PR: Yay or Nay?

“My business is doing great, but…” Do you feel like this is something you could say about your business? If you are, it is the first and the biggest sign that you need a change in your company. Doing things halfway is just not who you are, right?! So what can it possibly be that you need at this point of your business development? We are, of course, going to tell you it’s PR :) But is it really? Here are our top 5 reasons for you to seriously consider hiring a PR agency.

1. You keep reading and hearing about your competition, while your company news remains unnoticed

Well, here is the big one! Why are they getting all the attention? Is it their price or their brand image? Let me tell you something, it is neither. It is simply because they have someone constantly thinking “How do we get more attention?” EVERY SINGLE DAY!

You have the whole business to run, so no one really expects you to think about getting that attention all the time, but if it is getting to the point where you start noticing your competition getting ahead of the game, consider it a clue to turn to a publicist.

Pricey, you think? Here is the TIP: ask for a consultation (typically agencies offer them for fee). It might give you an idea of where you need to go in terms of PR and if you feel you can go on that journey on your own, feel free to do so! If you are still not sure you see the right path, but you are on the budget, hire a PR agency only to create a PR campaign that would outline a detailed strategy for the requested period of time. That way you will know for sure what to do to create the buzz and make them listen :)

2. The last time you updated your website/social media platforms was months ago and the new update is not coming anytime soon…there is just not enough time in a day!

I know, I know, it's a constant juggle between developing your business, finding and keeping clients, giving your family love and attention they deserve and trying to still be…well…your everyday self! Maybe it's time for you to finally get a hand.

There is the job you know and love, and then there is all that extra stuff like social media, website updates, newsletters, growing your mailing list…oh, man! But what can you do, your clients want to know what’s going on in your business! A PR agency is the answer.

Yes, you will be paying someone to do a job you could potentially do yourself, but, if you/your business click with the publicist you are working with it will all be worth it! First of all, you get time! Now you can decide whether you want to spend it on your business doing the work you love and you are excellent at, spend time with your family or simply go to a SPA - you can do it all. Second, you get professional services from people who studied to do exactly what was taking up all your time. Subsequently, you will see more results, just because, well, it's their job. Finally, becoming a client in a PR agency gives your business access to platforms and tools that you might have not been aware of or that were too expensive to use on your own. These services increase both quality and quantity, and while you probably couldn’t justify their cost in order to buy for your business, they are a must have at any PR agency. Large mailing lists, professional looking websites and social media pages are only few of many perks you get when you hire a PR agency.

TIP: again, if you are on the budget (and, honestly, even if not), make sure to customize whatever package the agency offers! Most likely you will get exactly the services you need for lower price. Remember, while you probably should listen to some suggestions coming from your PR agency representative, you are the ONLY person who knows what's best for your business! Don’t let a PR representative trick you into thinking otherwise.

3. Buying countless ads takes up your whole marketing budget

Ummm, okay, we should chat right this minute! I’m not saying that ads are bad, or completely ineffective, but if it’s the only thing you do to promote your business it can become a problem, and here is why.

An advertisement doesn't tell people what you/your business do or who you really are. They create awareness, most of the time without really even telling people what to do with the knowledge about your company. Statistically, you get 1 potential client out of every 250 people who heard you radio ad, 1 out of 400 who saw your banner and only 1 out of 500 who watched your TV commercial! Is that what you were looking for? Plus, spending your whole budget on advertisement seems like a lot of ads to me! Might become a bit annoying to your potential customers, don’t you think?

But what else can I do? Well, that’s why we are here! A PR agency can become a great source to help you balance your existing marketing budget between ads, publicity, social media and much more that will grow your audience and create more awareness. Using your marketing budget only in one direction is a business spend, using your budget on the variety of marketing tools is a long-term business investment that directly drives future sales!

TIP: if you have a specific budget in mind always let your PR agency representative know about it upfront. That way you will both avoid uncomfortable conversations and most likely you both will get the most out of working together!

4. You are expanding into a new region

Alright, this is a no-brainer. When you have a business in the same city you live in, and let’s face it, most of us start this way, you might be able to get away without a PR representation. At the end of the day, you live there, you know your audience, you see it with your own eyes every single day. Once you move your business away, you will absolutely need an extra pair of eyes there to look after your business and to create a connection with your new, extended audience.

If you are expanding to a different state and you are already working with a PR agency they might be able to handle it (c’mon, give your publicists some credit!) especially if they’ve had experience in the region you are expanding to or if they’ve proven to secure national coverage in the past. However, expect them to raise your retainer since the workload is probably going to fly through the roof once the campaign is up and running in the extended territory.

In case you, for some reason, feel that your current agency is not competent to do the job out of state, go with your gut and look for another one in the new region. Might be pricey, but at least you will be confident in your representation and it’s worth every penny.

Now, let’s talk about expanding to another country. This is a whole new territory…literally! There is NO WAY PR professionals in the US will know the market in China (even if they are Chinese). I say it being Russian and starting my PR career in Russia - I’ve been working in the US market for the last five years, and I have no idea what is going on in the Russian market right now. Of course, hiring a PR agency in a different country will cost you a lot of time and money, but there is just no way around it. They will be your one and only connection to your audience there (which, by the way, can differ from the audience you had in your home country).

TIP: do the research yourself first! At least to know the cost of the services you are looking for in that region. The prices might vary dramatically from what you are used to and that is something you will have to accept. In the end of the day, it’s worth it.

5. You think you finished your PR project and there is nothing more you can do.

Just no! It is impossible to achieve and while you are capable of many things this is not the one :) There is no perfection in PR. You can stop and still see the results coming from your previous work, but it won’t last long. Can it be that you just lost your PR focus? Most likely.

Whether it’s just you doing all the PR or you have someone doing it for you, PR agency has one huge advantage over having an in-house publicist. If you are the owner of a small business you probably have one-two people doing PR for you and it is understandable that they run out of ideas and can lose focus at some point. Agency, on the other hand, has a whole team of professionals and a constant creative work flow. Hiring one can be a great way to breathe in a new life into your campaign or even change a strategy if you feel the old one stopped being as effective as it was in the beginning.

TIP: Don’t be scared to hire a PR agency to work alongside your in-house PR professionals. In fact, that is the way to get the most out of the situation when you stopped seeing a necessity in PR.

Did any of these signs speak to you? Think about it, a kick from a good PR agency might be just the thing that takes your business up to the new level.