Getting your message across

On our way to work this morning we spotted Gerri Spires @HireGerri, pictured at Paddington Station. We wish her luck with her direct approach to getting her message across.

In a fast-paced, crowded and highly competitive world, it is important to get your message across. You are an expert in your own field and you need the right approach to ensure potential clients know this.

A number of factors are critical in assisting you to get your message across, whether it be launching a company – or getting a job.

Timing is everything. The clue is in the name – news is only news if it’s new. Topical stories should therefore be released immediately. If your story is not urgent, it is important to strategically plan the best time to send it out. It would not be smart planning to send out a release on the same day as another big announcement is scheduled, such as the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

It’s important to know your audience when planning a campaign – if you fail to research what your audience wants then you have no campaign. If Geri Spires stood outside with a sandwich board at Thorpe Park, offering her PA services, she wouldn’t have got a lot of business cards. A one-size-fits-all PR campaign won’t work if it is not focused enough. By identifying early on in your campaign your target audiences, you can clearly establish your goals and approach, based on your target audience’s needs.

Whether it be a clear sandwich board – in the right place and at the right time – or using the most appropriate and effective language, timing and distribution for a press release, without clearly getting your message across, your hard work will be wasted. While some may think the most elaborate plans work the best, it is usually more effective to stick with something simple – innovate – but simple.

Good luck Gerri and let us know how you get on!

By Sarah Lievore