An effective media relations program can greatly strengthen a professional firm's business development efforts. The trick is knowing how to find an agency that is appropriate to your needs, and a dependable PR professional who will serve you well at reasonable cost.Peter Salwen, president of New York-based Salwen Business Communications, has represented technology-based organizations nationwide for nearly 20 years, including many of the leading U.S. engineering, planning, and construction firms. So we thought he would be a good person to ask for advice.
What is media relations, and how does it differ from advertising?
In advertising, you pay a magazine, for example, to carry your message. In media relations, your message is actually part of what is called the editorial content of the publication, i.e., feature articles, news items, and so on.
You can't buy that kind of visibility -- but you can earn it, by offering the editors information that is newsworthy and supportable. This fact-based approach is more appropriate for professional organizations.
In media relations, we use several avenues of communications at once, including bylined articles, news releases, participation in feature articles, white papers, work with professional associations, and one-to-one meetings with important industry editors and writers.
The goal, as with advertising, is to build a perception of stature and value. As the firm's perceived stature grows, so does its ability to pursue and win larger and more profitable contracts. Many times, even a brief article in a professional journal sparks several serious inquiries, which can lead directly to new business for our client.
Which gives a better return on the dollar?
Our clients find that public relations is much more persuasive, while it costs much less than advertising -- it's their low-cost "Secret weapon" for that reason. On the other hand, advertising does have its value, and we do create and place corporate-image ads as part of a client's broader communications program.
What's the best time for a firm to think about starting a media relations program?
Any time. You should start by looking at the areas where you're breaking new ground. Have you developed a better technology? Have you found a way to get more value out of limited resources, or save taxpayer dollars? Do you bring a unique understanding or perspective to an important current issue? If the answer to any of these is "Yes," there's probably good PR potential in your practice.
Engineers and other professionals, being so close to their own work, sometimes forget how remarkable it really is. They may not realize that their projects could potentially be the basis for great press stories. The public relations counselor is there to help find those potential stories, and turn them into active assets that can help grow the business.
Must the PR counselor already be an expert in the client's field or specialty?
If yours is a technology-intensive business, your public relations representative should at least have a background in technical writing. But what you're looking for is not someone who knows as much as you; rather, you need someone who can firmly grasp the essentials of your profession as well as your own capabilities and accomplishments, and who can explain those things clearly and effectively.
Your PR counselor's role is to supply a broader perspective, and to understand how to bring your message persuasively to your client community and other significant groups.
What else should executives look for when choosing a public relations counselor?
Look for an excellent listener, one who asks a lot of penetrating, thought-provoking questions. You should feel confidence in this person s professionalism, and get a sense that he or she is not just able, but enthusiastic about getting your story out and performing as a team player with you.
Your PR counsel should also be tough-minded and realistic, and ready to say "No" if that's what you need to hear. It's a waste of money to pay someone for flattering you into thinking that Time will put you on its cover. But a good communications professional will show you how a persistent, planned program will build your company's visiblity and reputation.
Written proposals should address your needs directly and convincingly, and give a clear sense of how the agency will proceed and what they expect to accomplish for you.
Any rules of thumb for budgeting PR expenses?
The larger PR agencies usually won't touch anything that won't bring in at least around $100,000 a year in fees plus expenses. Smaller, specialized firms can be more flexible, and many will work on a per-project basis in some circumstances.
On the other hand, if someone offers a price that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There may be hidden extras, or -- worse -- it may mean that only junior agency personnel will be assigned to work on your account. Technical PR is a highly skilled, labor-intensive service business, and you ll need a realistic budget so your counselor can give your projects the time and effort they deserve. Don't sabotage your own efforts by trying to do it on the cheap.
What guarantees of satisfaction can the client reasonably expect?
From the client's point of view, success usually means --
1. Substantially increasing a company's visibility and reputa- tion;
2. Positioning the company and its people as industry statesmen and recognized experts in their specialties; and
3. Getting the influential editors and writers on the company's side -- or at least winning a fair hearing for the company's side of the story -- during a crisis, or when the issues are complex or controversial.
By its nature, public relations can rarely guarantee that a par- ticular article or news release will be published when and as planned. But by always having a healthy flow of articles, releases, editor meetings, etc. in the works, you greatly improve your chance of hitting your targets.
What should the client's role be in the public relations program?
A big one. When it's done right, professional PR involves individuals at many levels, from project managers and marketing staff up to the chairman and ceo. It is an excellent idea to have a dedicated individual as the key contact point within the organization, who can effectively quarterback the in-house part of the communications effort, while working in close coordination the outside PR counsel. When that happens, you get a quick flow of meaningful, well-targeted news and feature articles and media appearances. A company that has historically been a "well-kept secret" can suddenly start seeing its name appearing regularly in the press. This is good both for business and for morale, since everybody feels great about it -- except your competition.
Should the PR counsel always be the go-between for the client?
Not at all. We strongly encourage our clients to build relationships with the media. We're always available to help when neeed, of course. But one of the most valuable things we do for clients is help them get started working directly with the writers who cover their field regularly.
The key here is responsiveness. Most publications today are desperately short-staffed; they're doing more with fewer people. So if you as an industry expert can help a producer or editor who is on deadline, that's going to go far toward building a relationship. And it's the relationship that counts, not just this or that story or article.
All journalists have their regular sources, the people they always call first when they need to quote an expert. Our goal is for our clients to learn and understand what the media need, so they can become regular, valued sources.
Which, when you get down to it, is what our work is all about. In media relations, the client is the star; the counselor's role is to prepare the way and set the stage so that the client can be seen to best advantage.
This interview was originally published in slightly different form in the June 1995 issue of Corporate Connections, the newsletter of the American Association of Airport Executives. Reprinted by permission.
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