Timely & Timeless

Timely and timeless. Upon first blush, that probably sounds like the name of a law firm. But it is not. Instead, it speaks to the strategies that public relations professionals devise, launch and sustain. Pretty much all communication campaigns are time sensitive. That means outreach efforts need to occur at a certain period of time in order to have even a chance of achieving the maximum return. As a result, the public relations professional creates a set of tactics that may range from press briefings and media advisories to advertisements and social media communiques, all of which follow a specific timeline. This is the timely aspect of their job.

Timeless speaks more to the quality of their work. How well done is it? Does the groundwork launched maintain a level of benefit long after the campaign itself is over? If, in part, a public relations campaign is designed to establish positive ties between publics, then what is the state of that relationship weeks and months after the campaign is over? As is the case with any two people, while they may never interact again, how fond is the memory that each has of the other after they have gone their separate ways? This speaks to the second key element of the public relations professional's job: relationship building.

When the public relations professional roles up his or her sleeve at the outset of any job, their focus must be on the immediate as well as the long term. The PR worker may want to generate a sizable audience for an event their client is sponsoring, but they also want the attendees to have a good time and to think well of the client long after the specific event is over. In other words, the PR worker wants folks to feel good about their choice to support whatever issue or product that is being promoted. Public relations professionals strive for a good return in terms of the immediate and the long-term.