INTERNATIONAL PR CHALLENGES: POST COVID-19 LOCKDOWN
Kevin Kelway, Global PR Specialist at International Trade Matters, and Media Director at Dorcas Media highlight some of the challenges, and opportunities, the current COVID-19 lockdown situation poses.
This will be a year that we’ll look back at (BC19) – Before COVID-19
But especially 2020, post-COVID-19, where we have created new words and phrases introduced into our PR and Marketing communications for companies working in the global market place.
The big question now, is “what next?”
…and how should we handle this new transformed global sector to benefit our businesses going forward?
Every media outlet is talking about the Corona Virus, and it is, quite rightly, dominating the news agenda, but in these challenging times you can still develop PR and marketing strategies that will generate local, national, and international exposures.
At International Trade Matters Ltd, we have created a list that can guide your PR approach:
Our TOP 5 lockdown PR activities:
1. Story telling pitch perfect
During this period of Lockdown and staggered unlocking over many months – it is important to evaluate what stories you want to tell, and how you tell it to a global audience.
2. Know how local news cycles work
News cycles tend to follow patterns. See if your news fits into local coverage, or piggy backing on stories, and especially follow-up articles.
3. Focus PR efforts on the fundamentals
Don’t be completely dormant during this period. Look at your business messaging and branding opportunities.
4. Traditional media newsroom constraints
Make sure you supply copy, images and understand how local media is changing yet again – because of the COVID-19 crisis.
We are looking at creating our own online magazine to add value to media releases, online content and other social media channels.
5. Look at future global PR opportunity
Many companies in the past have flourished from bad times, reappraising and changing business models. Brexit, and COVID-19 will not be an exception on that front.
Opportunities
We are seeing many innovations during this lockdown period in business from home remote office working, HR, Tech, training programmes, educational opportunities and many others.
Now is the time to develop and create your business story, getting ready for the new world of business opportunities to come.