Everybody wants the quick win and it’s easy to understand why. Big results with little effort are the ultimate return on investment (ROI). While it’s possible (and great!) to see quick results in PR, the real question is: can that success be sustained or was that one-off early win just that, a one-off?
Here’s a secret: the best ROI for companies hiring PR firms is a prolonged and fruitful relationship built on trust and sustained performance. PR Return was built and thrives on this model. Our founder Kraig Smith started PR Return after a frustrating tenure in the large agency world. He worked diligently to onboard clients with massive budgets and ramp up their PR programs only to see them pull the plug after 6 months or a year because results failed to align with (rightful) expectations at those lofty budget levels. He knew there had to be a better way.
What Kraig determined: the secret to long-term success in PR is building strong relationships that stand the test of time. From the journalists seeking a quote, data or background when pulling together an article to coworkers who bring out the best in each other to a firm you can count on for anything, PR success stories are written through valuable connections between people every step of the way.
Put the Time In
New relationships take time to develop between a client and an agency, a reporter and an agency, and a reporter and a spokesperson. Expect the agency to do its part to ramp up quickly by learning about the company and its resources, the industry, relevant media contacts, and more. Clients should receive quality counsel, especially about identifying and establishing contact with high-value reporters and planning to ensure impactful coverage. The reporters need to see compelling story angles from the agency backed by thoughtful research and commentary from the client. Marketers should consider an agency’s track record of ramping up quickly and the team’s knowledge of the industry before choosing a partner. In a perfect world, both scenarios come together, and the agency can hit the ground running to deliver quick but lasting wins. Just don’t trade away the benefits of long-term relationship cultivation in pursuit of quick early wins.
Grow Together
Working with a team for an extended time allows you to grow together. As your business evolves, your agency can take its existing knowledge of the business and adjust rapidly with updated messaging, pitching angles, priorities, etc. The agency can track priority reporters and publications in ways that pay dividends for the client over time. Reporters routinely change beats, jobs and employers. Relationships that began with a reporter at one publication can flourish as they navigate their careers. Often, reporters start at smaller trade publications and work their way up the chain to top business publications with high-profile stories. Laying the foundation of that relationship early on can result in high profile coverage down the road.
At PR Return, client retention is a priority. Here are some of the clients we’ve had extended engagements with over the years:
Care Communications: More than a decade
Kenshoo: 9 years
Performics: 9 years
AdGooroo: 8 years
CME LLC: 6 years
Resolution Media: 6 years
New Frontier Data: 3 years
The longer a business works with a single agency, the more value they should get for their money. Our extended client relationships continue to grow more and more fruitful with the years. Interested in learning how we could work together? Get in touch with us today.