True or false – when an organization is working to increase its industry presence, increase brand recognition or launch a new product or service, public relations is one of the most valuable and effective tools.
If you answered true, you are on to something, my friend. Furthermore, outsourcing your public relations and marketing efforts can save you time and ensure that your brand is excellently positioned with a strategic and effective method behind it. The decision to outsource must be both strategic and tactical. What’s the right choice for your organization? Here are five benefits to outsourcing to the pros:
Photo via: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/relationship-between-public-relations-practitioners-media-67778.html
- Spotlight your strengths. There’s a long-time business ideology of outsourcing any activity that is not a direct core competency to your business. For example, developing an outstanding marketing campaign may be central to your company, but writing a press release may not be. When looking to outsource to a PR firm, it’s beneficial to work with an agency that specializes in your specific industry as they will have the strong relationships with relevant media contacts, as well as the knowledge of which strategies and tactics will be most effective for achieving your company’s goals.
- Get the actionable results you deserve. By outsourcing your PR and marketing efforts, you will have enhanced ability to quantify the results of your campaigns and initiatives and have a better understanding of what it means for your business as analyzed by skilled PR and marketing professionals. Analytics, when pulled and presented properly, will give you an idea of how far your investment in PR and marketing went to achieve your goals.
- Who you know really does matter. A large part of the PR industry involves networking and building connections with the press and media. A rock star PR agency will have a plethora of strong connections that they can utilize in delivering your message to your target audience. This gives your organization a leg up when it comes to working with reporters and getting placed in front of the media. Attempting to establish these relationships on your own time could be incredibly frustrating and not to mention, it can take a number of months to solidify a strong connection with members of the media. Additionally, by employing a PR team, you’re adding valuable resources to your own team. You’re receiving invaluable guidance on whom to target and how to advance newsworthy updates about your company to the media. Let’s not forget that PR agencies also provide coaching for press interviews and broadcast appearances, which can make or break your firm’s reputation.
- Outsourcing saves you money. In an age where employee salaries are skyrocketing, it’s crucial to consider what will get you the most bang for your buck. When you outsource to an agency, in many cases you’re essentially gaining a full-blown team of experienced public relations and marketing experts for a fraction of the price.
- Time is money. You’re working smarter when you outsource because you’re allowing yourself to hone in on the core focus of your business and your strengths while allowing an agency to handle the marketing and PR initiatives.
It’s undeniable that outsourcing your marketing and PR efforts is a big decision for any company. You know your company, its products and its services best so the decision lies in your hands. However, a well-strategized PR and marketing plan implemented by the pros, can increase your ROI and frankly, there isn’t a lot that’s more valuable than that.