Going live with your project/activity

Public relations often play a vital role in the launch of a new intervention or campaign. You can use media relations tactics to place articles and conduct interviews. You may get coverage by having case studies and photo opportunities lined up which may focus around a launch event. No matter what publicity route you choose, you have to make sure that both public and professional elements of the intervention are geared up to handle response.

Cancer Research UK's press and PR team have produced this useful toolkit which gives tips on generating press interest in cancer-related stories and includes examples of relevant press releases and subsequent coverage.

Once you have launched your project/activity, it’s important to track the delivery of all the different aspects and monitor the impact throughout the duration of the project. By monitoring your project/activity, you will be able to ensure that it’s being delivered as planned and make any necessary improvements. You may want to collect feedback from staff involved in delivering the project and from relevant stakeholders at regular points to help you do this.

Monitoring external factors, for example, news stories or other health campaigns, as well as your own project/activity, will help you to spot any potential opportunities for wider engagement and will help you to manage any problems promptly.

It’s essential that you maintain your communication and engagement with health professionals and any other key stakeholders once your project/activity goes live. Continued engagement will make sure that health professional stakeholders feel part of your activity and are more likely to be supportive. Depending on the number of health professional stakeholders you have, this may include regular project updates via newsletters or by keeping in touch with health services to see what impact the project/activity is having locally.