Hello. Time's a-wasting! 2005 is winding down and a new year is beckoning. Take advantage of the next couple of months to put your calendar to work. While you are at it, check your PR ammunition to make sure you are ready to go into battle January 1.

What are we waiting for? Let's get going.

Every organization should create an annual PR and marketing calendar so that it can avoid the World Series' of the world, as well as take advantage of dates of significance. With a couple of months left in 2005, now is a good time to begin filling out your 2006 calendar. Here's a template to help get you started.

Start inside the organization and work your way out. Don't try to do this alone. Everyone in your organization has a little different perspective and can help come up with some dates that you wouldn't know. Are there company anniversaries, holidays or closings to consider? Do you already have special sales events scheduled? How about trade show appearances? Any new products, services or new locations planned?

Now, let's head outside the organization. What's happening in the lives of your suppliers and customers? How about in your industry? Any trade association meetings or conferences? Are major white papers, reports or industry research planned?

Often your best opportunity for press coverage comes from special industry reports and stories that the media has on its editorial calendar. So, start collecting editorial calendars from business and trade media that cover your business. Also, see if your local media have editorial calendars. You'll find the Charlotte Business Journal editorial calendar here. All of the American City Business Journals have their editorial calendars online.

Also, fill in the holidays and special events for the year. And don't forget smaller holidays or those with significance to your faith and to other religions. You might find one that sparks a thought for a story idea or a special promotion. Be sure you add major elections and sporting events, as well as major local events.

Think seasonally as you assemble your calendar. Back-to-school, tax season, vacations, heating and cooling seasons: all of these can be harnessed for their marketing and PR value.

Once you have all the dates plugged in, you can start scheduling your own PR and marketing specific programs and tactics for a successful 2006.

Of course, the old standby is the news release, which can be issued for new products and services, events you are sponsoring, new facilities and personnel changes, among other things. See this list of possible reasons to distribute a news release.

Feature stories come next. People, product or company profiles can garner coverage, as can trend stories, how-to pieces, op-ed pieces and case studies.

Fact or tip sheets are a media favorite. You can glossaries, directories, Q&A sheets, Facts-At-A-Glance, suggested interview questions and speech, article or book excerpts. Story starters are one of my favorites. These are usually a page of related story ideas with names and contact information for the people who have expertise in the subject.

Art can really sell a story. Action photos, portraits, product shots, as well as illustrations, charts and graphs are excellent ways to expand your coverage. For TV, provide video, or slides, or let reporters know you can set up something visually appealing for them to shoot.

Sound - for radio - is the TV equivalent of video. Actualities, that is pre-recorded comments from your experts, and background sound are good fodder for getting radio coverage.

Finally, news advisories can be used to alert media of an upcoming story that is usually tied to a news conference or event.

You're now armed. Ready, aim, fire.