Your News, Event Or Product Is Not The Story
December 18, 2009 
Author 
In I don’t care much for birthdays. Or holidays. Or traditions. I’m one of the few people in America who doesn’t watch the superbowl. My peers probably view me as a “bad friend” in that a birthday comes and I don’t treat them any differently than I would on a normal day.
And why should I? Why should any day be treated differently than another? Instead, I hold others in high regard daily and live each moment with the same positive outlook. Instead of perpetually looking forward to occasions which have no real significance other than that assigned by society, I’m awake in each moment.
This is the opposite of what we were taught growing up. Truth be told I had to unlearn how I was conditioned by society to be able to function in this manner.
What does this have to do with digital marketing and PR? Everything.
Most of us, especially those with a PR background have been trained that the event, product or news is the story, is what matters and is the most important thing we should capitalize on. Clients turn to us with highest expectations and most open minds on those days. And yet, everyone has it backwards.
I don’t disagree that these opportunities should be used to generate spikes in attention – buzz is a vital element to digital PR. But special days, events or product launches aren’t what matters most anymore.
The regular day – the day without big news or a product launch – is now what matters most. If you treat your digital marketing or PR with this in mind you will be strongly positioned for sustainable returns to grow your brand, get sales, leads, inquiries, whatever your objective is. It’s the essence of pull PR.
Your occasional news is not the story, nor can you keep repackaging the same item over and over and expect that to have real impact. The truth is, you are the story – if you’re passionate and able to continue the dialogue with your market consistently in a meaningful way.
Would you rather be the company (or even person) who gets attention once a year due to events where others feel obligation to take notice, or have influence, authority and trust on tap because you earned it?
Henri Junttila replied | Dec 18, 2009 (4 comments)
I can’t say more than I agree completely. I was talking about the fact that Christmas feels like another time of year for me. Birthdays are the same. They seem to be created and hyped for the purpose of getting us to buy more stuff.
Sabina Piter replied | Dec 19, 2009 (1 comment)
You make a good point here! The event, competition or story is not the most important thing. It’s how you decide to continue and lead the conversation that follows that event and engage your audience – those people who came to the event or listened to your story “with an open mind” as you say. Generally though “the love affair” ends once the event or competition is over. And when this happens, the people who “listened” to you are gone as well. And with that come the end of the conversation and missed opportunities.