Coming up with great PR ideas is a tough job.
Every once in a while, a great PR idea comes along. (Ambitious PR rockÂstars will keep a noteÂpad close to jot down ideas as they occur.)
However, in most situÂations, we must develÂop aweÂsome PR ideas from scratch — and on the spot. Generating inspired PR ideas is hard work and can someÂtimes be challenging.
I’ve assembled this easy-to-use tool to assist you in develÂopÂing betÂter PR ideas. I’ve based this methÂod on makÂing lists and extractÂing PR ideas that you can use from them.
A Tool to Generate Great PR Ideas
Make a list of people or organÂisaÂtions your organÂisaÂtion could make very angry.
Swedish brand Oatly sells oat milk. They aimed at the milk industry (“the Milk Lobby”). Since Swedes are hisÂtorÂicÂally very posÂitÂive to milk, this stirred up emoÂtions — and enough of these emoÂtions were favourÂable to Oatly for this to be a powerÂful PR strategy.
Everyone loves a good conÂflict from a safe disÂtance, and someone is always waitÂing to be triggered.
Corporate execÂutÂives are someÂtimes scared of stirÂring up too much conÂflict for comÂfort, so your approach should always be straÂtegicÂally sound and well-researched before you start the fight.
Make a list of experts and thought leadÂers inside and outÂside your industry.
On behalf of the Beech-Nut food comÂpany, “The Father of Spin,” Edward Bernays hired a well-known New York physÂiÂcian to surÂvey othÂer physÂiÂcians to see what was most healthy — a light or a heavy breakÂfast. The docÂtors conÂfirmed that a hearty breakÂfast was better.
After some pubÂliÂcity and tarÂgeted lobÂbyÂing, eggs, ham, and bacon became the quintÂesÂsenÂtial American breakÂfasts, and hotels worldÂwide starÂted serving eggs, ham, and bacon for breakÂfast. In less than six months, Beech-Nut’s sales boomed.
Piggybacking on the authorÂity of othÂers is one of the more clasÂsic PR tacÂtics that we should always use responsÂibly and with caution.
Make a list of stuÂpid majorÂitÂies in your industry.
Many stelÂlar PR sucÂcesses come from tarÂgetÂing a stuÂpid majorÂity. Now and then, there’s a shift in sociÂety where new majorÂitÂies replace old majorÂitÂies. These new majorÂitÂies, of course, starÂted as minorities.
Majorities about to transÂform into old majorÂitÂies are what I call “stuÂpid majorÂitÂies.” “Smart minorÂitÂies” are those minorÂitÂies who are soon about to become the new majority.
As a bonus, smart minorÂity fans will be disÂproÂporÂtionÂately more engaged and supÂportÂive due to the conÂverÂsion theory.
So, what are the stuÂpid majorÂitÂies today in your industry? For more examples, see “The Stupid Majority PR Strategy” and my TEDx talk, “A Recipe for PR Success.”
Make a list of any criÂtiÂcism or comÂplaints your organÂisaÂtion might have about your competitors.
You can often harÂvest informÂatÂive sugÂgesÂtions if you ask an organisation’s employÂees about comÂpetÂitÂor weaknesses.
Perhaps they treat their employÂees badly? Perhaps their execÂutÂives are linÂing their pockÂets? Perhaps their qualÂity of serÂvices or products is poor? Perhaps they’re overÂcharÂging? Perhaps they’re strugÂgling finÂanÂcially? Perhaps they have unethÂicÂal practices?
Get in on any disÂturbÂing issues conÂcernÂing your comÂpetÂitÂors. As some might be true, great PR ideas are lurkÂing around these murky waters.
Make a list of influÂenÂcers and specÂuÂlate on how each of them would spend 10,000 EUR from your budget if they could spend it any way they wanted with no constraints.
This list isn’t about givÂing influÂenÂcers a 10,000 EUR check to spend as they see fit. The idea is instead to put yourÂself inside the mind of influÂenÂcers and imaÂgine how they would proÂmote your brand. After all, they know their audiÂences betÂter than anyone.
These ideas will be outÂlandÂish, but some could be startÂing points for great PR ideas. The best way to develÂop one good PR idea is to develÂop one hunÂdred bad ones first.
For inspirÂaÂtion, I sugÂgest checkÂing out famÂous vlogÂger Casey Neistat’s video “Make It Count” which he made on behalf of Nike:
Make a list of employÂees and ask them how each of them would spend 10,000 EUR from your budget if they could spend it any way they wanted with no constraints.
You typÂicÂally get surÂprisÂing answers if you ask your employÂees how they would spend a large budget. I’ve read many of these ideas, and, oh boy.
How about installing a swimÂming pool on the roof? How about invitÂing a famÂous band or throwÂing an epic out-of-proÂporÂtion party? How about payÂing for everyone’s gym memÂberÂship fees for a whole year? What about investÂing the money in a nearby dayÂcare facilÂity? How about buildÂing more parkÂing spots or buyÂing free-to-use elecÂtric kick bikes? What about a donaÂtion to suiÂcide preÂvenÂtion to comÂmemÂorÂate a colleague’s brothÂer? What about makÂing a row of quiet rooms where employÂees can medÂitÂate and catch their breaths?
