Going to work, the store or across the country, driving is an essential part of life. Just as there are rules of the road to follow when you’re in a car, there are also rules of public relations. Whether you love road tripping or dread getting behind the wheel, here are 3 PR lessons we can learn from driving.
Photo Courtesy of: Tymo Newton-Syms
3 PR Lessons from Driving
- Stay Alert
It’s important to watch what’s happening during your PR campaigns, just like it’s important to pay attention to the road. Be on alert at all times when you’re either behind the wheel of your car or you’re acting as the social media manager for your next campaign.
When you’re managing your public relations, it’s important to watch to how your audience is responding to your messages and what’s happening in your industry. You don’t want to be caught in a reputational snafu like one Texas-based PR firm. Just like crisis communications, driving requires a lot of attention and awareness.
- Obey the Rules
When you’re driving, there are rules to obey like stopping at stop signs, adhering to speed limits and using your turn signal. These are all written rules that appear on driver’s licensing exams. There are also unspoken courtesy rules when you’re behind the wheel like waving a thank you at people who let you merge into their lane or flashing your lights when someone forgets to turn on their headlights.
Public relations also has rules, spoken and unspoken, that you should adhere to. There are professional courtesies to reporters like using their preferred method of contact and there are also common sense standards like not sending pitches out too close to holidays.
Meeting deadlines is another important way to obey the rules of public relations. Sending stories well in advance of the cut-off date is a smart way to stand out.
- Plan ahead
You can’t just get into a car and drive right off the bat. Getting a driver’s license requires licensing exams and education. You may need to plan ahead a year in advance of getting a driver’s license with an end goal in mind. Your public relations campaign should also begin with a destination to reach. Plan your campaign ahead of time, ideally 6-12 months in advance.
What other PR lessons can you think of based on driving?
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