• PR Industry’s Worst Enemy: The Irrelevant Aristocracy

    By Paul Roetzer | Posted Sep 4, 2009 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations

    So after nearly a decade in the PR industry, I finally reached a tipping point this morning:

    Mr Magoo


    “I’ve been pitching media over 35 years. It’s true I use a news release format and yes, it’s one size fits all approach. But I have to tell you it works. By saying that you need to have the pitch a certain way to me is a fairly close minded way to be.” 
    — PR Gone Bad: How to Anger Bloggers and Hose Your Client


    Yup, after years of fighting against the negative perceptions created about our profession by what I have come to call the “irrelevant aristocracy,” one post from Jonathan Fields (@jonathanfields) put me over the edge.

    I don’t care what worked in 1980, 1990 or even 2000, and neither do clients, bloggers or mainstream media. None of that matters anymore.


    The PR industry is evolving from the outside in through disruptive innovation. Firms and professionals relatively unknown to the old guard, and ignored by the trade media and so-called experts and gurus, are introducing industry-changing philosophies, services and technologies, while the PR aristocracy (both individuals and firms) battle to stay relevant.

    Relationships and communications remain the foundation of the PR industry, but they are being fostered through social networks, Websites, self-published content (i.e. blogs, status updates, videos, case studies, eBooks), mobile apps and the media (mainstream and social).

    Our industry’s future depends on its ability to adapt, deliver measurable and meaningful results, and develop hybrid professionals who are capable of providing consulting and services across multiple disciplines, including: PR, Website development, search marketing, advertising and branding.

    It’s time for agencies to start demanding more from themselves, and for organizations to start demanding more from their agencies.

    If you’re a PR person, please take a few minutes to read Jonathan’s post in its entirety. It’s worth the time.

    PR Gone Bad: How to Anger Bloggers and Hose Your Client 

     

    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

     Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.


    Image courtesy of Market Oracle.

  • Will Traditional PR Firms Survive?

    By Paul | Posted Mar 4, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations

     

    I recently read the PRWeek article, “Efficiency Is Crucial in Agency Review,” which provides further proof that the traditional PR agency model is shifting, possibly towards the inbound marketing agency model of value-based pricing on services designed to build Website traffic, inbound links and leads.

    According to the article, “Agency reviews in the last several years have often led to clients consolidating their PR firms, but today's deepening recession has accelerated this trend as clients seek to cut budgets and economize.”

    While PRWeek concentrates on major brands such as Coke, Pfizer, eBay and Philips, the lesson apparent in the article is that organizations of all sizes are expecting more results on tighter budgets.

    Here are a few of the more telling excerpts from the piece:

    • “The recession has acted as a catalyst, pushing clients to stretch their agencies across more disciplines.”
    • “Traditional advertising isn’t a particularly healthy field, so that’s not a good place to broaden services.” (Jerry Swerling, director of PR studies and the USC Annenberg Strategic PR Center and management consultant)
    • “I’m seeing clients saying they don’t feel like they’re getting as much bang for their buck.” (senior level source at procurement firm)
    • “. . . Some clients are responding by eliminating AOR agencies and working with firms on a project basis. . . .”

    Is it time for the Inbound Marketing Agency?

    In September 2008, we published a blog post titled, “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency,” stating that a mass-market revolution had begun that threatens to make traditional PR agencies obsolete, and spawn a new generation of industry leaders and influentials.

    “If you’re a PR firm, you can’t ignore or resist where the market is taking us. It’s time to expand our knowledge and services. Think critically about the value we deliver to clients. Consider the state of MSM, and the future of our industry.”

    Here’s a snapshot of the inbound marketing agency from the original post:

    • Staff: Expert copywriters (as most PR professionals are), who function as Internet marketing consultants. All employees/consultants are heavily engaged in social media.
    • Services: Content marketing, social media, search engine marketing and Website development, as well as evolved forms of publicity, brand marketing and crisis communications.
    • Pricing: Value-based instead of prohibitive hourly rates. 
    • Results: Truly measurable and meaningful outcomes, including: inbound links, Website traffic, leads and sales.
    • Infrastructure: More agile, scalable and tolerant to risk than most traditional PR firms.

    Is it possible that the recession has accelerated the need and demand for these agencies?


    Read the full post: “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency”

    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @paulroetzer.

     Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.

