Message Overload

Spotted a post on Metrica's Measurement Matters blog regarding the number of messages that PR's think they can comfortably push out to the media on behalf of their clients.

Here at Custard Towers key messages are agreed with each client up front at the planning stages of every campaign. We work with core messages across all activities and frequently review them. This evolving approach means that we stay 'on message' for clients, but more importantly it makes us provide fresh content - whether to traditional press or social media.

PR agencies shouldn't limit themselves in their messaging. The volume of messages being pushed depends solely on the client in question, the target media landscape and ultimately the audience.

In busy sectors there's room for more 'volume' outreach on a variety of topics - with each message, or series of messages targeting a specific vertical sector of the press. In contrast, within 'niche' or small markets this approach can cause confusion and it's often best to aim for one or two messages for clarity.

Either way, I think it's healthy for PRs to refresh their messaging frequently - this should be done in partnership with clients and should link back into evaluations and reporting. More importantly though everyone on an account team ought to know the client's core proposition and key messaging inside out.

Ultimately each client has a unique set of communication objectives and the messaging is just a 'tool' that the PR uses to help achieve these goals. We're looking forward to the results from Metrica in the coming days and hearing what other PRs think on this subject.