1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week, or are you satisfied with "occasional" exposure? Now, this question alone is important... but not enough. The main component of this question is the IMPORTANCE of PR.
2) Do you have the internal staff and expertise to commit the internal resources to your PR efforts?
If you have the internal staff, and they understand Guerrilla PR principles, then there may be no reason to hire an outside agency.
Paradoxically, the busier you get, the easier it is to parlay, or "set aside" consistant, important PR activities. Don't get caught in that trap!
3) Finally, Public Relations is a craft that requires PASSION. You may need PR, and you may even have the people to conduct your PR campaigns, however, that's not enough.
In order to be truly effective, it's important that your PR campaigns are conducted with PASSIONATE CONSISTENCY.
Here's a quick "checklist" you can use to "size up" any PR firm you are considering to hire:
? Do you get along with the members of the firm? Hiring a PR agency is a collaboration that you can benefit from, month after month, year after year. Quality rapport is an essential ingredient.
? Are they realistic, in terms of managing your expectations, or do they promise you "pie in the sky"? It's one thing for a PR firm to promise you results. It's another thing for them to promise you "specific" results. Maybe you'd like to get on Oprah Winfrey from the start...so would everyone else.
Be prepared to take advantage of several secondary media opportunities before you get to the top tier.
Several base hits can score you more runs than going for grand slams every time.
? Is the PR firm creative? Creative PR people will be more likely to come up with more "angles" to test.
? Do they understand how to pitch your story? A progressive PR firm will be effective AND efficient at telling your story...thus, yielding you more media coverage.
? Do they listen to what you say? Let's face it...your PR needs are constantly evolving. Your PR firm should listen...and respond to your unique, evolving needs.
? Are they using a "hard sell" to get you to sign? A good PR firm is a busy PR firm. They don't need to sell you. Their track record will allow you to decide based on the evidence.
? Do they have local AND regional AND national media contacts? When you go to a great PR firm, they have cultivated several strategic media relationships, over many years of time. Are you confident that they have the necessary Rolodex? to place your story in front of the appropriate media?
? Did they outline a campaign game plan for you? You can predict the effectiveness of a PR firm by the soundness of their overall strategic approach.
? Have you seen samples of their work? Track record comes in the form of QUALITY of exposure, in addition to the QUANTITY of exposure.
? Do you believe they undersand your needs and goals?
? Do you feel that they will carry out your PR campaign with consistant PASSION?
Finally, ? Do you should feel comfortable with the fee and the contract? Getting good PR is a process. It requires well thought out plans, implemented with passion, and a focus on results in the form of getting your story told to the world.
So, whether you conduct your PR efforts from within your company, or whether you hire an outside PR firm...
If media exposure is valuable to you, then you will commit to PR as an ongoing, systematic part of your overall marketing mix.
Joe Nicassio designs marketing campaigns, and coaches entrepreneurs to improve their bottom-line profits. His website is http://rapidresultsmarketing.com.
To get your free CD "Joe Nicassio Reveals Marketing Philosophies And Secrets That Advertiser Don't Want You To Know" Send your snail mail address to http://rapidresultsmarketing.com
cleaning team near Mundelein ..Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More
You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More
As the kids say, how cool is this?You're a business,... Read More
About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More
Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
A common complaint you'll hear is that the media is... Read More
If you're seeking to promote yourself or your new business... Read More
Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
You won't be if you accept a very simple premise.... Read More
Because it can alter individual perception and lead to changed... Read More
As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More
News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More
Many of my clients have had the misguided perception that... Read More
Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled"... Read More
You may remember Forrest Gump's Vietnam pal ? the one... Read More
In the 'Age of Scepticism' gaining media coverage is one... Read More
? Don't wear all black. You'll look as though you're... Read More
Getting a press release published in a newspaper or magazines... Read More
"Cindy, where's that story? I need it yesterday!""Coming right up,... Read More
The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More
Before you even think about writing a press release, there... Read More
You're a business, non-profit or association manager who needs to... Read More
Sometimes a phone call isn't intimate or long enough to... Read More
move out cleaning service Park Ridge ..If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or... Read More
You do if you're a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More
Media interviews are an important part of an overall public... Read More
Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More
Often the first point of contact the media has with... Read More
An effort built around a string of print and broadcast... Read More
Talkback radio offers a fantastic opportunity to access thousands of... Read More
Public relations changes minds in the process of delivering what... Read More
Last month, we told you about "pay for play," a... Read More
A reporter's job is to get the most accurate and... Read More
To many marketers, the press release is something of a... Read More
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father... Read More
Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More
You know that getting publicity is vital to the health... Read More
Being part of a trade show gives small business a... Read More
I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are... Read More
This is the ending to my previous article, How to... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
So you've put yourself "out there" with a public relations... Read More
It used to be that all you had to do... Read More
You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More
E-mail is becoming the preferred way to receive media releases.... Read More
Recently I had a craving for... Read More
Small businesses have always known the importance of word of... Read More
Public Relations |