A key function of corporate PR has always been driving sales. But a weak economy, slashed advertising budgets and streamlined staffing models are drawing new attention to the
communications department's contributions to the bottom line.
How does the PR team meet the company's demands for growing sales in 2002? Public relations pros who have consistent success in driving sales embrace one simple principle:
Communicate early and often with the sales team.
Kirsten Lewis, director of PR for Verilytics Inc., a software provider, talks regularly with the sales team to get a better understanding of their prospects.
"A lot of times the PR process becomes so large and routine, it's difficult for PR practitioners" to see the big picture target for communications, she says. In order to combat
that problem, Lewis asks the sales team to provide feedback on what their prospects read, how they gather information on making purchasing decisions and what other resources they
use.
Frequent contact with the sales force helps keep the communications department focused on targeted initiatives that will pay off in terms of new business. "When the budget is
hit, you need to concentrate on the high impact things you do," says Meredith Roth. Roth is president of Roth & Co. Public Relations, a boutique firm. She previously ran
Edelman's Atlanta tech practice. "You would love to do everything from A to Z, but you need to focus on the high impact. If you can get speaking engagements that can be repurposed
into press releases, material for bylined articles, copy for the Web site and PowerPoint presentations for the sales force," that's more significant than a fluffy placement in a
pub potential customers don't read.
Sales execs can even provide guidance on which products or brands need more PR support. Leslie Banks, director of marketing for Dearborn Trade Publishing, frequently contacts
her sales colleagues when a media outlet asks for an author as a source. "I go to the sales director and say, 'I have this opportunity, and I'm thinking of these two authors.
Which has the best location and the best sales?' We still give quality information to the journalist, but it also results in sales for us, whereas if we get a mention for a book
that has already been returned to our warehouse, it doesn't really help us."
Keeping Sales in the PR Loop
Keeping sales execs updated on communications successes is critical as well. Sales teams need more than just a copy of a clip in their sales kit months after a story runs. When
Lewis landed a briefing with an analyst at Gartner, she not only alerted the sales team, she made them part of the briefing. When the product manager who had briefed the analyst
went on a customer call early this month, he was told the meeting was running late - because the prospective client was on the phone with the very same analyst from Gartner. The
product manager told the client to ask the analyst about Verilytics. When the analyst responded with glowing comments, the sales team got an instant credibility boost with its
prospect.
Steve Winston, director of PR for Comforce Corp., a consulting and staffing firm, recommends alerting the sales force about all PR hits - whether media placements, analyst
briefings or other communications coups - regularly. His team sends a weekly package to the sales force around the country, and sends an immediate update for major placements.
"They know within hours if we've been in U.S. News or on CNN. In our business, our sales are rather huge, and companies may not make a decision in a day or a week. It could take
six months to a year, and this is one more arrow in the sales force's quill if they can call and say, 'Did you see us in The New York Times?' It's a way to keep prospects on the
front burner."
Reciprocal Relations
Working more closely with the sales force can expand a streamlined communications department's capabilities. "My department doesn't have time to call every local paper,"
Winston says. His team works with the sales force nationwide to provide media training so they can serve as media sources for local news organizations. "We do role playing and
various scenarios with them, and they generally do very well."
The caveats: anytime PR establishes close working relationships with other departments, it stands to gain another critic. While allying PR more closely with sales can be a boon
to profitability and to PR's position in the company hierarchy, it also means sales may demand a stronger say in communications materials and pitches. "Without advertising
creative and copy to criticize, your colleagues mysteriously will become experts in PR," Roth says. "Especially when advertising dollars have been cut, you have to watch out for
those who confuse advertising and public relations. From the dawn of creation, people have confused [the two], but with streamlined budgets, there's a lot more emphasis on what PR
is doing. All of a sudden six people want to read a press release, when before you could put it out on the wires before anyone looked at it." Roth's solution: give a little -
without compromising your PR ethics, of course. "The language of a press release is not what wins your best media anyway, so don't lose an allegiance over it."
(Contacts: Kirsten Lewis, Verilytics, 781/238-9215; Meredith Roth, Roth & Co., 770/846-1911, [email protected];
Steve Winston, Comforce, 561/994-9500 ext. 106, [email protected]; Leslie Banks, Dearborn Trade Publishing, 800/621-9621 ext. 4304,
[email protected])
Making the Most of Your Sales Team
Steve Winston abides by a simple principle: A sales force that is involved and invested in the company will do better than one that is not. In keeping with that notion, he not
only communicates PR goals and accomplishments to the sales team, he's turning the sales team into a PR force in and of itself.
"We're putting together a comprehensive PR manual for the salespeople so they aren't just bystanders." The manual will be distributed to Comforce's entire sales force and will
include:
- Advice on dealing with the media
- Customizable media materials
- Information on how to hold special events for prospects and media
- Interview tips
- Advice on how to build reputation through local strategic philanthropy (i.e. sponsoring Little League teams