“Click.” Did you hear that? That’s the sound of a switch turning on as PR professionals realize they can make revenue gravy. What’s PR revenue gravy? Here’s my perspective. First, understand PR is an integral part of marketing, not an offshoot. The transformation of marketing from cost center to revenue center is happening because of technologies like marketing automation that track automatic responses to a prospect’s online behavior. Tracking behaviors creates a closed-loop reporting system between marketing and sales. The power to measure digital behavior enables PR to track lead sources back to specific campaigns, just like all other marketing programs.
CHANGE THE CHANNEL
Inherent in this approach is the ongoing digital dialog marketing orchestrates resulting in a “prospect conversion,” completing a form and becoming a name in the database for future marketing, completing a form and asking for more information, a piece of content or a call.
Every digital communication channel leveraged by PR (Web, email, social, mobile) and all content (press releases, publicity placements, web copy, landing pages, emails, blogs, white papers, case studies, etc.) must be optimized for this activity.
By optimizing, I mean inserting a unique tracking link within the content that identifies from where the lead originated. This identification empowers PR to create and executive campaigns that make revenue gravy.
REWIRING PR
The switch must be turned on at both the PR agency and customer site. Consider this example using two recent discussions—one with a digital PR agency where the switch had not clicked on, another with a customer making PR gravy. Many PR agencies have successfully made the transition from print to digital PR from a traditional definition of PR.
Recently I met such a company at a conference in Atlanta, Ga, and began chatting about the future of digital PR. As I was listening to what this agency was doing, it dawned on me they had the same traditional PR focus (outward communication and building awareness), but were just applying it in a different channel—digital.
This company was uneducated about how to make PR revenue gravy and, consequently, was missing an incredible opportunity to create leads for clients as part of their PR efforts.
Why? Because, like most PR pros, they were not wired to think about direct revenue results. They live in a world characterized by press releases, articles and media relations pushed through various digital and print channels designed to bring awareness, influence and engage key constituents in a market.
They also have not kept up with technology—especially marketing automation—and don’t understand the possibilities they might create for clients.
MONETIZING CONTENT
Compare this to a recent conversation with a savvy PR professional working in a global software and services organization. For him, PR was all the traditional elements, plus a lead conversion channel. He worked closely with his company’s demand generation team to treat PR as another channel for leads.
Every piece of content that the PR department proactively pushes out to the public, i.e. press releases, bylined articles, Web copy, etc., is optimized for lead conversion. The result? This PR professional tracks all leads created as a result of PR programs and tracks them as a “PR lead source” from inception to close. He is making PR gravy.
Rather than reacting, i.e. waiting for media to call him and ask for something based on their publishing agenda, he proactively used demand generation programs to entice media to use his publishing agenda.
I’m not saying PR should change its focus—we need the communication, awareness, and brand building. I am saying that both PR agencies and PR professionals within companies should consider the big picture with all these moving parts and learn how to optimize PR for lead conversion.
PR pros have a huge opportunity to produce thick PR revenue gravy and demonstrate marketing ROI. PRN
(This is the first article in a new column exploring how PR and marketing executives can work together more effectively.)
CONTACT:
Debbie Qaqish is principal partner and chief strategy officer for The Pedowitz Group and author of “The Rise of the Revenue Marketer: An Executive Playbook” (BookLogix). She can be reached at [email protected].
This article appeared in the October 21 issue of PR News. Subscribe to PR News today to receive weekly comprehensive coverage of the most fundamental PR topics from visual storytelling to crisis management to media training.