Measuring a Different Kind of ROI

Many organizations attempt to measure public relations ROI using a dollar-to-dollar ratio. “If I spend a thousand dollars on public relations this month, I expect that it will generate a thousand dollars in revenue next month.” It is true that some public relations campaigns are designed to generate immediate results for a specified period of time. For instance, you may launch a campaign to help reach a specific fundraising goal or fill up seats at an event. But, the true beauty of PR is realized in the long-term benefits associated with name recognition and credibility.

A client of mine summed it up best during our initial meeting when he said, “What would have happened if we had started doing public relations 20 years ago? What kind of name recognition would we have now?”

Think of it this way, all brand names start out as unknowns. Only through marketing and public relations efforts do the unknown brands become household names. Always consider the opportunity costs. Saving a little money now by not engaging in PR means giving up valuable years that you could be using to build brand recognition.

So when measuring public relations ROI, don’t just calculate the short-term results and revenue boosts. Consider the long-term benefits of building a brand that is recognized and respected by your target markets.

Keeping the “Social” In “Social Media”

Laura Raines of the Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote a great article about the “Power of the Written Word,” published January 16, 2009. She opened the article by writing, “If you’ve got e-mail, voice mail, a cellphone, BlackBerry, Linked-In and Twitter and yet still feel like you’re not fully connecting to professional colleagues and clients, it’s time to pick up the pen.”

I agree with Laura. However, I would take Laura’s statement one step further and ask, “Even though you are sending messages to your customers through e-mail, voice mail, cellphone, Blackberry, Linked-In and Twitter, do your customers still feel like they are not fully connecting with your organization?” If they don’t, it might be time to pick up the pen and write a thank you note, or make a personal phone call, or invite your customers to an event at your organization.

The idea is to put the “social” back into “social media.” Social media is an amazing tool for connecting people from across the globe, but in order for your relationships to grow roots, you have to establish personal one-on-one connections with people. Someone once told me that relationships that are not built upon stories and shared experiences are no relationships at all. So what are some ways you can deepen your social media connections and grow them into long-term professional relationships? Consider the following:

1) Write a thank you note or personal letter to your existing or potential customers.

2) Host an event in the community or at your organization to create a setting where personal interaction is possible.

3) Make a phone call instead of sending a message through Facebook or Twitter.

4) Invite a client out to lunch instead of sending them an email.

5) Make it a point to visit a client at his/her office.

6) Be involved in the community. Volunteer. Join networking groups and associations.

7) Include a personal note with an invoice thanking your client for their business.

Social (Media) Responsibility

I am all for free speech, but with free speech comes responsibility. As a business owner participating in social media, have you established a set of social media principles to live by for you and your employees? If not, consider The Write Way Social Media guidelines below.

The Write Way Social Media Guidelines

1) Post only what you would publish in print.

Do not blog, tweet or in any way post information you would not want published in print, because it just might end up in print. Remember that you are building an online reputation that will serve as your history. Your words are not erasable. What you say really does matter.

2) Provide content that is of value to your followers.

Provide content that is of value to your followers, otherwise you won’t have any followers. Don’t post information that is inane or vapid. Nobody cares what you ate for breakfast, but they do care what best practices would help their company grow. Before posting anything, ask yourself, how will this build my credibility as an expert in my field?

3) Create a clear focus and stick to it.

What is your area of expertise? Stick to it. Social media is one of the best tools for demonstrating your expertise and knowledge.

4) Take the high road. Always.

When someone writes something negative about you or your company, choose your response carefully. A quick, sharp retort will often hurt your image more than it will help it. If the commenter truly has a valid concern, find a way to address the issue personally, offline to restore customer satisfaction.

5) Words have consequences.

There are situations when it is appropriate to expose a negative aspect of a person or company, but there are other opportunities where it is too easy to say something negative and allow others to reap the consequences. For instance, what if you posted a message saying that a certain valet employee stole your GPS system and then you found it two days later? How much business did that company lose in those two days because of your comment?

