Why PR Matters in a Down Economy

by jill ~ April 7, 2009

PR matters in any economy, but what I always tell prospective clients is that public relations beats advertising 10 to 1 during tough economic times.  There are many reasons why, but I think the most important reasons to choose PR over advertising are:

1. PR costs less. PR costs less than a traditional advertising campaign - at Mediashop, our fees range greatly based upon the activities needed and scope of the project, but they are generally very reasonable, especially for the level of client service and attention we place on each client.  Advertising campaigns can cost 10x as much as PR, with far fewer results.

2. Greater results with PR vs. Advertising. With public relations, there is a greater return on investment.  If you are working with a reputable PR firm (or consultant), it’s all about the ideas.  In public relations, we can go out to the press with as many ideas as it takes to land a story - with advertising it’s often a one-shot deal.

3. Use it as a marketing piece. It may seem obvious, but when your company is mentioned in a story, it will exist for life.  The third-party credibility garnered through media coverage is always there and can always be used to further market the company.  Put the coverage on the company’s website; send it to your customers; use it as media kit insert; whatever you do, just use it and it may make even more impact after it’s appeared in print.  This is not the case with an advertisement.

Here’s a great story from yesterday’s PR Week on this very topic.  Read it here.