  • 10 Public Relations Trends That Will Change The Industry Forever

    By Paul | Posted Dec 7, 2008 | 11 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations

    In January 2008, we published a blog post on the 8 Public Relations Trends to Watch in 2008.  That post became the most popular page on our Website, was cited on the Wikipedia Public Relations page, created tremendous speaking opportunities and generated thousands of visitors.

    That is the power of blogging and the social Web (aka Web 2.0). Every business, and every professional, has the ability to influence audiences and affect change like never before with self-published content.

    So while the original post is still relevant, a lot has happened since January. In particular, we recently wrote about the Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency, a new breed of PR firm that I believe will supersede traditional PR firms, and possibly challenge the dominance of advertising agencies, as marketing budgets continue to shift toward Internet marketing.

    In essence, the social Web, and all the tools and services it continues to spawn, has forever changed the game. There are PR firms that will adapt to meet the growing mass-market demand for Internet-based expertise and service, and there are many that will not.

    So here’s an updated look at 10 PR trends driving the revolution: 

    1) Inbound Marketing

    Inbound marketing refers to permission-based marketing strategies in which consumers choose to learn more about you by conducting a keyword search online, subscribing to your RSS feed, downloading your white paper, opting into your email newsletter, watching your videos, listening to your podcasts, visiting your social network or commenting on your blog.

    2) Content Marketing

    Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must continually publish multi-media content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

    Content marketing, which requires expert copywriting and strategic planning, is the single largest growth opportunity for PR agencies. Learn more about the impact of content marketing in our post, "How PR Firms Can Rule the Marketing World."

    3) Social Web (aka Web 2.0) & The Decline of Mainstream Media

    The social Web of consumer-generated content and mass collaboration (i.e. blogging, micro-blogging, forums, social networks, photo and video sharing, social bookmarking) is no longer a trend. Rather, it is an integral and powerful part of our lives.

    However, as mainstream media’s (MSM) ability to reach and influence publics declines, demand for social Web strategy, consultation and services will explode.

    4) Search

    Through content marketing and the social Web, organizations have the ability to reach and influence consumers directly at the exact moment they are searching for products, services and knowledge.

    In essence, they are granting you permission to market to them, but you have to be there. This is accomplished through content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO), which will become a core competency of inbound marketing agencies.

    5) Measurement

    Advertising equivalency and media impressions have long been the PR industry’s means of measuring success. And while these numbers tend to satisfy the C-Suite, what really matters are search engine rankings, inbound links, Website traffic, leads and sales. These highly trackable metrics are how firms should, and will, be judged.

    6) Web Software Solutions 

    New online software (mostly developed by companies outside the PR industry) has made it possible for firms to dramatically expand their services (e.g. monitoring, measurement, SEO, content distribution, Website development, pay-per-click advertising), and in turn provide more measurable value to clients.

    7) Next Generation Leaders

    The next generation of PR industry leaders and influencers, who are already emerging, will come from Generation X (ages 28-43) and Generation Y (ages 18-27). They will be extremely tech-savvy, fully immersed in the social Web, highly tolerant to risk and motivated to separate themselves from traditional wisdom and conventional solutions.

    Data from Forrester Research Technographics® surveys, 2008.
    For further details on the Social Technographics profile, see groundswell.forrester.com.

    8) Value-Based Pricing

    Traditional retainers and high hourly rates are too restrictive for the mass market, and once organizations (small and large) realize there is an alternative, demand will skyrocket for firms that deliver value-based pricing.

    9) Mobile

    I don’t pretend to comprehend the full impact of mobile marketing on our industry and business at large, but the geniuses at Google do, and they recently wrote about it on their blog post: The future of mobile 

    And, just as I'm getting ready to publish this post, I see this article from PRWeek: Omnicom opens mobile-focused firm in New York.

    10) Website Development

    Website development must be driven by buyer personas, visitor behavior, content marketing strategies and SEO.

    Inbound marketing agencies will become the preferred providers for Web development services, with the technical design and programming still delivered by the experts (possibly outsourced, or brought in-house).

    Related Posts


    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

     Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.

  • Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency

    By Paul | Posted Sep 15, 2008 | 17 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing, Public Relations

    The PR industry is in the midst of an identity crisis, fueled by a mass-market revolution that threatens to make traditional PR agencies obsolete, and spawn a new generation of industry leaders and influentials.

    In a wildly competitive and cluttered media landscape, one that is increasingly being dominated by the social Web of mass collaboration, consumer-generated content and social networks, innovative PR firms are emerging to meet growing demand for Internet-based expertise and services.

