VALO COMMUNICATIONS

Should you hire a PR firm?

- That depends on the needs of your company at any given time. Many times PR can fast track a relatively unknown company into the media spotlight. Company mergers, product launches, expanding services and service areas, establishing company differentiation, and crisis situations are all examples of crutial periods when PR can be the most valuable and effective.

Is hiring a PR firm expensive?

- No. Hiring a PR firm can be an extremely cost-efficient means of gaining media attention especially when compared to the costs associated with advertising placements. Successful Mid-sized companies with revenues over $2 million annually will find the addition of PR a cost-effective part of their marketing mix.

What is the difference between PR & advertising?

- Advertising is paid media placement whereas PR placements are placed editorial content. With advertising you control the content of the advertisement in its entirety and your audience of viewers and readers knows it. The editorial placements generated by PR efforts are not under your control: The media reporter, editor or producer decides the content of the story. The PR placement however, provides a valuable third party media endorsement generating added credability and value for your message and your company.

Can a PR firm guarantee media coverage?

- No, and if a PR firm says that they can they are lying. By its very nature PR is unpredictable and subject to the whims of the media; the amount of "hot" news happening at a given time, the effectiveness of the company spokesperson, seasonality of the subject matter, how fresh the subject is, and whether, or not, it has been covered recently. PR professionals specialize in influencing the media, not controlling it.

What tactics do PR firms use to gain media attention?

- Mainly they find or create tie-ins between the news of the day and the company's key messages. The key is to provide information and quotable sources that are of interest to the media and its readers/viewers.

What questions should I ask before hiring a PR firm?

- Are they making promises that seem to good to be true, such as guaranteeing a New York Times media placement?

- What is the experience of the PR professional that would be handling my business?

- Do they listen to me and seem genuinly interested in my business needs?

- Are they able to provide strategic communications council as it relates to part of my overall marketing communications efforts? or do they just focus on providing media placements?

- Are they comfortable or knowledgable about my industry? or can they learn quickly?

- Will the PR professional be available for my company in a crisis during "off" hours?

- How does the agency/PR professional prefer to work and bill - by project, by hour or on retainer?

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