CREATING MEDIA HEADLINES SINCE 2007

PR is not a marketing option just for big business. PR is two-way communication between a business and its audiences, which is ultimately something all businesses should be prioritising. The type of strategic communications required depends on your industry and your business’s market reach. The larger your target market and the wider the distribution of your product or service, the more likely you will benefit from a PR program.

In advertising, as space is paid for by the client, it is guaranteed. A PR agency generally can’t guarantee its client will be featured in a particular media outlet or on a particular date. As editorial space is ‘free’, it’s the media outlet that decides whether it will run and when. The level of media coverage also depends on the newsworthiness of your message, as well as your PR budget (which determines our PR scope of work). At The Ideas Suite, we use our extensive experience from previous campaigns to give you a guide as to how much media our campaign will generate for your brand.

Consistently developing and driving news stories from a brand is key to a successful PR strategy. While many people believe they can do it themselves, they simply don’t have the time to generate newsworthy stories or can’t get their stories published in leading media outlets. Many companies eventually approach a PR agency after doing the PR themselves for this reason. You need to be able to react quickly to what is happening in the news, keep up to date with trending issues or topical current affairs and incorporate this into your PR. Investing in a PR consultant will ensure your brand’s ‘PR machine’ is always on.

While most PR agencies have hourly rates for various levels of consultancy, The Ideas Suite offers a fixed fee for each type of PR activity, from media releases to award submissions and social posts. Our clients use our rate card to agree on a fixed monthly PR retainer with us.

The length of time a PR campaign takes depends on the individual needs and requirements of a brand. It can take time for your brand to gain momentum in the media. Incorporating a range of PR activities, such as social media and promotions, will help ensure your campaign is well-rounded and improve the likelihood of having success faster.

The Ideas Suite will set communication targets and goals with its clients at the start of each campaign. We review these at regular intervals to determine the most impactful and successful channels and tactics. For large campaigns, ‘campaign awareness’ surveys can also be used.

The most frequently used marketing promotional methods are PR and advertising. Advertising is paid, non-personal communication specifically geared to drive sales. Digital, TV, radio, outdoor and cinema advertising are some common forms. PR generates news within media and social media – at no cost to the brand. PR also engages audiences through events and promotions and improves brand reputation through stakeholder communication, crisis management, and corporate relations.

Not for every organisation – and it’s certainly not the only avenue. Social media, digital marketing, branding at events via sponsorship or speaking, and direct marketing are all effective, depending on the brand. The Ideas Suite’s campaigns utilise a mix of channels to maximise results for each campaign.

The level of media coverage depends on the newsworthiness of your message – which is why a PR agency’s role is to maximise the newsworthiness of every story or media release they develop. At The Ideas Suite, we use our experience from previous campaigns to give you a guide on the level of results our campaign will generate for your brand.

Most PR agencies 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 venue hire and catering for events, are additional and agreed upon before the PR begins. The Ideas Suite does not bill per hour, but offers fixed fees for various PR activities. For those seeking ongoing PR, a fixed monthly fee is the most common arrangement. 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.