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Public relations can be one of marketing’s most effective and least expensive tactics. It also can become an economic drain and a sinkhole for unmet expectations. It is therefore prudent to determine how to assess the value of a PR program’s results.
There are a number of ways to measure whether your PR efforts and expectations are in alignment. However, even the experts disagree on how much time and money are required in addition to the validity of measurement approaches and just how to evaluate PR effectiveness. Measuring is one thing, evaluation is quite another. But neither can be done without first establishing expectations.
Let’s look at the three most common ways PR firms measure results:
Placements/Reach
With the aid of a clipping service, you can count the number of placements
and calculate the number of audience impressions using the circulation
statements of the publications/venues in which your piece appears. The
sole purpose is to find out how many people were likely to have read a
specific article/announcement..
Message Response Quality
Research departments use focus groups composed of target audience
to determine audience reaction to and interpretation of the message.
Attitude/Behavior Change
Researchers employ sophisticated polling methods to determine if and how
attitudes and behaviors have measurably changed as a result of PR efforts.
This research is extensive and expensive.
While you may measure your efforts using one or all of these methods, evaluating success is more difficult. Consider the following as part of your evaluation process:
Have you generated a broader awareness of your company and its executive?
If reporters are now calling you and you’re spending more time responding
to inquiries than pitching story ideas, this is a good indication your efforts
are being well-received. This does not mean, however, that you should stop
pushing ideas. Reporters not only rely on you to maintain the relationship,
they also appreciate your ideas from the credible resource you and your company
have become.
Are you experiencing shorter selling cycles?
Public relations helps build credibility, which in turn helps overcome hurdles
that may exist among your target customers —the “who are you
and why should I care” syndrome. When credibility is established,
salespeople can move more quickly through the selling cycle, reducing sales
expense. When your sales team sees a shift from uneducated, cold leads
to sophisticated, qualified leads, it’s likely that your PR efforts
are having a positive impact.
Do you have credibility in the marketplace?
If the competition is talking about you and your company or product is included
in stories that include vendor references, your PR efforts have gained
the attention of industry influencers.
In summary, measuring PR results and evaluating those results are birds of a different feather. As you determine what combination makes sense for your organization, remember, not all PR generated results are tangible.