The simple PR tasks you can focus on now that will keep your business top-of-mind while you take a break
By Dina Behrman, PR Strategist and publicity coachAs the year winds down and we head into the festive season, many business owners find themselves wondering whether they need to keep pushing their visibility right up to the final day of December. The simple answer is absolutely not. But there are a handful of small, thoughtful PR tasks you can do now that will keep your business top-of-mind while you take a well-earned break.
Photography: Laura Harstad
As a former journalist who now runs a PR agency and consultancy, I can vouch that you certainly don’t need to hustle through the holidays chasing visibility. Instead, I recommend focusing on light-touch maintenance so you take small but important actions to create just enough momentum behind the scenes to start January feeling media-ready.
These tasks take very little time, but they will support your authority, your credibility, and your readiness for new opportunities when the new year arrives.
Below is a strategic, practical guide to four low-effort PR tasks you can easily do before you switch off.
1. Refresh your media bio
Most founders write their media bio once, early in their business journey, and never look at it again. But your bio is often the first thing a journalist, producer or podcast host sees when deciding whether to feature you. If it’s outdated or vague, it’s not working as hard for you as it could.
Now is the perfect time to update the essentials so that anyone discovering your work for the first time sees an accurate, compelling snapshot of who you are right now.
Start by checking:
Your current positioning
Does your bio reflect what you actually do, and more importantly, how you want to be known going into next year? Many founders evolve significantly over a 12-month period. You may have niched down, shifted your audience, or stepped more fully into thought leadership. Make sure your bio matches the leader you’ve become.
Key achievements from the year
Whether you launched a book, secured a major press feature, spoke at an event, or hit an important milestone, this is the time to add those details. It’s helpful for journalists to see specific evidence of credibility.
Your tone of voice
Is it warm, human and reflective of your current brand, or does it sound like you copied it from a corporate website in 2018? If your business has grown into something more personal or more confident, let your bio reflect that.
A refreshed bio becomes an asset you can use in multiple ways: you can drop it into pitches, add it to your press page and/or media kit, send it for podcast interviews, and keep it on standby for new opportunities. This is a small job to focus on now, which will save you time in the future.
2. Update your press page
Your press page is a powerful visibility tool on your website. It instantly conveys authority and signals to journalists that you are open to being featured in the press.
If you have already received media coverage, you should post links to your articles or interviews on your press page. This tells visitors that credible, trusted outlets have already validated your work. And it reassures journalists that you know how to show up well in the press.
The end of the year is the perfect moment to review this page with fresh eyes.
Ask yourself:
Have you been featured anywhere this year that you haven’t added yet?
Did you appear on a noteworthy podcast that you’ve overlooked?
Did a quote, interview, or expert commentary go live that deserves a place there?
Are there outdated logos that no longer serve your positioning?
If you’ve not yet been featured in the press, don’t worry, you can simply add your bio and credentials to the press page, and as you start to get featured, you can start adding your media mentions and coverage.
3. Send a friendly end-of-year check-in to key journalists
A simple, thoughtful check-in at this time of year with any journalists or podcast hosts that you’ve previously connected with can help you stay top of mind and is great for nurturing relationships.
You could thank them for featuring you, congratulate them on a recent article or interview, wish them a great festive season, and let them know that you’ll be available in the new year. E.g. “If you’re working on small business or founder-led pieces in early January, I can offer X insight.”
This touchpoint positions you as someone who cares about the long-term relationship and wants to help. And it will keep you on their radar as they head into the new year.
4. Tidy your press assets so you’re pitch-ready in January
When a journalist says, “Can you send this over today?”, you want to be able to confidently respond, rather than rummaging through folders.
A quick end-of-year tidy ensures you can start January feeling ready.
Make sure you have:
A couple of current headshots
It doesn’t need to be a full photoshoot, but have at least a couple of clear, high-res images of you ready to send out.
An author bio
A bio of around 150 words is usually standard for podcasts or blogs.
Your talking points
A simple list of topics you can comment on as an expert is helpful for journalists and podcast hosts alike.
A link to your preferred contact details
So you’re easy to reach if journalists need clarification. Make sure links to your website, social channels and email are all up to date.
Visibility without the hustle
These tasks take minutes, not hours. They don’t require fresh creative energy or a big strategic push. But doing them will get you press-ready, even while you’re resting.
By handling these simple PR jobs now, you’ll be able to hit the ground running in January, ready to get visible with publicity that gets you and your important message seen and heard.