    These organizations, which are being informally referred to as “wired PR firms,” “digital PR firms” and “Internet PR firms,” will redefine the industry, and, in the process, give birth to a new category of agency — the inbound marketing agency.

    Why Now?

    Technology and the Social Web.

    Technology has made it possible to create remarkably efficient management systems (e.g. time tracking, project management, CRM, professional development) that significantly lower operating costs.

    As a result, agencies can shift to a less restrictive value-based pricing model that reaches the mass market with lower prices, while increasing profit margins.

    At the same time, the social Web (aka Web 2.0) has given savvy PR firms the ability to dramatically expand their service offerings in the areas of content publishing, social media, blogging, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, Website development and analytics.

    Traditional PR Agency Snapshot

    In essence, traditional PR agencies have been built on the ability to generate editorial coverage (or publicity) through mainstream media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines).

    However, mainstream media (MSM) outlets are shrinking. And while still essential vehicles to reach and influence publics, MSM is challenged to retain the readers, viewers and listeners needed to generate revenue and maintain future stability and influence.

    Plus, most traditional PR agencies are small — the average firm has six employees, and 92 percent of the nearly 25,000 firms do less than $1 million per year in revenue [1] — and most likely are not positioned to invest significant time and financial resources in evolving their model.

    Intro to Inbound Marketing

    First coined by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, co-founders of HubSpot, inbound marketing refers to permission-based marketing strategies in which consumers choose to learn more about you by conducting a keyword search online, subscribing to your RSS feed, downloading your white paper, opting into your email newsletter, watching your videos, listening to your podcasts, visiting your social network or commenting on your blog.

    So, rather than interrupt the unqualified masses with outbound marketing strategies such as direct mail, telemarketing, advertising and email spamming, you connect with qualified consumers online when they are actively looking for what you offer.

    Enter the Inbound Marketing Agency

    Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must continually publish great content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

    Thus, the advent of the inbound marketing agency. Here’s a profile of what a typical inbound marketing agency will look like:

    • Staff: Expert copywriters (as most PR professionals are), who are trained in authentic on-page and off-page search engine optimization methodology, and function as Internet marketing consultants. All employees/consultants are heavily engaged in social media.
    • Services: Content publishing, social media consulting, blogging, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, mobile marketing, Website development and analytics, as well as evolved forms of publicity, brand marketing and crisis communications. 
    • Pricing: Value-based with wider appeal to the mass market of small businesses. 
    • Results: While traditional PR firms rely on clippings, impressions and advertising equivalency for arbitrary measurements of success, inbound marketing firms consistently produce more measurable outcomes, including: inbound links, Website traffic, leads and sales.
    • Leadership: Most likely founded/lead by Generation X (ages 28-43) or Generation Y (ages 18-27). 
    • Technology: Extremely tech-savvy. There may even be a crossover into software research and development (either in-house or outsourced) if the current industry providers do not innovate fast enough.
    • Infrastructure: More agile and tolerant to risk than most traditional PR firms. Built to be highly scalable in terms of number of clients and employees, geographic markets, and revenue.
    • Growth: Dramatically more aggressive growth models due to mass-market appeal. As a result, angel and venture funding of leading firms is a greater probability than with traditional PR agencies. A wave of mergers and acquisitions of complementary firms — SEO, Web developers, email marketing, mobile marketing, etc. — also is probable.
    • Market Focus: The industry leaders will have a mass-market focus, and international appeal (the Internet has no borders), but like any emerging industry, there will be plenty of room for smaller agencies to prosper by concentrating on niche market segments and/or services.

    The Inbound Marketing Revolution Has Begun

    I was in Boston on Sept. 8, 2008 for the Inbound Marketing Summit. I knew that the one-day event would be well attended and educational, but what I witnessed was the start of an industry revolution. The inaugural Summit drew more than 300 attendees (which was a sell out), 1,300 live stream viewers, 10,000 Website visitors, and 100,000 social media connections.

    If you’re a PR firm, you can’t ignore or resist where the market is taking us. It’s time to expand our knowledge and services. Think critically about the value we deliver to clients. Consider the state of MSM, and the future of our industry.

    And for businesses, ask yourselves, when was the last time you responded to a direct mail piece, answered the call-to-action in a print ad, or were sold by a telemarketer? Now ask yourselves what you’re going to do to break through the clutter, and grow smarter and faster than your competitors.

    Welcome to the age of inbound marketing. The time is now to get started.

    Related Posts:

    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

    Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.


