Our team at Communique PR recently hosted a visit from some students at Seattle University’s PRSSA chapter and we had the opportunity to share our experiences as PR professionals and offer advice for people considering PR as a career.
I got to thinking about the various tasks I work on throughout my day – drafting pitches, talking to reporters/analysts, writing press releases, counselling clients on PR strategies. The common thread through all of these activities often comes down to resourceful, thorough and creative research. Critical thinking drives so much of what we do on a daily basis for our clients, and that’s only possible if we’re well-informed about the issues, trends, companies and people in our space.
Think of research as the engine behind the program and tactics being delivered – If you only know half the story, you can’t tell it effectively and you certainly won’t become a credible source to the media, your clients or your team.
However, too often when tasked with a research project, many people do a cursory Internet search and report back on the first 1-2 findings that “The Google” returns to them. That’s it. If this wasn’t a service-oriented industry, that might be okay, but our clients depend on us to counsel them, thoughtfully, about how to approach their communications programs.
Whether you’re trying to find a creative pitch angle for an announcement, learn more about a competitor or a prospect, or get smart on an entirely new industry in only a few hours, be tenacious in approaching your research. For example:
- Don’t get lazy with “The Google”: Search engines are often the first stop in any research effort and they do a fine job at sifting through content on the web. But don’t take what “The Google” gives you at first glance – try multiple search terms and be sure to look at both News and Web results. Go beyond the first page of results and see what’s lurking on the next several pages.
- Get social: Don’t forget to review social networks when researching a company or individual to see what they post, and what’s being posted about them. In addition to Twitter and LinkedIn, check out YouTube for potential product demos or recordings of speeches at industry conferences. Scan through corporate blogs for additional information beyond what’s posted in the official press room – this is often where customer stories, tips/best practices and more personality-driven posts reside.
- Research the researchers: Industry analysts provide commentary, context and color about various markets, including forecasts and drivers for growth. While some content may be restricted to paying clients, check for recent press releases and report excerpts as well as analyst blogs and social accounts for commentary. Look into the publications that cite analyst research and quotes from analysts– it can provide additional color about their research and opinions on industry trends/breaking news.
- Check out the competition: Be smart about what the competition is saying and how they’re approaching the market and the media landscape. Sign up for email alerts, newsletters and any other information available on competitor websites to ensure you’re notified about new developments.
- Don’t try to boil the ocean: Ah, the balancing act of research – how to be thorough while also not drowning in information overload. With the wealth of information available it can be hard to know where to begin (and end). Focus your reading on the top 3-5 publications that matter to your client if time is short and utilize tools that push stories and information to you as it happens (such as Google Alerts, TalkWalker, etc.).
What other tools and sources do you use when researching at your job? What roadblocks have you encountered and how did you create a detour? Share your stories here – we’d love to hear about your research efforts!