The 13 things senior executives need to know about working with a PR firm
(we just couldn't limit ourselves to 10)
PR can be such a slippery animal. Just when you think you've got a handle on what it's all about and how it works, something new happens to confound you yet again. Contrary to popular belief, however, PR is not a black art and there is some method to our madness - it just doesn't always appear so.
If you're a senior executive working with a PR firm but without deep experience in PR, here are a few things you need to know and that will help you get the most out of a PR campaign, culled from the collective brains of the Atomic PR team.
PR more is more than media relations
Seems obvious. But too often, PR is thought of as 'press relations.' Somewhere along the line, the PR tactic somehow became the PR objective - namely to transmit a message, perspective or information as widely as possible. The journalist became the primary target, the conduit and the gatekeeper. Aside from advertising, they were the only controlled path to the public for many years.
There are a few assumptions here worth exploring:
* Who is 'the public'?
* Where did the real PR objective go?
* Is mass communication the only path?
* Is control possible? Desirable?
* Is dialog more interesting than oration?
PR is not just a business development tool
It can most certainly contribute to the business development effort and help to drive sales, but that's not its sole purpose. PR manages much of the public image of an organization and its relationships with all its audiences and stakeholders. Done well, it builds relationships, competitive advantage and increases value. Done poorly, it erodes positioning and drives value down. Ignored, it places the image of an organization in the hands of competitors and chance events. Category leaders and contenders make PR an integral component of business strategy, and use it as a strategic weapon.
PR is not 'spin'
While we're on the subject of what PR is not, it is most definitely not spin. Yes, it is about presenting yourself and your organization in the best light. But it's not about pulling the wool over people's eyes. Your customers are not stupid and you shouldn't treat them as such. Being authentic is the key to earning respect, especially when it comes to social media. So put your best foot forward, but don't try to game the system or subvert the truth - it will inevitably come back to haunt you.
Involve your PR agency at the beginning of key business initiatives
Agency executives likely have insights gained from working with other companies in similar situations, and involving them early can significantly improve the way the world perceives what you are about to do. Since perception is often reality, higher value perceptions can have a direct impact on actual value, financially speaking.
Positioning is everything
Not to be confused with spin, positioning is the way you talk about your company and set the context around it. Are you a widget maker or a provider of energy management solutions? It can make a big difference to the level of media interest you get.
Strategy is everything, too
It's important to have a well defined set of objectives and the right strategy for achieving them. With the right strategy, results seem to come easily, even despite imperfect tactics or execution. But with the wrong strategy, nothing ever seems to work.
Don't shoot in the dark
Don't base your PR program on guesswork or, worse, solely on your company's agenda. Do homework in advance to understand the discussions and trends that are hot, who's talking about them and who's following them. That way, you can craft a PR campaign that will actually hit the mark. Sophisticated use of communications analytics and detailed program performance measurement can do a lot of good for strategic planning and execution.
'Man arrives home safely' is not news
Neither is 'Company you've never heard of launches product you've never heard of.' We're sorry to say that, when it comes to PR, it really isn't all about you. It's actually pretty rare that a publication will write a story solely about one company that isn't hard news (and remember, hard news is not necessarily positive!) or about a huge company. Impact is the watchword here: the greater and broader the impact of your story, the more likely it is to be of interest to the media and your audience. So don't just think product messages, think big picture: what is the wider trend that your news fits into?
A relationship of unequals
It's a hard truth for some executive egos, but we need the media more than they need us, which gives them the upper hand in this relationship. If you embark on each interaction understanding this balance of power, things will go a whole lot more easily. That doesn't mean kowtowing, but it does mean putting effort into building the relationship and fitting in with their schedules rather than vice versa.
Thought leadership requires thoughts
Virtually every executive wants to be a thought leader, but few are prepared to do what it takes, namely to own bold, unique and insightful opinions on topics that people care about. Don't expect that people will seek your opinion if you don't have unique thoughts to offer that go beyond company and product messages. Don't sit back and wait for people to tap your wisdom; be prepared to engage in dialog and debate.
It's about the right mix of media
As attractive as the idea seems, there is, unfortunately, no "silver bullet." No one out-of-the-box idea that will leapfrog you to the finish line. One piece in the Wall Street Journal or on the Today Show alone, however great, will not get you where you need to go. Equally, there's a limit to the reach you can have purely through the blogosphere or social media tools. What you need is a broad mix of media that reaches your target audience a number of times from a number of different angles. And a set of evolving ideas that can help you sustain coverage over time.
Don't mentally put all your eggs in one basket.
Time is of the essence
Timing can be everything in PR. The media and blogosphere will not wait for you, so call them back quickly if you want to be included in the news cycle. If you want to comment on breaking news, you can't afford to spend hours formulating your response or wait until your meeting finishes. Equally, understand that it takes time to plan and execute a successful launch - six to twelve weeks depending on the nature of the launch. Don't leave PR to the last minute; build it into the early stages of your launch planning so that it can be most effective.
PR is measurable
Don't let anyone tell you that it isn't. Or that you can't afford it. Monitoring and measuring the dialog about your brand, as well as the dialogs about competitors or related brands is an absolute requirement for getting the most out of your public relations investment. Knowledge usually wins.