When Should You Outsource Your PR Efforts?

1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week, or are you satisfied with "occasional" exposure? Now, this question alone is important... but not enough. The main component of this question is the IMPORTANCE of PR.

2) Do you have the internal staff and expertise to commit the internal resources to your PR efforts?

If you have the internal staff, and they understand Guerrilla PR principles, then there may be no reason to hire an outside agency.

Paradoxically, the busier you get, the easier it is to parlay, or "set aside" consistant, important PR activities. Don't get caught in that trap!

3) Finally, Public Relations is a craft that requires PASSION. You may need PR, and you may even have the people to conduct your PR campaigns, however, that's not enough.

In order to be truly effective, it's important that your PR campaigns are conducted with PASSIONATE CONSISTENCY.

Here's a quick "checklist" you can use to "size up" any PR firm you are considering to hire:

? Do you get along with the members of the firm? Hiring a PR agency is a collaboration that you can benefit from, month after month, year after year. Quality rapport is an essential ingredient.

? Are they realistic, in terms of managing your expectations, or do they promise you "pie in the sky"? It's one thing for a PR firm to promise you results. It's another thing for them to promise you "specific" results. Maybe you'd like to get on Oprah Winfrey from the start...so would everyone else.

Be prepared to take advantage of several secondary media opportunities before you get to the top tier.

Several base hits can score you more runs than going for grand slams every time.

? Is the PR firm creative? Creative PR people will be more likely to come up with more "angles" to test.

? Do they understand how to pitch your story? A progressive PR firm will be effective AND efficient at telling your story...thus, yielding you more media coverage.

? Do they listen to what you say? Let's face it...your PR needs are constantly evolving. Your PR firm should listen...and respond to your unique, evolving needs.

? Are they using a "hard sell" to get you to sign? A good PR firm is a busy PR firm. They don't need to sell you. Their track record will allow you to decide based on the evidence.

? Do they have local AND regional AND national media contacts? When you go to a great PR firm, they have cultivated several strategic media relationships, over many years of time. Are you confident that they have the necessary Rolodex® to place your story in front of the appropriate media?

? Did they outline a campaign game plan for you? You can predict the effectiveness of a PR firm by the soundness of their overall strategic approach.

? Have you seen samples of their work? Track record comes in the form of QUALITY of exposure, in addition to the QUANTITY of exposure.

? Do you believe they undersand your needs and goals?

? Do you feel that they will carry out your PR campaign with consistant PASSION?

Finally, ? Do you should feel comfortable with the fee and the contract? Getting good PR is a process. It requires well thought out plans, implemented with passion, and a focus on results in the form of getting your story told to the world.

So, whether you conduct your PR efforts from within your company, or whether you hire an outside PR firm...

If media exposure is valuable to you, then you will commit to PR as an ongoing, systematic part of your overall marketing mix.

Joe Nicassio designs marketing campaigns, and coaches entrepreneurs to improve their bottom-line profits. His website is http://RapidResultsMarketing.com.

To get your free CD "Joe Nicassio Reveals Marketing Philosophies And Secrets That Advertiser Don't Want You To Know" Send your snail mail address to FreeCD@RapidResultsMarketing.com

---

Media Relations: Should You Pay For News Coverage?

Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one... Read More

Can Newbies Avoid The Pitfalls?

Yes indeed! If you are a young person who has... Read More

Top 10 Tips for Successful TV Interviews

1. Appearing in other types of media is the best... Read More

Is PR Right for You? 6 Questions to Ask

When most people think about marketing, they think advertising. While... Read More

10 Ways to Get the Media to Love You

So you've put yourself "out there" with a public relations... Read More

E-Mail Media Releases

E-mail is becoming the preferred way to receive media releases.... Read More

Press Kit Elements That Work

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,it's always... Read More

PR: Room at the Bottom?

When special events and communications tactics rule the PR roost... Read More

16 Publicity tips for Restaurants

With a dismal failure rate of more than 75 percent... Read More

Your Organization: What Role PR?

As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More

Go Ahead, Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Call a Reporter

Yes, you can call a reporter.I've said it before, in... Read More

Media Training: When Reporters Bully You

UNDER FIREA friend whose organization is often in the media... Read More

A Winning Game Plan

You want to sell your products or services, and that... Read More

PR: Focus on What Matters!

Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of... Read More

CD ROM Business Cards

Created properly, an extremely effective marketing tool.It's a great concept,... Read More

Want to Light a Fire Under Your PR?

Yes? Then do something positive about the behaviors of those... Read More

Media Training - Essentials for ALL Office Professionals

Often the first point of contact the media has with... Read More

Yes, There is a PR Sweet Spot

And here it is: public relations alters individual perception leading... Read More

6 Essentials for Doing Your Own PR: Guest Author

Today's issue of Lean Marketing Champions features tips on doing... Read More

Inoculate Yourself Against Bad PR

What is bad PR?Well, if you're a business, non-profit or... Read More

Managers Who Tap Into PRs Value

Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction... Read More

Online Business Press Release Writing Tips And Ideas

Press releases are one of the most cost-effective ways to... Read More

Publicity - Tips on Dealing With the Media

You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More

Possibilities Of The Blogosphere For The PR Industry In Spanish-Speaking Countries

Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the... Read More

The Feeding Tube for Your Business

There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More

Building Credibility Through Bylined Articles

As if making sure your company runs smoothly on an... Read More

Publicity - How to Write a Headline That Will Garner Free Publicity

Taking your ad and turning it into paragraph-style prose is... Read More

PR: Am I Getting a Good Deal?

You are getting a good deal when you accept the... Read More

How Video Production can be used in PR

At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More

Sure-Fire Recipe for a Successful Public Relations Career

Without a solid, well-designed foundation, few buildings successfully withstand the... Read More

PR Works! 15 Ways To Make Your Press Release Stand Out From the Crowd

Do editors of newspapers, magazines and online news sites really... Read More

Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade, And Influence

Media management has become one of the strategic tools for... Read More

PR Buyers Beware!

It can bite you and waste your public relations budget... Read More