Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Consultants can not spin gold from straw...
the case study information needs to come from you.

Now that being said, here are some things I feel they should do for you.

New product press releases
New staff press releases
Trade association press releases
Trade Show press releases
Placed Articles
Your key employees interviewed and quoted by trade press
If you are a consumer product - radio, tv placements

I like the case study idea, but agree they should be doing "more." Clarifying expectations before everyone gets frustrated is really important.

I'm thinking about what seems to be some "basics" ...

* "boiler plate" description/profile of your company

* interviews -- internal (ie: key execs) and external (customers? clients? industry experts?)

* ongoing ideas/topics for releases (not too much to ask them to be proactive ... you are hiring them for their expertise, it's not yours, and you should be working as a team)

Check your contract when you agreed to the retainer, too ... did they not give you an outline of services?

Hope this helps a little!

I want to reiterate the comment by "amandavega." Your retainer covers a certain number of hours, and PR work is time consuming.

Perhaps you can ask for an itemized use of those hours, and ask that anytime there is extra time during a month they do certain filler tasks. Blogging is a good idea for filler.

I think your initial query says a lot - you state the you "expect more" - then proceed to ask what it is you should expect (?).

My sense from this thread is that you are somewhat inexperienced in the use of public relations, and the knowledge of how a program should be constructed. Fair enough - but don't blame your consultant for that.

As several posters in this thread have stated - you need to determine exactly what it is that you do expect - and than do a reality check - by interviewing several additional PR advisers or consultants.

One thing I'm curious about - you never mention talking to a PR agency. Why is that? If it is a budget issue (again, fair enough) then you have to temper your expectations by that budget. I've had prospects that expected the sun, the moon and the stars and only wanted to pay $1.95 for it all. Those expectations and budget don't match up.

The general criteria for PR success in a B-to-B context is industry visibility and competitive messaging. Case studies are the best vehicle for that. Much of the rest just follows and much of it is simply window dressing. If your case studies are working - then build on that (expand their scope to executive interviews, etc.) - but be realistic about what you can expect based on your company's size, industry position and resources (such as spokespersons).

It's possible that your consultant is doing more, just that you're not yet seeing more. If they don't have a PR plan, ask for one. It should be clear who they're targeting, their goals for your company, and how they know if they've been successful. A blog may (or may not) be the right tool for them to use for you - ask them what they suggest that you should do next...and why. Listen and learn. If you doubt their information, do your homework to learn more about other PR tools and proactively ask about their appropriateness for your market (and their skills).

There is nothing I can add to this conversation, except to say "thank you!" Neil, this was a great question and one that many people in my organization had been asking. But, as someone who is reconnecting to PR after 7 years of marketing, I have not found the words to clearly explain what has been going on.

It's good to see that some of the things I have been saying were right on target, but for the proof, I'm going to print this and take it to our next PR meeting.

Thanks again for asking, and thank you to everyone who contributed.

One of the most eye-opening revelations for most clients is that the PR consultant can't create something from nothing. It's not possible to just hand off PR and believe that the consultant will take it from there.

The most effective PR happens as a stream of constant information through a variety of channels--newspaper articles, mention in a magazine feature, blog posts, awards, news about key employees, etc. Very rarely do those activities "just happen" in the normal course of business. They must be planned, managed and executed--and doing so needs to involve the business and often key business leaders.

Winning an award requires doing something award-worthy and taking the time to research awards and submit proposals. Being in the "People on the Move" column requires that managers within the company be doing something newsworthy such as serving on boards of directors, holding charity roles, earning certifications, etc. Holding events can be great for PR, but it is time-consuming for the client business. Creating case studies means constant outreach to solicit information from clients.

In other words, good PR not only requires work by the PR consultant--it also takes sustained commmitment and work on the part of the client, usually work that is over and above just producing their product/service. That's where most clients lose heart.

Unfortunately, good PR takes an inordinate amount of time and effort. Professionals may make it look easy, but it's not. There is quite a bit of "grunt work" involved in building good media lists, following up by phone, nurturing relationships with reporters and editors. PR is also not a 100% hit effort. It may take months of pitching a reporter before the right story pitches him at the right time. Don't forget--reporters aren't in business to promote companies (that's what the ad department is for). They keep their jobs by informing and entertaining their readers/listeners. If your company can help them do that, your story gets in the news. But their needs may not (and often aren't) in sync with your time table.

Not only that, but publication deadlines can be long--especially for magazines. It's not uncommon to find that national magazines are working 12 to 18 months out. That means your consultant could be pitching successfully, but results won't be seen for a while.

Patience is the most important aspect for successful PR. I'd suggest talking with the consultant to see what he/she needs from you to create additional results.

I agree with GailMartin - Pr schedules are long in comparison to the payout you may get from advertising and marketing efforts, but the longer time horizon is worth the wait!

Talk with your PR person and see if he has a schedule for the next 12-18 months. Besides feeding case studies, are you providing him with other pertinent company info and your own marketing and product strategies? If he knows that you're launching a new line in 9 months, he needs to start planning NOW with photos, product descriptions and pitching to the NEWs sections of trade pubs and industry blogs. Are you doing several large trade shows? He needs to know that too so he can attend them and pitch to journalists covering the event.

All of this is part of a solid marketing communications work plan. The plan isn't written in stone, but will serve you both as a guide up the mountain of product placement and promotion.

So get out those calendars and have a working meeting where you both plan out a strategy you can live and work with.

Boy, did you get some great input! This thread is worthwhile reading for everyone seeking help from PR professionals.

As with just about everything in marketing, there's no free lunch. Your results will depend on your own involvement and the professionalism of the people you hire.

Of course, the more clearly you can define your objectives and the metrics you'll use to evaluate results, the better chance you have of achieving them.