New Year, New Strategies: 3 Resolutions for PR and Comms Teams in 2025

As we flip the calendar to a new year, many of us are setting lofty resolutions, but let's be honest - how many of those goals really stick beyond January? In the world of public relations and communications, where reputation is everything, real progress requires more than just good intentions.

To help set you up for success in 2025, we’ve identified three New Year's resolutions that won’t fizzle out after a few months, but instead are strategically designed to elevate your PR initiatives throughout the year. From enhancing your crisis communications strategy to tracking the metrics that truly matter, these resolutions are a path to lasting success for your PR and comms team.

Resolution #1: Build a Proactive Crisis Communications Playbook

The past few years have shown us that the world is increasingly unpredictable, and crises can unfold in an instant. In our environment of hyperconnectivity and endless news cycles, PR teams face the constant challenge of protecting their brand's reputation. As a PR pro, you’re often on the frontlines, tasked with both preventing and managing reputational threats, and executives are counting on you for guidance.

With so much at stake, it’s essential to have a strong crisis communication strategy you can rely on. If your current plan doesn’t give you confidence, like the majority of other comms teams, make 2025 the year to change that. Developing a robust crisis communications plan, complete with proactive monitoring, will help you tackle whatever comes your way.  

Start by defining your crisis communications team. Identify who will take on specific roles, provide media training, and practice response scenarios to ensure everyone is prepared. Next, outline your crisis communications protocols, including key stakeholders, response channels, and approval processes. Having these established guidelines in place will streamline your response during a crisis.

Equip yourself with a crisis toolkit that includes contact lists, message templates, press kits, and brand guidelines. These resources will allow you to act quickly and consistently when a situation arises.  

Finally, set up real-time monitoring. Conduct a risk assessment to identify keywords and phrases to track and use a PR platform that can alert you to emerging issues.

Effective crisis planning takes strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and ongoing diligence. By prioritizing this planning, you’ll be ready to protect your brand’s reputation no matter what surprises 2025 might bring.  

For help building out your comprehensive crisis comms strategy, refer to our Complete Guide to Crisis Communication, which covers all the components of preventing and managing crises.

Resolution #2: Earn More Media Coverage with Targeted Outreach

Securing valuable media coverage is consistently a top goal for PR professionals, but in a crowded media landscape, getting noticed by journalists is more challenging than ever. Journalists are flooded with emails, and time and resources are often limited, so how can you make sure your brand or client’s story stands out?

Our 2024 State of the Media Report revealed exactly what journalists want from communicators like you - personalized, targeted outreach. Mass-emailed pitches simply don’t cut it anymore. Journalists are looking for tailored stories that align with their beat and resonate with their audience.

Begin by researching which journalists cover your industry and topics. Find the outlets that can make the most impact, even if they’re smaller, niche publications. Building genuine relationships with these reporters can significantly boost your media coverage. Get to know their audience’s interests, so you can provide information that is truly relevant.

Journalists are also interested in having access to high-quality resources, including expert interviews, proprietary data, and original research. According to our report, 61% of journalists value industry data, such as trends and market statistics, while 55% are more likely to cover a story if it includes the right multimedia elements. Providing data and visuals not only improves your chances of coverage, but also enhances your brand’s credibility.

Yes, research and relationship-building take time, but the effort pays off. In 2025, prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to media outreach. Strong, meaningful connections with the right journalists will yield more impactful results than generic, mass emails.  

To hone your pitching expertise, check out our Complete Guide to PR Pitching which takes a deep dive into all the important elements of targeted media outreach. 

Resolution #3: Measure What Matters: KPIs that Prove PR's Value

In our recent global survey, half of the communications leaders highlighted measuring their impact as a major challenge. This year, resolve to go beyond vanity metrics and focus your measurement strategy on the KPIs that demonstrate the true impact of your PR work.

The first step in creating a meaningful measurement strategy is to align it with your business objectives. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or influence purchasing decisions? Define your goals clearly, and then select metrics that directly support these outcomes.

While traditional metrics like media impressions and social media likes have their place, they often fail to capture the full impact of your efforts. Instead, consider KPIs that reveal deeper insights, such as website conversions, lead generation, and customer sentiment. These metrics can provide a more comprehensive view of how your work contributes to business goals.

Presenting your results in a clear, engaging way is also crucial. Many PR software platforms, like CisionOne, offer customizable dashboards that transform complex data into actionable insights. These tools can help you visualize your findings, make data-driven decisions, and communicate the value of your work to executives and clients.

By focusing on the metrics that matter, you’ll not only enhance your PR strategy but also strengthen your position within the organization, proving that PR is a vital contributor to business success.  

Ensure your measurement strategy focuses on the metrics that truly demonstrate impact with our Complete Guide to PR Measurement. 

Cheers to the New Year

As you look ahead to 2025, remember that these resolutions aren’t just well-intentioned ideas—they’re practical strategies designed to bring meaningful results. Here’s to a year of strategic planning, stronger media relationships, and proven impact!  

To see how Cision can support your team’s goals in the year ahead, talk to one of our experts.

