I love January. Partly because outdoor winter fun kicks into full gear and I get to appreciate the beauty an extreme climate brings to my part of the world, and partly because it’s the time when I conduct my annual “personal inventory.” I’m sure my family hates it because translated; this means a flurry of “To Do” lists, purging closets and toy chests, and multiple trips to Goodwill. When it’s all done, it feels great and what you do on the home front, can certainly be done on the PR front at the office.
- Audit your online press room and confirm all contact information is current and accurate
- While there, you should also:
- Start a 2013 section for news coverage and press releases
- Make sure all of your significant news from 2012 is actually being featured. If you forgot about a big story, be sure to add it and celebrate the coverage!
- If you have an overwhelming amount of press releases and news stories posted from 2012, start weeding out the less important items to make room for new stories and announcements. Or, simply archive them all under a 2012 link. Really, it’s OK to archive! Just make sure the link is easily found.
- Are your photos and graphics current? I know my headshot is 10 years old, but I am not the face of the company. Be sure your leadership photos are current.
- It’s also a good time to review leadership bios. Has your CEO joined any new boards? Did he/she resign any? Were there any recent speaking engagements or keynotes that should be added or called out?
- Did your company or any of your leadership team win awards in 2012? If so, do you feature them on your website? Your press room is a great place to include this, but there are several options depending on your website design and how important the awards are to you.
- If you haven’t already done so, make sure you are cross promoting all of your digital assets appropriately. For example, Google+ and Pinterest really took off in 2012 and many companies added these assets to their social media programs during the past year. Be sure they have a presence on your website and are easy to find.
- Check that all references to date/years of operation for your company are current. For example, “GroundFloor Media was founded 12 years ago…..” These types of references are used in a variety of corporate materials and can often be neglected.
Disclaimer – although I start each year by attempting to be personally organized, I can’t say it stays that way. I guess that’s why January is so great. You always get a chance to Do Over!
