Launching a new campaign is a massive undertaking, but the enormity seems larger when the goal has the whopping number of 100 million attached to it. This was the task that our American Paper Optics team faced when they began their project with APO in August of last year.

One year out from the Great American Eclipse, the team needed to devise a plan to help APO sell 100 million glasses however possible. The team quickly compiled ideas and devised a plan to accomplish this lofty goal.

When we launch a campaign, it can be challenging to know where to start. But, the APO team dove in head first, taking one step at a time. With so much to accomplish in one year, the team knew that a crucial element of the campaign would be success monitoring and adjustment. If they tried a tactic and saw little success, they either made a change or eliminated the tactic all together. This allowed the team to focus time and efforts on tasks that made headway toward their goal.

Though they evaluated along the way, the team found that as the eclipse approached, even tactics they previously deemed unsuccessful began to pay off. Reporters and contacts they connected with months earlier began to call and respond to old emails. Though their initial email did not yield an immediate response, their message left a lasting impact and turned into successes down the line.

On Aug. 21, the team celebrated a job well-done, having just pulled a media spreadsheet with more than 1,000 mentions. The client was pleased and the seemingly insurmountable project was complete.

Public relations campaigns are a journey, and getting started always seems to be the hardest step. But, as the APO team demonstrated, there is value in every effort, even those that don’t yield immediate results.