Why it’s not too late to start your 2025 PR plan

If like me, you are only just now sitting back to your desk after some time off. You may feel you have missed the boat on planning your public relations (PR) strategy for 2025.

Never fear! Unlike those new year’s resolutions that are starting to lose their lustre, it’s never too late to pull together a plan and start engaging with media.

Whether you're a startup, a small business, or an established company, here’s why you should start planning now:

1.      The news cycle is called a cycle for a reason – its always moving and evolving. Therefore its hard to be late to something that’s circular and by its very definition does not have a beginning or an end.

2.      Timing is everything – while media work in cycles it also follows the stories, which is why timing is critical when planning your PR content. As discussed last year, today’s hit story might flop tomorrow.

3.      The seven P’s principle (Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance) – now is better than never and done is better than perfect when it comes to PR planning.

By developing a plan now you can take control of your communications and achieve a more proactive approach to your engagement. It means you can prepare for key moments in 2025 that align with your brand rather than scrambling for assets the weeks before. It also means you can better assess risks to avoid potential reputational harm.

How can you start PR planning for 2025

A PR program is usually categorised into two separate streams of work:

·         Proactive engagement ie pitching curated ideas or thought leadership

·         Reactive engagement – responding to stories already in the media cycle eg offering commentary on Trump’s inauguration.

Proactive ideas can start to be mapped out over the course of the year, I typically try and break up activity into quarters. Because something that’s relevant in April won’t be by July.

For the reactive opportunities, start looking at key milestones that will be newsworthy events that you or your business could offer commentary on.

As it’s a Federal Election year, this will be top of mind for the first two quarters of 2025 and journalists are already creating content for International Women’s Day to go live in March.

So what are some first steps to get your started?  

1. Clarify what you want to say

Before engaging with the media, be clear about what you want to communicate and why.

What are your brand’s core values? What sets you apart? Why should be people care?

2. Identify who you want to say it to and why

Building on what you want to say, you must define who you want to say it to. Who are you trying to reach? Business leaders, everyday consumers, or industry professionals? Research relevant Australian media outlets, industry blogs, and social media platforms where your audience is most active.

3. Create a calendar

Map out key dates, industry events, relevant ‘days’ and seasonal trends relevant to your business. AI tools like Chat GPT can be very useful in helping to populate a calendar.  Also, the PR Shed’s Celia Harding has a fantastic resource available here:

4. Create a target list and start learning

Before you start emailing journalists, and influencers that they should speak with you. Immediately. Identify key journalists and influencers that could be interested in your brand and start building a relationship with them. Follow them on social media, comment on their articles, and once you have a solid grasp on what they cover introduce yourself with a well-crafted email pitching your expertise.

5. Prepare media assets

Before engaging media, you must have a company bio that explains what you do and why, high-quality images (it is always worth the investment in professional photography!), some stats or metrics about the problem you are solving and key spokesperson details on what they can talk about. If you are targeting broadcast, consider some B-roll that can be pitched into newsrooms or some audio grabs of research that could be useful to radio.

PR planning isn’t just about getting media coverage—it’s about shaping how your brand is perceived and building trust with your audience. By taking action today, you’ll be in a stronger position to secure media opportunities, build brand credibility, and reach your target audience throughout 2025.