We have happily been on the receiving end of many PR briefs here at JAM, from companies asking us to pitch for their latest product launch, through to briefs from existing clients looking for an additional boost in brand awareness.
Over the years, we have seen hundreds of different types of briefs, from very detailed 20 page documents, through to a few lines on email.
Something that we have noticed is that clients and prospective companies simply do not have the time to write detailed briefing documents which means that we are sometimes left making assumptions, drafting a press release or proposal document based on a fleeting idea, and hoping what we suggest or produce is along the right lines.
Whether it is for a full blown public relations campaign, a press release, or social media activity, it’s so important to get the brief right so we understand what we are all working towards. It saves time in the longer term, means less amends along the way and reduces the risk of misinterpretation or error.
As experts in public relations and social media management, we’d like to offer some guidelines on what to put in a PR brief to ensure we have all the necessary information to carry out our award-winning campaigns:
•Provide background information on the product / marketplace and any research
•Set out the overall objectives of the activity
•Identify the target audiences
•Establish the key messages you want to communicate
•Tell us your picture of success
•Provide details of other marketing activity you are planning
•Include timings
•Be realistic about your budget
In many cases, our role is to interrogate further to ensure we fully understand what is expected and what the overall goal is so do expect questions along the way from us. We always aim to get under the skin of our clients, both existing and prospects, so we can act as an extension of the marketing team and really understand the business.
So, if you are looking for a new creative approach to PR, want to educate audiences on a new product or simply want to discuss a new campaign, do get in touch with us and we’d be happy to advise you on how to go about preparing the perfect public relations brief.