We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications and hosts of Two Babies and a Business Podcast. For our 8th podcast episode in this series, we discuss the management of PR expectations in today’s world, particularly with COVID-19 changing the marketing landscape.
Shifting our PR Expectations
If you do a word cloud on a specific journalist to find the topics they are writing about, everything has shifted to “COVID”, “pandemic”, or “vaccine”. Even journalists that one would go to on topics like tourism or energy have shifted towards topics regarding the current pandemic. While it is good to continue pitching news stories to the media, we recommend our clients shift towards getting a paid piece and setting a budget for paid PR.
A New Three-Phase PR Approach
Our new approach to PR starts with an opportunity map of the different resources available. In this first phase, our clients pay for us to research and make recommendations of different media channels that can be used. Potential channels include social media influencers, podcasts, vlogs, or any other channels that fit your goals and particular situation.
The second phase involves CIPR acting as your agency to all the different media channels we have agreed on. Depending on your objectives, goals could include paid advertisements or inclusion into a holiday gift guide, ultimately building that relationship between your company and the channel.
The final phase is management. It is important to ensure the metrics are all lined up, and we are tracking the relevant data. We make sure that we get regular reports to make adjustments based on what the data and market are telling us.
Press Releases Rarely Work Well
Even going back before COVID, single press releases were never particularly effective unless you were already a company the media was going to. More success was seen in a multi-press release and strategic approach. It is better to slow down from a PR perspective and think about multi-channel marketing and ask, “What does my online or offline presence look like?” If it looks like nothing, you will not get the attention of any media outlet. Have something from a marketing and communication perspective to back you up, and as your business grows, your PR opportunities will grow alongside. Two questions you should ask yourself:
- What are my goals?
- Am I ready?
If you like what you’ve been reading so far, we would love to connect with you! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on iTunes, Spreaker, or Spotify to listen to the rest of our series in public relations and get notified of new episodes.
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Christina Pilarski
Christina Pilarski is CEO and co-founder of CIPR Communications, a digital PR, marketing, and AI consulting agency serving hospitality, tourism, and luxury lifestyle brands across North America. Before starting CIPR in 2010 with her life partner and business partner, Peter Pilarski, Christina led campaigns in a series of corporate roles and served as Special Advisor to the Minister at Alberta's Department of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. She now leads a team of 20+ staff and contractors across CIPR and its AI-focused division, the Tourism AI Network. Christina holds a BA with Honours and an MA in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary. Outside the office, she's a mom of twins and two dogs, based in Calgary.
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Peter Pilarski
Peter Pilarski is the Founder of Tourism AI Network and President of CIPR Communications. He helps tourism and hospitality organizations adopt AI strategically — from AI search visibility and custom tool development to team training and executive advisory. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and AI advisor whose sessions blend practical frameworks with real-world results.
