Q. How will PR help my business?
PR is all about creating awareness and getting you noticed. PR reaches large target audiences and is perceived as a better return on investment than advertising, although PR and advertising work synergistically and most companies do a mix.
However, unlike advertising, PR has a credibility advantage because it’s not paid for. Carefully focused PR messages will educate your target audiences about your company, products and services, and brand values. Thanks to the power of PR, your profile will be strengthened in comparison to your competitors, and your audiences will have greater awareness of your company and how it can help them. Effective PR builds businesses and relationships, enhances reputations, and boosts sales.
Q. Why would I work with a PR agency?
An agency with good media contacts can build your media profile from day one, helping you to acquire new customers and strengthen your existing customer base. Relationships take time to build and it requires inside knowledge to successfully pitch stories to the media. A good agency will immerse itself in your business and industry, and employ every PR channel and lever to position you more effectively and generate positive coverage.
Of course, some people may be happy to handle their own PR. But when you’re busy running a business, with countless things competing for your time, it’s difficult to give PR the attention it needs. To succeed, PR demands a regular flow of communication and consistent messaging – whether through press releases, editorial placements, speaking opportunities, events and other activities.
Q. How do I measure the success of a PR campaign?
Measuring the impact of a campaign is equally important for the PR agency and the client. We use a combination of indicators that we agree with our clients and then monitor both the short- and long-term impact. For example, we use Google Analytics to assess website traffic in response to PR output. We also provide details of media coverage, whether resulting from press releases, placed editorial, or other PR initiatives. It’s the foundation of PR monitoring/reporting (ie, the traditional ‘press clippings file’) and provides tangible evidence of media exposure and thus profile-building. In addition, we conduct ‘before’ and ‘after’ surveys to gauge the impact of campaigns.
Q. How much support do we need to give to the PR firm?
Engagement is key. The best results are achieved with clients who understand the value that PR brings to the bottom line. It’s a partnership approach where the agency works closely with the client to draw out the essence of the brand and ensure that the right messages are presented through the right channels to the right audiences. Clear communication is vital, but that doesn’t mean endless and time-consuming face-to-face meetings. At Fibre, we know how to elicit information quickly and efficiently, and we’re experienced at focusing on what’s important to achieve results. We take the pressure off your shoulders so you can concentrate on running your business.