together will rise above the cheers to set the beat for our opening tune.
In an oddly similar way — I love public relations. There’s nothing like spending time to understand a client, crafting the perfect message that entices journalists to want to learn more and seeing their face light up when you’ve placed their business in their favorite publication.
The stories don’t just appear, though. A lot of behind-the-scenes work goes into getting a report from abstract to article. Like how the drummer’s beat sets the foundation for the following song, quality public relations is built on strong foundational programming that essentially “establishes the tone” for everything that follows.
Sounds good, but what does that really mean?
An essential piece of the onboarding process for any Comprise client is engaging in foundational work that includes:
- Creating a master sheet.
- Curating a media list.
- Developing editorial, awards, and conference and speaking opportunities calendars.
- Setting a weekly or biweekly meeting schedule.
- Auditing all available client messaging.
- Developing a 90-day public relations plan that aims to achieve communications objectives aligned with the company’s business objectives.
Strong foundational programming in public relations and a solid rhythm track when recording music are similar in a few ways:
Both serve as the foundation for the final product: Just as a rhythm track sets the tempo and provides the backbone for the melody and lyrics of a song, strong foundational PR programming helps to establish the structure and framework for effective communication strategies.
Both require attention to detail: In music production, the rhythm track must be precise and consistent to add other elements of the song on top of it seamlessly. Similarly, in PR, foundational programming requires attention to detail regarding data analysis, target audience identification and message framing — among other elements.
Both facilitate creativity: A strong rhythm track provides a canvas for the other instruments and vocals to add their unique flavors to a song, while a strong foundation in PR programming offers the flexibility to adjust and pivot communication strategies as needed while maintaining consistency in messaging.
Both impact the final product: Just as a weak or poorly executed rhythm track can detract from a song’s overall quality, poor foundational PR programming can result in ineffective communication strategies that fail to achieve desired outcomes.
Making the dream a reality
I’ve not fully given up on my rock and roll dreams. Instead, I’ve expanded the framework of what my dream is. I’ve removed the “roll” and now strive to “rock” in everything I do. When it comes to PR, strong foundational programming provides the framework and structure that support creativity and impacts the overall quality of the work that follows — and that rocks! Give us a shout, and let’s discuss how Comprise can help put your PR programming in rhythm.
