By Len Abbazia/Springboard Public Relations
As the marketing needles have shifted to PR to provide more staying power than a flashy ad campaign, many companies are no longer viewing PR agencies as a tactical quick fix to
get some "ink."
This expanded role has elevated the public relations agency into the limelight as the new Agency of Record for many corporations. Thus, the real question then becomes "How can
I position my agency to be an AOR?" The following are some tips to ensure that you fit the AOR bill before you engage a potential client:
- Develop a PR Audit Program - This allows you entrée to senior management within a corporation. Part of this process entails interviewing them for perspective on how their
company is perceived in the marketplace. - Create a Message Development Program - This gives you access to the key stakeholders within a company who are shaping how to position their value propositions to target
audiences. - Build a PR/Marketing Infrastructure - A solid messaging platform document lays the foundation for all PR and marketing infrastructure communications and further validates the
value of a PR agency as the AOR. - Take the Message to the Streets -- Having an entire organization on the same page and communicating the corporate and product/service messages consistently, across all media,
shows unity and confidence. - High Impact PR Plans That Touch all Parts of the Marketing Mix will Succeed - a comprehensive PR plan streamlines the messages that drive the advertising and creative
components of the marketing equation. PR must work in tandem with advertising since it is all part of the marketing mix.