Don’t you just hate New Year Resolutions? I do. But that’s mainly because I set the bar too high and subsequently fail before I even get started!

However … I was recently introduced to the notion of setting monthly resolutions. This way, it’s only a temporary target but could (and should!) lead to positive, long term change.

Here’s my 12 month plan for effective PR …

    January

Use January as the month when you think about your objectives … where do you want to be in 12 months … and set up the plan to achieve this.

  • February

Good PR requires good research. Consider conducting a series of surveys or polls from which you can determine some meaningful information.

  • March

Test your findings. Do not be in a rush to publish them unless you have solid, robust and validated results.

  • April

Write up your findings in a range of formats designed for different distribution methods and targeted audiences. One size does not fit all!

  • May

Share your content with key audiences. Get out there and network with the influencers in your field of interest.

  • June

Collaboration is often difficult to achieve but can be extremely rewarding. Seek out partners who can help amplify your message. Build those partnerships before you need to use them!

  • July

Illustration is key to achieving engagement especially with Millennials and Gen Z. Build up your stock, ideally with original artwork.

  • August
  • Good Data management is vital to success. Whether it’s a short list of publishing editors or a magazine subscription list of thousands, get your data in order and make sure it’s GDPR compliant.
      • September
  • Content is your currency. There’s no short cuts here … you must be productive. But, you must be disciplined enough to edit before you publish. Aim to reduce wordcount by at least 50%.
      • October
  • Reading is the lifeblood of your content. Your depth of knowledge is gained by your investment in reading … though YouTube videos such as Ted Talks are also an excellent source.
      • November
  • Invest in your art by attending classes. None of us are too smart to learn and there’s so much you can learn from fellow authors and publishes.
      • December

    Measure the results of your efforts against your stated objectives. Are you on track? Have you been as productive as you had planned to be?

    To the non-writers reading this, you’ll probably be thinking that you can achieve all of the above in your lunch break. Good luck … I know I certainly couldn’t and I’ve been writing for ever!