If you are in a competitive industry (and who isn't) think about the decisions your competitors are making: Where can we cut costs? Shouldn't we only spend money on activities that directly affect the bottom line? How important is that marketing campaign?

 

Now, let me ask you a few questions:

• While your competitors cut and cut, who will lead?
• Do you want to do business with a company that invests in its future or one that is holding on for dear life?
• Who will stand out while others run for cover?

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Owen Wilson is out and about in DC, looking for more than a party to crash or a museum to bring to life. The famous actor, back in the town where he filmed Wedding Crashers and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian in the DC area, recently dined at the Peacock Café and stopped by Georgetown Cupcake for a sweet treat!

What’s the delicious dish? He ordered a red velvet and a white chocolate raspberry cupcake, sat alone and enjoyed them at a table in the shop. He told the staff he had been there on Monday, but it was closed. This is a man who knows what he wants! Read more

By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of PR Firms

At the beginning of the year, Advertising Age predicted that public relations would be among the bright spots in 2009.  B2B Magazine similarly claimed that business-to-business marketers were increasingly turning to public relations even as overall budgets are being reduced.

So, why would these two venerable trade publications tout the relative strength of public relations versus the other marketing disciplines they cover?  While its star has been ascending for some time, this moment in time has created perhaps public relations' greatest opportunity to shine.

 "For business public relations is an increasingly vital marketing tool—especially as traditional forms of advertising struggle to catch consumers' attention." The Economist (2)That observation from The Economist was supported in part by a landmark study conducted by marketing giant Procter & Gamble in 2005.  When P&G employed a marketing mix model for six brands over a one to three year period, it found:

• PR drives sales, often on a par with advertising;

• PR delivers stellar ROI (275%), much greater than advertising;

• PR Provides a halo effect over other marketing tactics.

If you need to convince your company that a public relation firm is in the organization's best interest, this article provides a rationale: "7 Reasons to Hire a Public Relations Firm."

1. Ever Ready: The reputational stakes have never been higher for businesses the world over.  As if battling an historic recession wasn't enough, companies today must perform in a virtual fishbowl at a time when the actions of corporations are being intensely scrutinized.

Monitoring the conversations taking place about one's company, and being prepared to act on negative or potentially damaging news is a daunting responsibility in its own right, even more so when added to the myriad other responsibilities of today's corporate communicator.

2. Objective Expertise: Public relations firms commonly serve as an extension of their clients' staff and are ever ready to provide services that achieve agreed-upon goals. Firms provide a critical perspective for their clients, keeping them abreast of all manner of news and chatter, advising them on the best ways to respond, or in some cases to simply listen.

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