7 PR lessons from Thanksgiving dinner

Despite the warm feelings Thanksgiving inspires—heaping plates of mashed potatoes, the delicious smell of turkey, pumpkin pie—thinking about the holidays may also send you in a panic.

It’s a common feeling when PR pros look at their to-do lists.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, and to help ease that anxiety, here are seven lessons PR people can take away from the holiday dinner.

1. Plan your menu

Grocery lists are key for your pre-Thanksgiving trips to the store, otherwise you’re rushing to find the grocer that’s open on Turkey Day just hours before your guests arrive. And you had better know who’s bringing what to dinner to confusion table. (Don’t want three Jell-O molds.)

Similarly, PR professionals need to draft plans for their various strategies, whether it’s the launch of a new product or a looming crisis. That way you don’t forget to include contact information on a media advisory or forget a key step in your crisis communications strategy.

2. Avoid going at it alone