Today’s guest contribution is written by Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting. I hear too many people get their submissions rejected by editors of magazines and blogs. Meghan is a PR superstar and I asked her to shed light on this conundrum. Psssstttt… she’s got a sweet deal on her PR collective for 20% off. Keep reading!

It’s no surprise that staying on top of your publicity is the key to getting your name out there, generating new business, and competing no matter what the market conditions are. You probably also know that great publicity takes work, so the question remains-

What in the world do you do in the busy season when you’re knee-deep in weddings?

Like everything, it takes balance but the good news is that a bit of preparation can take you a long way when working in your business takes you away from working on your business.

Not sure how to start? Here are my top three strategies to keep your PR endeavors successful in the busy season:

Get Organized

Start media lists with your targeted publishers, known deadlines, and any specifications and contact information you need for submission so they’ll be at your fingertips when you need them to be.

Are you planning to use new publishing tools or project management software? Get familiar with their use while you still have time to play with different settings and ask questions to address hiccups. Investing time before your workload ramps up will make it much easier for you to continue attending to your PR when things get truly busy.

Plan Ahead

Look at your wedding roster pre-season and project which events you will likely want to have published. Collect background information from your couples in advance – newlyweds are much more difficult to get details from active planning clients. Ensure any legal releases you need to publish photos are signed and filed, and that you and your photographer are on the same page about publishing goals and deadlines.

Hire Help When Needed

No wedding pro is an island – we all need help sometimes, and the busier your season gets, the more help you are likely to need. PR assistance can come in many forms. If you can invest the time in mentorship and fulfilling specific program requirements, an intern with some background in promotion might be a good match. If you need more full-service, experienced help, a Marketing and PR agency might be your best bet. Ask trusted colleagues for referrals, and schedule in-depth interviews before signing on any dotted line.

Your efforts will payoff in busy season PR success. Need even more support to make your busy-season PR management work? We have developed a bundle of FREE tools just for you!

Wedding PR Acceleration Bundle

Want a leg up on your publicity efforts this season and beyond? I’ve put together some of my favorite tools to help you with your wedding PR efforts:

  • Pitch Tracking Spreadsheet– You’ll save countless time with this spreadsheet, allowing you to track your pitches, contacts and follow ups in one spot.
  • HARO Pitch Template & 2 Sample Pitches –Step one: Google “HARO”. Step two:  Swoon! It’s a great free service that connects you with media opportunities and we’ve got a pitch template at the ready as well as two successful samples.
  • Media Pitch Template – We’re giving you the keys to the publicity kingdom- customize this template, which we’ve used to get featured in the most popular wedding magazines, blogs and news sites.
  • Two Sample National Media Pitches – Looking for inspiration? These pitches received national attention.

Click here to download!

Or maybe we could hang out?

So if you’re ready to take the next step and kick things into high gear, then I also invite you to consider my newly launched OFD Collective, a wedding PR membership that aims marries education with action.

I’ve developed multiple service tiers allowing you to decide the best fit. Enjoy ongoing wedding media opportunities so you can skip years of research and relationship building and jump to the front of the publicity line.  I’ve included live office hours with the OFD team that allows you to ask your most pressing publicity related questions. We’ll take a peek at your pitches, speaking submissions and real weddings that you’re hoping to place.

And if you’re ready to really take back some of your own time, there is a level that gives you the ability to submit up to (15) of your own weddings to blogs and publications every year. Head over to ofdcollective.com and use the code “sageweddingpros” for 20% off on any of their membership packages (good for a lifetime). Make sure to do so before June 30th.

Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.