Measuring PR is a hot topic. Talk to any PR or marketing leader and they want to know which campaigns are paying off, which influencers and reporters are driving engagement, and if their agency retainer is bigger than their ROI.
The problem, of course, is that most leaders aren’t sure how to find those answers. The intention to measure PR accurately is there, but the ability often isn’t.
PR firms have a massive opportunity to go way beyond the old practice of merely pitching existing news. The smartest among us can become masters of crafting the news. That means spotting trends and keeping up with what’s developing in pop culture, then using those insights to put out routine news in more compelling ways, create opportunities and coattail on relevant breaking news.
If you’re measuring every activity because you think more is more and that everything is important, then it’s time to switch lanes. But as you embark on a week of heavy measuring, I realize you might need a pep talk. So here’s a few morsels of wisdom from our conference speakers to get your engine running.
If that new car you’re shopping for doesn’t have the latest bells and whistles, it’s likely you’ll opt for the one that sports the coolest technology and whose dashboard displays practically everything except your blood… Continued
Strong blog content is the “gift that keeps on giving.” Every post you publish boosts organic search engine relevance, thus keeping your brand top of mind and at the top of online searches. It’s also a highly effective way to stay engaged with your readers, building an atmosphere of long-term trust among your audience. And of course, it’s a way to further extend your brand’s personality in ways that traditional marketing may not.
Companies around the world now face new and complex crises—things like cyberattacks, phishing and hacking—that can pose enormous threats to safety, reputation and profitability. Damage to a brand is pretty much guaranteed to happen when a company is not prepared with robust business continuity and crisis communications plans. There are now more than 80 to 90 million cybersecurity events each year, costing the global economy $575 billion in 2014. It is predicted that the number of cyberattacks will only grow from here, and with it the concern felt by the general public.
It appears Mossack Fonseca simply did not have a proper crisis management plan in place—an inexcusable omission for a company that has been in operation for over 40 years and regularly handles billions of dollars in client assets.
While most organizations will never have to deal with media fallout of this global magnitude, there are certain lessons all companies should learn from the Panama Papers scandal
Omni-channel marketing is no longer the buzzword du jour. It’s time to dispel the confusion over what it is and adapt to the new world it’s creating for public relations practitioners. Omni-channel is often confused with holistic or integrated marketing communications. It’s different. Forward-thinking clients and CMOs consider it the future and you should, too.
Conversing one-on-one is like writing by hand—they’re both modes of communication that have been eroded by the electronic screens that are perpetually in front of our faces. There’s an important distinction to be made between these two modes. Poor penmanship is not likely to hurt your career, but poor conversational skills likely will hurt your career, particularly if you classify yourself as a professional communicator.
Conversing one-on-one reminds me of writing by hand—they’re both modes of communication that have been eroded by the electronic screens that are perpetually in front of our faces. There’s an important distinction to be made… Continued