Most popular PR resolution

Last week I invited you to choose from three weekly habits for one of your new year’s resolutions, and reply to let me know which one.

The winner by a two-to-one margin was:

Spend one hour per week reaching out to journalists and other influencers you’re targeting and let them know what you think of their work. (Not only right before you’re about to pitch them.)

Longtime Inner Circle member Judy Kalvin, already an accomplished PR vet, vowed to redouble her efforts on this activity.

“When I have done it, it's only resulted in good things, including much better relationships, requests for sources on stories they are currently working on or just a nice, warm response,” she emailed.

And then an hour later she forwarded an enthusiastic response from one of her key media after she had reacted to a story posted over the holidays.

One thing that stood out to me among the replies from your fellow followers was the number who said they had blocked off time on their calendars to do this activity.

They are very wise to do that. Adding it to your calendar dramatically increases the likelihood that you’ll actually follow through on this activity, make it a habit, and reap the rewards.

If you merely put it on a to-do list, then other people will usurp your time and the undone item will just leave you feeling guilty.

Marilyn Paige, another longtime follower, replied and introduced me to the concept of “attendance goals” vs. performance goals. In short, the idea is that you set yourself an easy-to-achieve goal that’s entirely within your sole control. Like spending an hour a week contacting key media.

You’re more likely to be successful at that, and therefore build momentum, toward your more ambitious “performance goals,” which often rely on other people, such as “Land X placements in top-tier outlets.”

I love this time of year, with the sense of renewal and the annual view. Before your psychology shifts and you dip back into “daily survival mode,” open up that calendar and schedule a weekly appointment with your most important media targets.

That’s one PR resolution you can be sure to keep.

P.S. I have a short training program that teaches best practices for this kind of outreach. Including how to overcome that nagging worry that you feel “inauthentic.” It’s a weekly series of short videos that comes free with your new Inner Circle membership.