Public Relations Is A Valuable Tool...especially In The Current Economic Climate

Feb. 3, 2009 - PRLog -- Bounce PR is now entering into its third year of trading. During these difficult economic times for UK based companies and organisations, it is recognised that Public Relations and marketing may not appear to be high on most people’s agendas. This could be more detrimental to a business at the moment, especially as the business press is full of stories of companies having to close due to the credit crunch. Tori Oldridge, Partner of Bounce PR briefly discusses PR in today’s climate.

Public relations should not be dismissed, but the ethos that it is a costly route to go down should. If anything, the PR cost should be reimbursed through its effectiveness, raising the profile of a company, and therefore increasing its bottom line.

It is a false perception that companies tend to have when PR is mentioned, as they immediately see their marketing budget disappear before their eyes. Well, if companies do not opt for a PR company that suits their requirements or knows their market, then yes, it will. However, if a PR consultant is chosen to represent a company that is familiar with its market already, then the results will be faster.

Here are some tips as to how to source the right PR consultant to met your company’s requirements:

•   Do not assume that just because a PR company is based in a city it is automatically better than a more local company. A local company will be more familiar with the regional press and the community, and will be able to communicate more effectively to all local parties.
•   When looking for a PR consultant, ensure that you meet them as you will be having a close working relationship, so you must ensure that both parties can be open with each other.
•   Make sure that the proposed PR consultant it familiar with your market, and also your competitors, as this gives you an immediate advantage as most of the groundwork has already been done.
•   A good PR consultant  should be able to think outside of the box, and not just follow what your competitors have done.
•   Finally, the most expensive PR consultant isn’t always the best. They might look great on the outside, but can they deliver the results?