Case Study – $10M Company PR Program

A $10M high-tech company had experienced a downturn in their business and wanted to launch a new strategy using PR. Their budget was lean so they could not afford the typical PR agency fees. In order to address this situation, a strategy was developed that would create a consistent flow of releases and target modest hits that could be put up on the website monthly.

Approach Taken & Lessons Learned

To keep the cost down, a PR consultant was used instead of a larger PR agency. The consultant worked with the client to develop two releases each month. An editorial calendar was created for article submissions as well as targeted tradeshows for speaking. Lastly, an email list of the relevant editors and analysts was created.

Results

1. For companies that cannot afford an agency fee, using PR consultants that have strong experience is a viable alternative.
2. By creating a strong email list of target editors and analysts, wire fees can be avoided and reasonable pick-up rates
3. Over 10 awards were applied for and 2 were won for two years straight
4. Over 10 speaking spots were applied for and 3-4 were achieved
5. Goals regarding articles were that one would be placed quarterly and this was easily accomplished
6. Interviews with key press and analysts were set up on a quarterly basis with 4-6 interviews as a typical result
7. This approach was an example of a strong collaboration between VP and a PR consultant and cost about 60% less than agency quotes that were considered
8. If a monthly PR program is needed that yields consistent but reasonable results in its monthly pickup and interview goals, this is a cost-effective alternative to an agency