Many of the best PR results come from responding to external news stories, rather than simply announcing things that have happened inside your firm. (more…)

Social media continues to evolve, but out of the trial and error of recent years a form of etiquette has emerged for this online world. With more companies now getting involved in social media (check out Cessna’s new Facebook page, for example) it is helpful – in fact, vital – for the uninitiated to get up to speed with how to behave in this area. Econsultancy, the training and research specialist for digital marketing, has posted its own in-house guidelines for social media, which is good, common sense stuff and well worth reading.

In June, we wrote about PR measurement and the various options organisations have for evaluating the impact of their communications. We followed this in July with some breaking news about the launch of the Barcelona Principles – the first attempt by the PR and measurement industries to agree a common global approach to PR measurement. Now that the dust has settled a little, it is worth considering why these principles matter and asking where we go from here. (more…)

For technology businesses, recommendations or favourable reviews from research organisations such as Gartner or Forrester can provide a major boost to sales. Keeping the appropriate research houses informed is therefore an essential part of your marketing. However, it is a mistake to treat analysts as if they were journalists or customers. Getting the most from a vendor briefing depends on understanding the analyst’s role and particular requirements. (more…)

One of the enduring myths about PR is that you never know if it has worked; that PR and measurement are somehow incompatible. Of course, this is far from the truth, and many businesses specialise in evaluating public relations programmes. However, what this misconception does highlight is the lack of an industry-wide approach. Finding the right way to measure your PR therefore requires careful consideration. (more…)