PR myths debunked!
You may have done some PR before, in-house or with an agency; you may have sent out a press release on a newswire or you may have never engaged in PR before. Whichever category you fall into, you would have likely come across some old wives tales about PR, its processes and most definitely its people.
So, we thought it was about time we debunked some of these outrageous myths and revealed the truth behind what PR is really about.
1. “PR is all about press releases.”
WRONG! Yes, press releases have a place in any successful PR campaign, but they aren’t the be all and end all. A good PR campaign will combine market leadership (news) with thought leadership (expert opinion) and pitch the two side by side to get you the best results.
Journalists and your prospects want to know about the ‘why’ not the ‘what’, and you won’t get a big end of year coverage book by purely sending out press release after press release.
2. “I could do my own PR.”
I am sure you can give it a good go but you won’t be able to dedicate the time to it that PR really needs. After all, you do have a day job. PR is a job in its own right and it takes a certain type of person to be able to juggle writing content, pitching journalists, monitoring the news, managing social media and attending conferences. The likelihood is, you just don’t have the time to get cosy with the right press and maintain the high standards that your job requires. PR will be most successful if you leave it to the experts and outsource it to an agency that becomes a close extension of your own team.
3. “I need to hire an expensive London agency if I want results.”
Of course you don’t. You can if you want to and there are plenty of agencies out there that will charge you a bomb – some will get you great results, some won’t – but PR doesn’t have to be about a huge retainer. Choose an agency that fits your needs and your culture. If you are a small business spending the founder’s money then choose an agency that has clients similar to yourself, one that will understand the importance of the investment. And take the time to choose an agency that is an expert in your industry; the results will be far greater if the agency already understands your market and its challenges.
4. “My agency is probably just schmoozing journalists… and charging me for it!”
Gone are the days of champagne lunches with journalists, we might be lucky if we get a couple a year but it is no longer the norm. Journalists are busy beings, as are PR people, and you are far more likely to find them on a telephone briefing or a virtual face to face meeting over Skype, than at one of London’s hotspots. And as for making you pay for the privilege, we don’t charge any expenses to our clients so if we take you or a journalist for lunch on your behalf we foot the bill, every time!
5. “I’m not convinced… PR doesn’t have any ROI.”
This is perhaps one of the most frustrating myths of all. Of course PR has an ROI; the true measure of PR is all about the effect that it has on your business. Are you rising through the ranks in Google’s organic search? Are your Twitter followers not only increasing, but also engaging with you? Are your key journalists engaging with your thought leadership campaign and passing this onto their readers? And, ultimately, are you getting more sales leads? A good agency will help you report on all of this, but you must also be willing to take a deeper look for the results of PR and make sure your sales and marketing teams are on board too.
So, now you know the truth about PR, give us a call to see how we can help you with your PR strategy. Call us on +44 (0) 1296 733 867.
