QUESTIONS ABOUT PR…ANSWERED BY THE PRO’S

We’ve been scanning the Internet for questions that people frequently have about PR. Not just because we are curious but also because it improves how we communicate with our clients and customers (pro tip*). Anyway, we’ve collated the questions and answered them for you here:

Why do I need PR?

PR is more than just getting your name into the media. It’s also reputation management, building credibility and carving out leadership in your industry. Now, I suppose if you don’t want those things then you’re just fine the way you are, but if you are building a budding business or maintaining a business, elements of PR are essential to communicate effectively with the world. PR is an integrated approach of building your brand awareness, driving your message and expertise and creating your reputation (whatever that may be). That said, having a solid PR is more suited for brands that are ready for the long-game and want to show key stakeholders that they are credible and consistent in their growth and overall business.
What does your agency offer that will ensure our business succeeds?

While this is clearly a more specific question, I’ll answer this broadly. A good PR agency should be able to offer you insights and strategies that are specific to your business and your goals. Our approach is that we hear your core challenges, see what your competitors are doing in the market and address areas where you need to elevate your content and communication game. The Silver Telegram is also the only agency to offer guarantees. That doesn’t mean we are shady or are paying anyone, it just means that we will work until your project accomplishes what we believe it deserves and should. Everything is possible if you approach it from the right direction. We will build strategies to get you there, you just have to collaborate. PR is not magic.
ROI – what’s in it for me?
Everything is in it for you. Public Relations build value, credibility and customer relations. It is essential to have a positive brand reputation whether you just do a little PR or a lot. PR comes in varied forms, it’s not just press releases and media interviews. Overall, PR builds your brand value.
What’s the difference between Marketing & PR?
There are so many differences but the lines are blurring. At the basic level Marketing is based on a sales-focused approach while PR is based on educating the customer. A Marketing brochure will highlight all the reasons why customers should buy your product, while something like a fact sheet, is just delivering the facts and educating the customer. That doesn’t mean that these two departments do not closely align or sound similar. In fact, many brands have chosen to take a PR-led approach because it seems less spammy than constantly marketing to their audiences. I believe an integrated approach is the best way to conquer this.
Everyone thinks their announcement is groundbreaking news but… why does it matter right now?

This is the basis question for every press release. The problem is that companies put out “news” just to be noisy. I agree, that its a tactic you can use to get noticed. However if you put out too many “noisy” announcement, the media does start to ignore you a bit. It’s like the boy who cried wolf. The best strategy is to build out your announcement strategy and make sure that you are delivering something timely and newsworthy every time. Include why your announcement is impacting the industry, not just “why is the announcement a big deal for your company,” that’s not what the media is meant to deliver.
How many people will be working on my account?

In a solid program you can expect anywhere from 3-4 people working on your account. If you have a bigger program that is delivering a wider range of content and is a more aggressive program you may have more. This will vary from agency to agency. Some brand programs are so big they take up floors of buildings to accomplish the goals that are set in their scope of work. This all depends on the size and the timeline of your project to determine how many people need to get it done.
How often will we hear from your team?

In most cases you’ll hear from your team on a weekly basis as a check in on your program. Some programs require only bi-monthly check ins. Again this is determined by the scope of your project but I would suggest anything less than at least 2 times a month to stay on top of your action items and your goals.
How much budget do I need to allocate to achieve my goals?

Again, this all depends on how aggressive you want to be in your program and how much time you have to get there. A solid program that covers a little bit of everything will vary. When you work with a freelancer you’ll be able to squeeze a bit more out of them, hoping that they are good and diligent. Our programs start at $6500/month and go up from there with monthly guarantees so that you know you’re going to hit some minimum metrics. We also have a full set of services that includes marketing, content marketing, social media and digital marketing so that you can have a full-service team and not “just” a PR team doing PR. Since these communication practices need to be integrated, it’s a great way to build a team that you don’t have to have internally. Caution though: Make sure you’re ready to collaborate!

Check out our full suite of services for 2023 here: TST 2023 Capabilities

We’ve also covered this topic in The PR Playbook podcast episode 67. There are some additional and different questions you may be curious about that are added to this list…You can listen to The PR Playbook Podcast Episode 67 here: Twelve Frequently Questions about Public Relations