Here is a rundown of the other major themes which are expected to take center stage:

Some of the Major Themes at CES 2025

• AI Technology: CES 2025 will feature the expanding role of AI, with exhibits including consumer robots, smart appliances, and AI-integrated vehicles from leading brands like Samsung and LG. 

• Sustainability and Green Technologies: Sustainability continues as a key focus with showcases on advancements in battery technology, renewable energy, and water security solutions. 

• Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility: Expect the latest in autonomous vehicles and innovative in-car technologies from industry leaders.

• Digital Health: The event will highlight the newest developments in wearable health monitors, telehealth platforms, and advanced medical devices.

• Smart Home Devices: CES 2025 will display the latest in AI-powered smart home technologies, with enhanced connectivity thanks to the rollout of 5G and introduction of 6G networks.

• Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR): This segment will demonstrate how VR and AR are transforming industries, improving everything from digital health diagnostics to safety training.

With CES 2025 approaching, maximizing media exposure is crucial for capturing the attention of tech-savvy attendees and influential media. As the official CES wire distribution provider, here is some strategic advice to significantly enhance the visibility and impact of your presence at the event.

How to Maximize Media Exposure

#1: Optimal Timing for Press Release Distribution

To maximize media coverage, you should distribute the pre-announcement press release 2 weeks before the trade show. This timing allows media outlets enough time to schedule visits and include your brand in their coverage plans. Companies often make the mistake of distributing announcement press releases only 2-3 days ahead of the event, but this doesn’t leave much time at all for publications, or audiences to react to the news, and often results in missed opportunities for media exposure.

As seen below, data from Cision total mentions for CES 2025 in the media has grown steadily since July 2024 (peaking in November 2024) but still substantially higher than earlier in the year.

#2: Effective Storytelling During the Show

• Live Updates: In the age of social media, it’s very easy to share real-time highlights from the trade show, including demonstrations, visitor reactions, and endorsements from industry experts.

• Media Interaction: CES 2024 drew over 5000 media from around the globe. Therefore, it's a great opportunity to facilitate direct interactions with key media representatives, providing them exclusive insights or previews to build more in-depth stories.

   

#3: Identify Event-Specific Keywords

Event Name and Year: Start with the most obvious and essential keywords such as "CES 2025," which will be the primary search term for anyone looking for information about the event.

Technology Focus: Incorporate keywords that reflect the main technology themes of the event. For CES, these might include "innovation," "smart home," "consumer electronics," "tech trends," "gadgets," and "future tech."

How to Produce an Outstanding Trade Show Story

#1: Craft a Catchy Headline 

When writing your press release, your headline should be attention-grabbing and tie your announcement to one or more of the CES themes. 

For example, the headline below ties into key CES themes — human-centric technology and the expansion of 5G capabilities — making it highly relevant and engaging for the event's audience.

To maintain reader engagement and avoid the pitfalls of vague and overused adjectives seen in many press releases, it is crucial to craft headlines that are precise, specific, and informative. Such headlines will capture the attention of relevant audiences, ensuring that the content resonates and maintains interest. The examples of well-crafted headlines below effectively convey key information without relying on clichéd phrases like "new innovation" or "announces participation," which tend to be too generic.

#2: Use a Multimedia News Release (MNR) 

Create a multimedia hub page, preferably in advance of the trade show. It should include must-see features, product launch footage, and animated demos to engage readers. 

An MNR released before CES is primarily aimed at building excitement and anticipation for what you will potentially unveil or present at the show. It's about teasing new products, innovations, or significant announcements to generate buzz and ensure that your booth or event is a must-visit. 

To generate excitement ahead of CES 2024, Kohler provided a preview of its booth, while highlighting its top products visitors can expect to see in the following excerpt below. All in a bid to encourage media and public attendance.

#3: Give a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

The EBL article below includes various CTAs, such as inviting readers to experience the innovation firsthand at the CES booth, directing them to the website for further details, or prompting a purchase if the product is available.

Post-Event 

A central message hub is essential to reinforce key takeaways from your trade show presence with and bridge the event's momentum to ongoing business activities.  

Timekettle, a leader in AI-powered interpreter devices, prominently featured the groundbreaking launch of the X1 AI Interpreter Hub at CES 2024. As the world's first AI Interpreter Hub, the event was marked by a compelling multimedia news release that included high-resolution images of the product and a dynamic video demonstration by CEO Leal Tian. These elements powerfully conveyed the revolutionary nature and substantial value of the X1 AI Interpreter Hub to a worldwide audience. 

By preparing a multimedia news release after the event, it can maintain interest and momentum in the products or technologies introduced at CES. They can extend the life cycle of the media coverage and keep the conversation going. 

Final Words

To effectively wrap up your CES 2025 coverage, integrating a multi-channel strategy can significantly boost your post-event communications. By distributing key highlights and innovations across platforms like text-based or multimedia press releases, social posts and boosts, and newsletters, you can maintain the momentum and maximize CES-related impressions with traffic-driving media placement posts.

This approach not only keeps your audience engaged but also reinforces your brand's connection with innovation long after the event has concluded.

CES 2025 presents a great opportunity for your company to position itself as a leader in innovation. By setting the right tone regarding technological advancements, you can lead the narrative with compelling stories throughout the year.

For additional advice on how to stand out among thousands of exhibitors, please speak to us now.