We considered calling this blog ‘don’t be a last-minute Larry’ but seeing as it’s partly about us, we – errr – went with hero instead.

So, here’s the thing. Team Rev proudly create and post fortnightly blogs that are designed to add some value, give advice and, dare we say it, perhaps even entertain. We have a schedule and everything. But this week… well, you probably see where this is going. Full disclosure, this blog was written in as close to a blind panic as you’re ever likely to find us. And because we like to expand on learning points, here’s what we’re taking – and want you to take from this blip.

Having a schedule is vital

If you don’t have a schedule in place – whether that’s for your content creation, PR activity, influencer relations, whatever really – then you stand little to no chance of delivering on time, in full and in spec – OTIFIS (shout out to all you quality control and development geeks out there. We feel you). Your schedule should contain your themes by week or month, notable dates, topics and ideas, any links to external resources needed as well as any deadlines. This may seem obvious but look at your schedule weekly. Daily if you can. If you need to, bring across any deadlines into your calendar so you know, not just when things are due, but when you actually need to start working on them too.

Be brutal

Stick to your schedule. It’s often easy, especially if you’re creating content for your own marketing and PR, to let things slip down the priority list during busy periods. Client work and customers come first – as they should. But if you continually neglect your own business’ needs, sooner or later there won’t be quite so many busy periods. Find ways to protect the time you have planned in for your own activity. We use a default diary thanks to our work with our Action Coach. These are non-negotiable slots of time in your diary during which you don’t book calls, look at emails or open social media. You’ll be amazed how productive you can be when you remove distractions and focus on the task at hand.

The obvious flaw

As we’ve already said, we do have a schedule. And we have default diaries. 99% of the time, this will see you through. But it’s not 100% guaranteed. Things come up and occasionally plans really do have to change. That’s fine. Know it and accept it so that if it ever happens, your stress levels don’t skyrocket. The important thing is to get back on track as quickly as possible. In order to hit this deadline today, this blog was written last night. Sometimes that’s what it takes. The golden rule here is not to let your audience down – it takes time, effort and consistency to build a loyal following. Unfortunately, it’s far easier to lose their interest and engagement through lack of activity.

The exception to the rule

PR-wise, if an opportunity comes up that is absolutely too good to miss such as a great broadcast interview, then clearly you should jump all over it. Just be sure that, whatever this thing is, it is worth it. Will it add value to your business? Will it actually reach your target audience? Are you confident on the subject or matter at hand? A quick sense check on those points can temper any overwhelming enthusiasm and help you to make the right decision. In this scenario, ideally, you’ll end up with something amazing to share with your audience. And, at the same time, you can explain the detour from your usual schedule in a win-win communication.

There’s an obvious benefit to being – or working with – an agency at a time like this. Team Rev has the resource and the expertise to navigate last minute media requests, run multiple, parallel campaigns and ensure opportunities are leveraged to their maximum extent. And we’re passionate about making things happen, come what may. Hence why you’re reading this on time.

Lots of business owners don’t have that to fall back on and can be left with that ‘chasing your tail’ feeling when deadlines slip. Hopefully, this blog helps you if you find yourself in that position in future. And, if you’d like us on your team too, why not give us a shout?

We share regular advice posts like this to help you make the most of your PR activity. To make sure you don’t miss out, follow us on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram

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