Give Editors a Reason to Care About Your Story

Is media relations all about who you know or is there more to it than that? Plenty of editors and journalists will tell you that just because they go out to lunch with you, it doesn't mean that they will publish a story about your company.

So what does it take to get media coverage?

Newsworthy content.

Editors, executive producers and journalists are looking for a good story that brings value to their readers and/or viewers. They are not interested in doing you a favor. Their goal is not to help your company gain exposure. That is the job of the advertising department. Instead, editors and journalists want to provide useful, valuable content to their audience, and you can help them do this by providing them with newsworthy content. Mind you, this means no fluff and no marketing.

In order to provide valuable content, you have to think more like a journalist and less like a business executive. Consider the following newsworthy values that journalists use to assess the value of a story idea. If you have six out of the eight newsworthy values, you may have a good story on your hands.

Impact: How many people does the story affect?

Timeliness: Has the topic been covered before? Is this a new angle?

Bizarreness: Is the story unusual enough to be interesting?

Prominence: Does the story feature a prominent person, place or company?

Conflict/Controversy: Does the story include an opposing view that is interesting?

Proximity: Does the story have a local angle?

Human Interest: Does the story feature a person we should care about? Why?

Currency: Does the story tie into other news events happening now?

How to Survive the Economic Downturn: Tip 1735

The failing economy has changed a lot of things for a lot of businesses. Is your target market one of them? It is easy to get in a rut and assume that your target market is the same as it always has been, and it may be, but there is a chance that your target market has changed drastically or evolved due to the shifting economy.

Maybe your target market is not as viable as it used to be, or perhaps the economic downturn has opened up new, untapped markets for your company. But you won't know unless you do a fresh target market analysis.

Ask yourself:

Who are my current target markets?

Who are my primary target markets and my secondary target markets? Has this shifted?

How has their buying power changed?

How has their decision-making process changed?

How has their attitude toward my product or service changed?

How have their needs changed? Am I still meeting them?

What new markets have evolved?

Which markets are no longer profitable? Will they be profitable again in the future?

Understanding the current psychographics of your target market will better prepare you to meet their needs and help you weather the current economic climate.

Now's the Time to Submit Bylined Articles

Media outlets have been hit extremely hard by the economic downturn. As a result, they have slashed the number of staff members they employe. Print publications have a lot on their plate now as they try to reinvent themselves, which makes this a great time to submit bylined articles.

Bylined articles, when well-written, offer print publications the opportunity to publish ready-made content for free. They are able to pass along quality content to their readers for free, and you are able to gain positive media exposure without paying for advertising. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

The key to having a bylined article published is making sure your content is truly worthy of print. Your article should have meaty content and no fluff. It should be well-researched and free from any marketing and advertising language.

Stephanie's Ode to PR

Below is my ode to public relations. I know, I know. I should stick to public relations writing and not poetry, but I just couldn't resist writing it.

Dear Client,

I have good news!
You will be happy to know,
CNN wants an interview,
They want you on their show!

Why the silence?
Are you still there,
Are you not happy,
About going on air?

Have no fear,
This will be fun,
Think of all the exposure,
You’ll have when you’re done!

Just keep in mind,
A few little things,
I’ll give you all the goodness,
That media training brings.

Don’t swivel or wiggle,
Don’t swear or curse,
Sit up straight,
And don’t sound rehearsed.

Don’t chew gum,
Don’t turn in your chair,
Get a breath mint,
And comb your hair.

Tuck in your shirt,
Don’t sweat or spit,
And whatever you do,
Don’t call the anchor a twit.

Smile a lot,
Don’t talk too fast,
Never say “No comment,”
And just relax!

Don’t mention mamma,
Or your crazy brother Joe,
Stick to the message,
And the better it will go!

Off the record,
Doesn’t really exist,
So be careful what you say,
Reporters just can’t resist.

You’ll do great,
I just know it,
But please be careful,
And just don’t blow it.

One more thing,
Did I mention,
The Interview’s in an hour,
Are you over your apprehension?