- Your story has an actual story: Did you build a better mousetrap? Got an original business idea, like a flying car rental company, or a new way to vacation on the moon? The first question any decent publicist asks themselves is, “Who will really care about this?” If your factual narrative answers that question succinctly, you may need a PR agency. However, if you just want to be famous, or if you don’t really have a story, please don’t waste your resources — you won’t get anywhere, no matter what we do.
- You/your firm needs press coverage to outdistance your competition: Here’s the scenario. Your company has a press-worthy enhanced value proposition that will dominate your marketplace, and you believe press coverage will help you take advantage of it. Great! As long as you’re willing to start early and commit to the long haul PR needs to be successful, and you work diligently with your PR team, you can accomplish your goals. But here’s the catch: additional press coverage may not translate into additional sales. This may happen because of breakage in the sales effort, or distribution, or your form of conversion measurement. If you’re getting coverage, the PR people are doing their job. The rest is up to you.
- Yes, you have a designated budget for PR: One of the most frustrating moments I have as a PR practitioner is an occasional blank stare when I ask how much money your firm has allocated for PR. Hey – PR is expensive. The minimum most agencies can work for – including a minimal social media effort – ranges between $4,000 to $6,000 per month. Yes, there are some who will do it for less, but I warn you – you get what you pay for.
Is PR labor intensive? You bet. Long term commitment? If you do it right, absolutely. Detail oriented? Positively. Expensive? Yep. But in terms of long term positive impact, there’s no substitute for it. Only a concerted effort at PR will get your brand’s identity cemented in the minds of your audience and push your business forward. Bill Gates once said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.” He was right. And in our experience, the effort is well worth the reward.