Define what you will react to
Reactive PR becomes chaotic when every news moment looks like an opportunity. Define the categories that are genuinely relevant to the brand or expert: regulation, consumer behaviour, sector data, seasonal issues, major announcements or recurring trends.
Map experts to topics
A journalist needs a credible source, not a generic brand opinion. Map each spokesperson to the topics they can comment on with authority. Add proof points, limits and angles they should avoid.
Prepare quote structures
Pre-approved quote structures help teams move faster without sounding robotic. Build formats for quick reaction, practical advice, risk explanation and trend interpretation. Keep them flexible enough to match the news.
Set approval windows
Reactive work fails when approval takes longer than the news cycle. Agree who signs off, what needs escalation and what can be approved quickly. If the expert cannot be reached in time, the process needs a fallback.
Review quality after each attempt
Track what worked, what was ignored and where the process slowed down. Reactive PR improves when teams treat each response as feedback on the system.
When to ask for a senior review
If the campaign has a live deadline, a complex methodology, a source page in draft, an expert quote approval chain or a story route that feels unclear, get the review before outreach starts. It is much easier to fix the asset before journalists see it.