Of course, some will sugÂgest givÂing the money as bonuses — which might not be a terÂrible PR idea.
Ideas like these are often all over the place, makÂing them perÂfect for findÂing great PR ideas.
Make a list of trade journÂalÂists and email them askÂing them what they’re most interÂested in right now.
Journalists are often okay with organÂisaÂtions askÂing them for advice based on their expertÂise. If you can get relÂevÂant journÂalÂists to disÂclose what they’re extra interÂested in right now, their input is valuÂable fodÂder for great PR ideas.
Read also: How To Write a PR Pitch
Make a list of surÂvey questions.
A cliÂent launchÂing a job marÂket webÂsite asked job seekers if they had lied about their resumĂ©. It culÂminÂated in nationÂal headÂlines and thouÂsands of registrations.
“Liars — 4 out 5 job seekers lie on their resumé.”
Another cliÂent struggled to get cliÂents to sign serÂvice agreeÂments on their backup power soluÂtions. So, we surÂveyed hosÂpitÂals about their serÂvice agreeÂments. It culÂminÂated in nationÂal headÂlines and all hosÂpitÂals signÂing up.
“Deathtraps — 7 out of 8 hosÂpitÂals haven’t serÂviced their backup power in case of a blackout.”
Journalists are almost always open to interÂestÂing new surÂvey resÂults. Make a list of quesÂtions and dare to be creÂatÂive and pointy.
Make a list of salespeople on staff and ask each of them to come up with a headÂline about your brand that they would love to see.
Salespeople go into meetÂings carÂryÂing the weight of their entire organÂisaÂtion on their backs. If the organÂisaÂtion has an excelÂlent repuÂtaÂtion and does well, its jobs become much more manageable.
Salespeople often come up with relÂatÂively straightÂforÂward headÂline ideas. Their ideal headÂlines are often straight-up praise for the organÂisaÂtion. But this input is essenÂtial; salespeople often know preÂcisely why their organÂisaÂtion deserves credit.
These lists are highly relÂevÂant for clasÂsic busiÂness press pitches; new cliÂents, new hires, new awards, testiÂmoÂniÂals, mileÂstones, conÂtracts, innovÂaÂtions, and launches.
Make a list of potenÂtial annuÂal events.
Annual events are becomÂing a staple of the PR industry.
The trend is that the organÂisaÂtion does someÂthing yearly that gathÂers momentum and slowly grows. Please think of how Apple can launch yearly events without telling anyÂone beforeÂhand what they will launch.
Please note that it doesn’t have to be physÂicÂal events, either. It can be the launch of a yearly report, for example.
The PR strategy is to build a brand narÂratÂive over time. More and more brands are using these events to reinÂforce their brand story and put it into a broadÂer conÂtext, called corÂporÂaÂtionÂal determÂinÂism.
Make a list of the most promÂinÂent topÂics of gosÂsip in your industry.
There’s gosÂsip flyÂing around in every proÂfesÂsionÂal industry. Typical gosÂsip is often unsubÂstanÂtiÂated but still so interÂestÂing that people can’t stop themÂselves from talkÂing about it.
Making a list of gosÂsip topÂics might feel unproÂfesÂsionÂal (“dirty”), but we should nevÂer underÂesÂtimÂate the allure of guilty interests.
Why are people so interÂested in these topÂics? Is there any truth to any of them, or are they rumours? Are there, in fact, quite severe underÂpinÂnings to some of these topÂics that deserve an open debate?
Make a list of the most used keyword searches used by people who land on your website.
Providing eduÂcaÂtion for free is perÂhaps one of the most underÂesÂtimÂated PR tacÂtics. People go online to learn about parÂticÂuÂlar matÂters — and someÂtimes, these matÂters align with existÂing in-house expertise.
Keyword research is an excelÂlent approach to getÂting accurÂate data on pain points. And this informÂaÂtion should help you develÂop highly relÂevÂant PR ideas.
Make a list of the top-visÂited pages on your website.
List the most visÂited pages on your organisation’s webÂsite and look for someÂthing that sticks out, someÂthing that might be surÂprisÂing to you.
“Why on Earth are our webÂsite visÂitÂors so darn obsessed with one of our employee’s old blog posts? What is so interÂestÂing about that parÂticÂuÂlar one?”
On your website’s thank-you page, please creÂate a form askÂing new subÂscribers about their biggest chalÂlenge right now.
Your cusÂtomÂers’ pain points make for great PR ideas.
Make a list of things that everyÂone in the industry knows but no one talks about.
“Unspoken truths” are typÂicÂally powerÂful PR concepts.
People love to hear othÂers say what they already know to be accurÂate, but no one dares to express it; this is basicÂally what most stand-up comediÂans talk about for laughs.
These truths may be uncomÂfortÂable, so creÂate a safe brainÂstormÂing environment.
“Sail someÂthing down the Thames.”
No, I’m jokÂing. Don’t do that, please.
Please supÂport my blog by sharÂing it with othÂer PR- and comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion proÂfesÂsionÂals. For quesÂtions or PR supÂport, conÂtact me via jerry@​spinfactory.​com.
