You just hired a publicist to help you get some publicity. Things are moving forward just fine. Then, you get your big, monthly retainer bill with all of the PR fees. Yikes!
Since public relations’ activities take a lot of time and effort, they can be expensive. Plus, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes research, media pitching, copywriting, and follow-up that goes on.
So, how do you know you are getting what you pay for?
Check out this list to confirm that you are spending your PR, or public relations, money wisely!
After your publicist writes your press release and obtains your approval, they will probably distribute it to the media using one of the many distribution services available.
Prices can vary significantly (from hundreds to thousands of dollars)… and so can the results.
Before distributing your news, discuss this process with your publicist. This way, you can decide on the best choice for your messaging, timelines and budget.
Are you paying for original content (press releases, articles, media kits, blogs, speeches, newsletters, and other pieces) but getting templated work?
Many companies offer all kinds of content and PR activities that seem very cost-effective. But hold on!
Do they just use templates and replace blank spaces with your information?
Find out or you may be sending out the same content as your competition, decreasing your search engine rankings and damaging your brand! (You usually get what you pay for!)
When your news goes out, what contact data appears with it?
Specifically, press releases usually include a link, phone number and/or email to a specific person to obtain more information.
If you open your press release and click on the contact link provided, does it go to a reputable PR person and company? If not, you can hurt your business reputation.
When you receive your invoice for monthly services, are all of the fees itemized with the appropriate descriptions?
If you don’t understand what a particular service or fee is, ask!
Also, if your invoice includes generic information, obtain more details. Reputable publicists can tell you how your budget is being spent, how much time they spent on each activity and the results you received from their work… whenever you ask.
Since public relations’ activities can take a lot of time and effort without big results, it’s important to understand the process.
Take the time to develop a specific plan for your unique goals with your publicist. Set expectations and keep the lines of communication open so there aren’t any surprises.
Public relations is all about communications, and it starts with you and your PR team. To get the best results for your time and money, talk to your publicist on a regular, monthly basis. Set specific goals that are unique to your business and ask questions.
This way, you’ll know all about what messaging is going out and when, tentative results, PR fees, and upcoming deadlines and activities. Sure. You can hand your money over to a publicist and let them take care of everything. But, if you don’t pay attention to what they’re doing, you may be the one that gets taken!
Author Melanie Rembrandt is an award-winning publicist, content strategist and speaker who helps overwhelmed entrepreneurs have more time to thrive! If you want to boost sales, awareness and credibility fast with a unique combination of targeted, SEO copywriting and public relations, get more information at Rembrandt Communications, https://www.rembrandtwrites.com.
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