By Jeannette Bitz
In Monday’s issue of the Huffington Post, writer Grant Cardon (Author of Sell to Survive and International Sales and Business Expert) wrote a blog post,"Do PR Firms Make Sense Anymore", where he talks about his frustrations with working with three different PR firms. He noted that none of these firms could really grab or keep the attention of the reporters he wanted to reach. Keep in mind though, he hired and fired three different firms in a one-year period. While I’m not going to use this blog to talk about what could have gone wrong in their efforts, I do believe it’s important to address his macro question: Does hiring a PR firm even make sense anymore with the world changing so much?
Yes, hiring a strong PR agency partner still makes sense, especially with the age of digital media. While it’s true that digital media tools such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. give companies and executives the opportunity to self publish their message, it doesn’t mean that their message is sticking. It also doesn’t mean they are reaching the right audience with the right tools.
Let’s first start with the messaging; nowadays, it’s not always about what the company thinks their message should be. In the age of digital media, it’s more about what the masses, or your customers, are saying about you. A good agency will help you determine if your messaging reflects the value of your solution; additionally, an agency partner will help you ascertain if your messaging is compelling enough to get the attention of prospects and customers. I always advise companies to select an agency that has experience in the market you are trying to reach so that your agency team members can provide sound input on how your story is being communicated.
Second, used correctly, digital media can help companies tell their story. However, most companies are only using these tools to promote their company, product or services. The evolution of digital media gives companies an opportunity to create a community of like-minded individuals and to engage in a dialog, as opposed to a one-way communication. Even those companies that are using these tools correctly are not integrating them into their other marketing and PR efforts. For example, if a company has a YouTube channel with compelling videos, it makes sense to include links to the channel in relevant press releases to help drive traffic to the channel. That’s an obvious and easy thing to do. There are certainly other ways an agency can helps its clients integrate digital media to ensure maximum exposure and reach.
Not every digital media tool is the right tool for reaching every audience. As companies do with any PR or marketing program, it is important to create a plan and a strategy. As a part of the planning process, find out what digital media tools, blogs and publications your customers and other influencers are getting their information from on a regular basis. By the way, this is exactly where a good PR firm, that has experience helping other clients integrate digital media into their PR and marketing efforts, can play a critical role in helping organizations articulate its messages.
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