As my colleague Beth covered in a previous blog, the ability to think critically is essential to PR and communications professionals. Everyday clients rely on us to evaluate their news to determine its value, anticipate potential outcomes and analyze industry trends.
Because the concept of critical thinking is universally accepted as an important skill for every individual to possess, there are a countless number of articles, books and curriculums dedicated to the topic. Recently, I came across the Global Digital Citizen Foundation’s “The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Critical Thinking” that contains several helpful questions to stimulate the cognitive process. Divided into six categories (Who, What, Where, When, Why and How), the 48 questions have multiple use-case scenarios. While the checklist may not have been created specifically with the public relations industry in mind, it is still an effective resource to consult before writing your client’s next pitch or announcement.
For example, even the most seasoned PR professionals can recall a time when they pitched a story and received less than enthusiastic responses from journalists. (Except for me – reporters always respond to my emails within the hour and either cover the news or provide constructive feedback. I’m kidding, of course.) Undoubtedly a significant amount of time and thought went into crafting the pitch, and it’s easy to feel discouraged when the results fail to align with the effort. In this situation, asking the following questions may prompt you to target different outlets or uncover a new angle to follow up with media:
- What would be a counter-argument?
- Who will be the key people in this?
- Where are there similar concepts/situations?
- Why is there a need for this today?
- How does this disrupt things?
Another common exercise we assist clients with is establishing their messaging framework. Within organizations, consensus can often vary on the positioning statement, key differentiators and target audiences. It can be difficult for the co-founder to receive feedback that, while his/her company description may be technically accurate, the jargon-laden paragraph fails to resonate with journalists. Questions from the checklist to keep in mind while developing messaging include:
- Where do we see [our product] in the real world?
- Where is there the most need for this?
- How does this benefit us/others?
- Why should people know about this?
- How do we see this in the future?
Finally, while Communiqué PR’s clients range from startups to publicly traded companies, they all have one characteristic in common: Each has a compelling story to tell. When considering a PR engagement with a potential new client, it’s important to ask:
- What are the strengths/weaknesses?
- Why is it relevant to me/others?
- Why is there a need for this today?
- How is this similar to [the leading competitor in the space]?
- Where are the areas for improvement?
Whether critical thinking is an area you want to improve or you view yourself as an expert critical thinker, I encourage periodically referencing the checklist. Its applications are limitless and can be particularly useful when developing communication plans, building media lists and corresponding with clients.