5 Things to Prepare Before You Get A Big PR Win

Five things that you need to prepare if you’re gearing up for a big time PR win.

Close your eyes and imagine “that moment”. 

That moment when your segment on Shark Tank finally airs…

That moment when your relentless pitching finally lands you a top-tier YES… 

That moment when you open a fresh copy of Vogue and see YOUR product in its latest “must-buy” spread…

That moment when you type your book name into Google and the words “New York Times Best Seller” appears top of page….

Can you see “that moment”, your moment? Now let me ask you this. 

Are you ready for it?

Most of us are accustomed to or familiar with receiving a string of “No’s”, but what happens when you finally hear that long-awaited “Yes”? Here are the five most important things you need to prepare now to ensure you’re prepared for your first BIG PR win. 

1. Yourself 

First and foremost, manage your expectations. Meaning, you have to understand that throughout your PR journey, you’re going to have PR wins and “successes”, but you’re also going to have “failures”. Don’t let “failure” keep you down, and also prepare yourself for what could happen when you do finally step into the spotlight. While you will absolutely have people showing you love, you’re also going to come across your fair share of “trolls”. Nobody can be loved by everyone – tis’ life. So do what you got to do to prepare yourself mentally for how a big PR win may or may not affect you and your life. 

 

2. Your Friends and Family

The second thing to prepare is your friends and family. Prepare those closest to you for what it means for them when you step into the spotlight. For example, during interviews it’s common to be asked to share parts of your story. Your story typically involves your family, childhood memories, hardship, friends, etc. – the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly. Make sure that those around you know that they might therefore be in the spotlight “by association”. By making them aware ahead of time, they can – just like you – prepare mentally.

 

3. Your Team

Communicate with your team that you’re actively pursuing PR. Make sure they’re aware that you might see an influx of calls after a certain segment airs or a publication goes live. Address how they are expected to respond to certain scenarios, inquiries, or topics. Take as much “guess work” out of their job as possible. 

 

4. Your Systems 

If a huge PR win is in your near future, make sure that your systems are prepped accordingly. Your website, for example, should be optimized to handle a potentially large traffic increase. Your CRM should be fully set up to manage an influx of leads. Consider setting up a thoughtful welcome sequence for new email subscribers. Ultimately, make sure you’ve optimized all back-end systems so you’re prepared to fully maximize the potential ROI of a given PR win.

 

5. Your Inventory

If you’re a product-based business, make sure you either have enough inventory on hand to fulfill an influx of orders, or at the very least, have a waitlist set up in case you sell out. If you’re a service-based business, make sure that you’re aware of how many new clients or how much additional workload you can truly take on. While it’s impossible to predict the future, look at your budget and bandwidth and pull the trigger on prepping what’s realistic for you and your company. Inevitably you’ll be able to learn and adjust moving forward. 

Pursing PR is a journey. A journey that’s largely filled with rejection, but also with epic-champagne popping celebration. As you’re waiting for the latter, take time to prepare the five things outlined in this article to ensure you’re able to fully appreciate that big time press win when “that moment” finally comes.