Blog: Timing your communication

Timing is everything they say, and that is certainly true for PR and communications. Knowing when to say something and when not to, is a skill in itself.

In normal times (whatever they are), we advise our clients to send out press releases (for example) at optimum times, when the public’s appetite for their news might be peaking. If we are working with a golf club, for instance, the start of the playing season provides an ideal opportunity to release a story about course improvements (for example) or equally in the run-up to a significant tournament at the club or one taking place nearby. This is tremendously oversimplified, but you get the point.

In these uncertain times, timing your communication will have even greater significance. For instance, the initial impact of Coronvirus has been to shutdown the economy. Add to this the worry associated with contracting the virus and it becomes immediately apparent that sales-driven initiatives could be viewed unfavourably. Factual, policy-driven statements providing help and guidance have understandably been the order of the day.

But when restrictions are lifted and confidence returns, opportunities will arise. At that point (which can’t come soon enough), a considered strategy, which has been agreed in advanced and suitably primed, should swing into action in order to maximise the return to normality. This could employ any number of tools and/or initiatives, but the objective will be to encourage, entice and inspire your clients to enjoy what they have been missing.

During the interim, there is plenty that can be done to prepare for that moment while also providing your clients with a trickle-feed of communications to remind them of what to expect, which we will be dealing with in our next blog.

Over the next few blogs, we’ll look at different ways of communicating with your clients, but if you have any immediate questions or would like to talk to someone about PR, marketing and communications, please contact us on info@thewordassociation.biz