The Power of Timing in PR
In the fast-paced world of public relations, success is often determined not just by what you say but by when you say it. Timing is everything in PR and getting it right can mean the difference between a campaign that lands with impact and one that gets lost in the noise.
When launching a new product, announcing a major company milestone, or managing a crisis, strategic timing can maximise media attention and audience engagement. Here are some key reasons why timing is so crucial in PR:
Journalists and media outlets are constantly looking for relevant stories. Aligning your PR efforts with trending topics or current events can increase your chances of securing coverage. However, launching your news during a major breaking story, such as a political scandal or global health or economic crisis, can mean your announcement gets overshadowed. Understanding the news cycle and picking the right moment to pitch and release is essential.
Certain times of the year can affect your PR efforts. For example, launching a campaign during the Christmas season when advertising is taking up more space than ever and journalists are on annual leave is a widely known one to avoid. Seasonality plays a bigger role in PR than you might think! Here is another example but the season is in your favour. Launching a fitness product in January when people are focused on New Year’s resolutions can be really effective, but remember that the work on that starts months earlier. Planning your PR around seasonal trends helps ensure relevancy and higher engagement but make sure it’s relevant!
In PR, bad timing can be disastrous. In times of crisis, responding too late can mean losing control of the narrative. However, reacting too quickly without a clear strategy can lead to miscommunication.
We always suggest keeping an eye on upcoming major events, research reports, competitor launches, and wider industry trends to find the best moment for your release. Be ready to adapt appropriately, if a major unexpected news event breaks on your launch day, it might be better to reschedule rather than risk your announcement getting buried.
Another top tip on timing is to always issue in the morning as most journalists and editors start their workday in the morning, planning which stories to cover (pending breaking news) is usually sorted by lunchtime. This also allows you time to be ready in case your story gets picked up, if a journalist or radio producer is going to make contact off the back of your release be available and organised!
Timing in PR is so important, we can’t stress that enough. It’s a strategic tool that can determine whether your message is heard or ignored. So, next time you plan a big announcement, remember, it’s not just what you say, but when you say it that truly counts.