Why use a PR agency? What's the Need?

Assessing why you need PR - how to work out what your public relations requirements really are.

It’s best to begin by looking at your business and sales requirements. For instance, how are you planning to achieve your sales objectives over the next 3-6 months?

Look at your customer base and how they can be reached. Would media coverage in the right place lead directly to sales, or would is it more likely that it would create a positive environment into which you could sell?

Work backwards from the people/groups/audiences you want to communicate with and assess what sectors of the media they read, and to what extent their behaviour/buying decisions are influenced by the media. Some industries and markets are much more readily influenced by the press than others, so bear this in mind.

How should PR be used as part of a wider marketing programme?

Generally PR works best when used in conjunction with other marketing activities. While you have the chance to reach pretty much whatever audience you need through the pages of the press, maximum effect is usually achieved through the use of marketing activities which support each other.

When you have appointed an agency, make sure they are involved with the other marketing work you are doing, as they may be able to help - or at the very least - integrate their work with the rest of your marketing.

How can you create PR objectives from business objectives?

Set out your main five or six business/sales objectives over the next 3-6 months, and decide what factors are going to most strongly influence whether you achieve them or not. Then, work out where effective press coverage will fit into that picture.

So, if you are planning to double your sales of a certain product in the next six months, what role does the media have in the sales process? Where does press coverage influence sales?