At The Ideas Suite, we get plenty of questions about the PR process from prospective and new clients. Here are our answers to those we’re most frequently asked.
How does PR differ from other marketing avenues?
How do I know if PR is what my brand needs?
Do PR consultants write media articles?
How much does PR cost?
How long does a PR campaign take?
What results can I expect from a PR campaign? Are there any guarantees?
How are the results of a campaign measured?
Do I really need a PR agency? Can’t I carry out the PR myself?
How does PR differ from other marketing avenues?
The two most frequently used marketing promotional methods are PR and advertising. Advertising is paid, non-personal communication specifically geared to drive sales. TV, print, radio, online, outdoor and cinema advertising and direct marketing are the most common forms.
PR, on the other hand, generates news and feature articles covered by journalists. The stories are published and broadcast at no cost. (Of course, PR covers many other areas, including stakeholder communication, crisis management, event management, corporate relations and more.)
How do I know if PR is what my brand needs?
There are a number of ways of communicating. Each method reinforces the other. Advertising is useful when you need to control your message, and generate brand recognition and a corporate identity. PR is about two-way communication with audiences, and gives your message credibility.
There are some things that you can advertise but which you can’t publicise. To obtain media results in PR, your message needs to have some news value, you need to work to the media’s agenda, and understand that your message can’t be controlled.
PR is also generally more cost-effective, simply because you are not buying media space.
Do PR consultants write media articles?
While PR consultants need to be skilled writers, they do not write your story in newspapers or magazines. Instead, we write press releases (or ‘pitch’ story ideas) that that are newsworthy, relevant and incisive. These are submitted to journalists for consideration.
It is up to the editor to decide whether the story is newsworthy and relevant to their publication. If so, the journalist writes the story themselves. This is why a background in journalism is a huge advantage for a PR consultant: they are trained at developing story ideas from scratch, and can look at your story with a news reporter’s eye.
How much does PR cost?
Most PR consultants have hourly rates for various levels of consultancy. Many work out the cost of your campaign by estimating the time required to carry out the agreed work. Other expenses such as events (venue hire and catering etc), postage, and talent hire are additional, and are agreed upon before work begins.
For those seeking ongoing PR, a retainer arrangement is the most common solution. The monthly retainer amount is decided by the client and PR agency together, and is usually based on the level of activities or hours required each month.
How long does a PR campaign take?
Each campaign is different, but three months is usually the minimum time The Ideas Suite requires to deliver results. The reason is that monthly magazines have three-month lead times. (For instance, in January most magazine editors are working on their April issues.)
What results can I expect from a PR campaign? Are there any guarantees?
In advertising, space is paid for by the client and is therefore guaranteed. PR consultants generally can’t guarantee their client will be featured in a particular magazine or TV program, or on a particular date. As editorial space is ‘free’, it’s the reporters and editors who decide whether it will run and when.
However, PR consultants are highly skilled at securing stories in media, and their success rates are often excellent. The level of coverage depends on the newsworthiness of your message, as well as your budget.
How are the results of a campaign measured?
We set communication targets with you at the start, and measure these at regular intervals. Having said that, media clippings are the most common method in PR. For large campaigns, surveys also used to measure increases in awareness.
Do I really need a PR agency? Can’t I carry out the PR myself?
Some businesses can be successful in securing media exposure for themselves. However, many of them eventually approach a PR agency because they don’t have the time to sustain it, nor do they see the results in their business.
PR agencies get results because they channel your message to the markets that will have the greatest effect on your bottom line; they communicate with your target markets systematically; they have up-to-date media contacts; their media contacts extend throughout Australia and often internationally; and they are skilled at tailoring your information to various media outlets.
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