A few months back I wrote a post about the power of Why. Today I was reminded of the power of another of the five Ws – When.
I just launched a Facebook ad campaign connected to Tropical Storm Isaac. Isaac is a notable guy these days. He’s getting more press than the average tropical storm because of the potential threat he poses to next week’s GOP convention in Tampa. (And the fact that he shares a name with the bartender from The Love Boat hasn’t hurt his buzz factor at all.)
Forty-five minutes after launch, this ad campaign had already generated more click thrus than a previous, similar campaign did in a week. Why?
Because of When.
Your marketing message will resonate with more people and prompt more action when it comes at the right time. With a hurricane brewing in the Carribbean, there are a lot more people interested in getting ready for bad weather than there were a few days ago.
Timeliness is the most powerful tool you’ve got for breaking through the clutter. But to take full advantage of it, you have to be nimble. In today’s world, people’s receptivity to your message can change in just a few hours. You have to be ready to strike when the opportunity presents itself.
The power of When can also come into play in more predictable ways. For example, you can connect your message to holidays and observances to make it more timely. You can post to Facebook when you know your audience is most active there. You can tweet the same content at different times of day over the course of a week (or more) to reach a broader audience. Those are all considerations of When.
If you’re looking to reach an audience, make sure you’re not just focusing on being in the right place. You’ve got to be there at the right time too.
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.
Obviously the power of When has always been important. I agree about being nimble – no question. Look at thirty years ago: radio advertisers, for example, had control over choosing day parts for their pre-recorded spots. That was considered control over timing. The data I glean from Facebook Insights that informs when I post certain content on a brand page so far surpasses day parting and it sure costs less per impression.
The way that digital allows advertisers to make their message relevant in real time (and frankly, demands it of us) makes our jobs more challenging than ever. It also allows us to be more efficient. Great power, great responsibility…
What is the most interesting way you’ve seen this shift in responsive timeliness manifest in PR? It seems that a PR crisis is a greater threat than ever because instant response is expected; the faster you have to respond, the less time you have to vet it, spell check it, and play out potential resulting scenarios.