What Are Strategies for Pivoting PR Plans to Accommodate Last-Minute Changes?

What Are Strategies for Pivoting PR Plans to Accommodate Last-Minute Changes?

When unexpected twists arise, PR professionals must be adept at swift strategy adjustments. We've gathered insights from a digital marketer and a PR manager, among others, to share their experiences. From pivoting PR for a product price change to incorporating pivot plans in strategy, explore how four experts successfully navigated last-minute changes.

• Pivoting PR for Product Price Change
• Adapting Strategy to Media Trends
• Refocusing Message on Health Benefits
• Incorporating Pivot Plans in PR Strategy

Pivoting PR for Product Price Change

As a digital marketing consultant, I was helping a cosmetics client with their PR plan for a new product launch. We were all ready for the big announcement, and everything was prepared, including the press releases and social media posts. But the client made a last-minute decision to alter the product's price right before the launch. Since it was unanticipated, we had to move quickly to modify our PR plan.

We began developing fresh messaging to instill a sense of urgency in prospective buyers by emphasizing the new price point as a temporary promotion. We made this adjustment and updated all of our channels of communication. Despite the short notice, we were nevertheless able to publish the new price and shift direction. Consumers appreciated that we were transparent and that we kept making money in spite of the price change.

Adapting Strategy to Media Trends

In the world of PR, being adaptable is crucial. As a publicist, I'm always thinking on my feet, especially when it comes to pitching to the media. It's pretty typical for me to adjust our plans to stay in line with the latest trends or to drop pitches that no longer fit the bill. Recently, I had to scrap a newsjack pitch tied to a new movie. Unfortunately, the movie didn't do well and lost relevance quickly, so I had to pivot and come up with a new strategy to promote those styles. Staying flexible allows me to keep our message fresh and resonant with our audience in today's ever-changing media landscape.

Refocusing Message on Health Benefits

I was working with a client, a tech company launching a new fitness tracker. The launch strategy was set, laser-focused on fitness fanatics. Then, a health study emerged, a total game-changer. We pivoted our messaging, emphasizing preventative health and its potential for early disease detection. We broadened our media targets and revamped social content—health benefits became the focus. The results? Broader reach, a surge in pre-orders, and recognition as a leader in wearable tech for well-being, not just fitness. Agility is key in PR—sometimes the best strategy is the one you adapt on the fly.

Incorporating Pivot Plans in PR Strategy

The nature of PR means that things can—and will—change at the last minute. I've had front-page stories spiked because of breaking political news, had to decline interviews because the company no longer felt comfortable speaking to that particular topic or journalist.

The best way to handle that is to always have a pivot plan in your strategy. Plan to follow up, include ways to take a timely story and make it evergreen, or offer to update it in a few weeks when the dust settles. If the story falls apart at just one outlet, find someone else to pitch to. Be sure to keep all your stakeholders in the loop about what changed and why, so there are no surprises when things don't go according to plan.