trendSpotting Report
Sharon Nieuwenhuis

You’ve spent hours creating your most brilliant public relations plan yet. It’s perfect, and you hit send. Proud of yourself for such a spellbinding document, you kick your feet up, and think, “This is it. This plan is going to take me places.” But the truth is, you realize after a week of no reply, that it’s settled in quite comfortably in the unopened file in the recipient’s inbox, and has left you on your own.

But why?

Everyone’s ignoring you. Journalists aren’t calling you back, your boss hasn’t reviewed your proposal, and that stellar recommendation to the town council was ignored. Why, then, can no one see your own greatness?

Determined not to be invisible, you send your next pitch, proposal, and idea for action. Again, no response. No phone calls, emails, or text messages. No responses—period. Your boss is annoyed because you’re jamming his inbox, your client is really peeved because she’s not getting press coverage, and you’re simply angry because someone else’s idea was used when yours was clearly so much better (and even smarter!).

You vent to your co-worker who offers a solution. “Follow up!” Although you’re annoyed with the response, you do it. Suddenly the tide turns. Your pitches are getting so many responses that the office can’t field all the calls, your client takes over the front page of the Wall Street Journal, you get a promotion, and PR Week names you Professional of the Year. Could following up be this magical a solution?

Um … no.

But following up increases the likelihood that the journalist will call you back—that your campaign will be reviewed and regarded as the masterpiece you know it is. If nothing else, it demonstrates to journalists, clients and colleagues that you’re on top of your game and that you view your work as an actionable priority. Yes, you, you’re the one who is committed to being a success.

You are a contender, which of course you knew all along. Now that others know, you’re taking your plans places. Because plans don’t take you places, you take plans places by relentlessly following up.

In fact, that’s it! It’s no one’s job but yours to ensure a campaign is successful. Remind me about that – or I’ll hound you.

Sharon Nieuwenhuis hounds people relentlessly from her post as Account Manager at RLM. Her tip for effective follow-up is to offer cupcakes. It’s a ruse, but it works.