We’re often asked, “Why should we use a PR Agency – isn’t it better value to recruit or expand the role of someone already working in the marketing function?”.
Whilst it is true that you can recruit or redeploy someone internally to look at the issue, this is rarely the best option. PR agencies bring the knowledge and depth of experience of dealing with many clients often across quite diverse sectors, and all of this is available to you. This breadth of knowledge will also be able to tell you what works and what doesn’t – again from experience – as well as bringing ideas and solutions from out of your sector to the table. A good PR agency will also tell you what is and isn’t a good story – the latter lost all too often internally!
Agencies also know how to deal with the press, recognising what works and what doesn’t – even when is the best time to send a submission. Dealing on a regular basis with many publications and journalists they also have will built up relationships, which are essential in getting a message placed.
PR agencies also bring creative thinking, which is important in differentiating your message from another or to catch the eye of your target audience. They also typically have the ability to write in a style that not only reflects your brand but in a way that chimes with the audience.
As many a journalist will tell you, there are good ways and bad ways to write a press release, and they will also tell you which of these they use! Of course, there is the skill of identifying the story, and pulling out the messages that you want to convey, but a skilled PR professional will also know how to deflect attention from any shortcomings intrinsic to all products and services.
Above all thought PR agencies are cost-effective, and more so than recruiting someone in-house. Agencies are a resource, and often its less about being a bad agency it’s about being a good client. Use them, involve them, work with them, bounce ideas off them; they will bring to the table far, far more than you might think – and certainly far more than they cost!