Want to see your company mentioned in an article? While you can
hope that a journalist calls you, your odds improve dramatically if
you take active steps to introduce your company to the media. A
public relations agency can do the hard work for you.
Advertising can be very effective in projecting the image that
you want, but getting mentioned by the press can provide
credibility that thousands of dollars in advertising can never hope
to achieve. PR firms can help you secure that credibility in the
local, industry or national media through all different types of
media including print, radio, television or even the Internet.
What should you look for in a PR agency? In the end, PR firms
are judged by the press mentions, also known as
"placements," that they can get for their clients. As a
prospective client, you should, too. Evaluate not only where the
client was placed but also what kind of placement they received,
e.g. article vs. quote vs. mention. Don't be turned off by
placements in publications you might not be familiar with; this may
have in fact met the client's objectives.
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Some may argue that reviewing portfolios may not reflect the
results a public relations firm will actually be able to deliver
for you. That is true. But assuming that your company is worthy of
coverage, you will have the advantage of having people working for
you who already have established contacts with journalists where
you may want to be placed.
See how well they can package your company. Read the press
releases they have developed for their clients. They should all be
clearly written, informative, and interesting. While there will no
doubt be standard releases about new product announcements, company
results and executive appointments, the firm should also have some
creative campaigns that promote their clients in a compelling
manner. Press releases that grab your attention are likely to be
interesting to the media as well.
One of the most critical aspects to explore is to find out who
will actually be responsible for handling your account and pitching
your story to the press. The person should be friendly, articulate
and persistent both in person as well as via e-mail. No matter how
newsworthy your story is, unless there is someone to pitch and
follow up, you are unlikely to get picked up by the press.
Finally, look for enthusiasm. I don't care if you sell the
most boring product or service in the world. If a PR firm is not
honestly excited about your widgets, they sure won't be able to
convey it to any member of the press that they want to encourage to
write about you.
Working with a PR agency is not cheap. At minimum, you should
budget thousands of dollars for a full campaign, with more limited
projects being less costly. But the return can be well worth the
investment.