    [1] http://www.entrepreneur.com/benchmark/details72.html

  • Public Relations in Web 2.0: From Impressions to Inbound Links

    By Paul | Posted Jul 17, 2008 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing, Public Relations

    The public relations industry is rapidly evolving. Technology is redefining the profession, and Web 2.0 — the new online world of mass collaboration and consumer-generated content — has given unfiltered access to the opinions and perceptions of target audiences (i.e. employees, customers, prospects, competitors, media, etc.).

    Plus, through the use of blogs, optimized press releases, podcasts, videos, forums, social networks and other Web 2.0 tools, companies now have the ability to connect with their audiences in a more authentic, human voice.

    For the PR industry, which traditionally has relied on pitching stories to mainstream media (i.e. TV, print, radio) in the hopes of landing editorial coverage and generating impressions, Web 2.0 has given us the ability to consistently produce a more measurable outcome — inbound links.

    Through social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and self-publishing, wired PR firms are building inbound links, driving qualified Website traffic, generating leads, directly influencing consumers and having a measurable impact on the bottom line.

    Here’s a snapshot of three public relations trends changing the industry:

    1) Social Media

    This is the most obvious and talked about trend in the public relations industry. PR professionals are communications specialists, and blogs, forums, online video and social networking offer the ability to communicate more affordably and efficiently than ever before.

    2) Search Engine Optimization

    Placement of targeted keywords throughout your Website, as well as generating inbound links to your Website, play an essential role in how your site ranks on major search engines, and in turn, directly impacts the quantity and quality of Website visitors. While SEO is not a traditional public relations practice, PR firms that don’t quickly integrate SEO principles into their services will become obsolete.

    3) Self-Publishing

    Press Releases, blogs, eBooks, white papers, by-lined articles, newsletters and online magazines are now being written with keyword-rich content and distributed with the goal of building Website traffic, inbound links and leads.

     

    Web 2.0 has leveled the playing field for many organizations. It’s no longer about the size of your marketing budget, or how many impressions you can generate, rather it’s about how intelligent and innovative you can be in adopting emerging online technologies.

    By concentrating on the activities that build inbound links, drive Website traffic and convert visitors into leads, your organization can grow smarter and faster than the competition.

  • 8 Public Relations Trends to Watch in 2008

    By Paul | Posted Jan 5, 2008 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations, Social Media

    EDITOR'S NOTE: An updated version of this post has been published here: 10 Public Relations Trends That Will Change the Industry Forever

    The public relations industry is evolving. Technology is redefining the profession, and opening up a world of opportunities for PR agencies to expand services and deliver greater value to clients.

    While many traditional PR agencies struggle to find and retain clients, innovative PR agencies are monitoring and driving the trends that will shape the public relations industry for years to come.

    Here are some of the top PR trends to watch in 2008:

    1. Social Media: This is the most obvious and talked about trend in the public relations industry. PR professionals are communications specialists, and blogs, forums, online video and social networking offer the ability to communicate more affordably and efficiently than ever before.

      Plus, social media channels give PR pros unfiltered access to consumer opinions and behavior. The leading PR agencies will find ways to contribute openly and honestly, benefiting both clients and consumers.

    2. Online Press Releases & Newsrooms: The purpose of a press release is changing. Releases are now being written with keyword-rich content and distributed with the sole intent of better optimizing sites for search engines. Often times, the optimized press releases aren’t even sent to mainstream media.

      As a result, the formatting and functionality of press releases and online newsrooms are evolving to integrate social bookmarking, video, blogs, podcasts and RSS feeds (see “Social Media Releases Gain Ground As PR Tool” to learn more).

    3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Leading PR agencies will continue to blend Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities with the traditional mix of public relations services. And don’t be surprised if over the next 12-36 months a flurry of merger and acquisition activity emerges among upstart SEO firms and traditional PR agencies.

    4. Content Publishing: With the widespread availability of affordable (and sometimes free) online press release and article distribution services, organizations have the ability to generate impressions and leads online through content publishing, in addition to what can be accomplished with mainstream media publicity campaigns.

    5. Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Del.icio.us and Reddit have changed the way PR pros consume and share news. See “Is Social Media More Relevant Than Mainstream Media?” to learn more about how social bookmarking sites are redefining what is relevant and newsworthy to consumers.


    6. RSS Feeds: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are an incredibly efficient tool to monitor frequently updated online content, such as: blogs, news headlines, forum posts and podcasts. RSS feeds give PR pros the ability to consume and filter enormous amounts of information and news from mainstream and social media sites. Below is a sample RSS feed from the Internet marketing experts at HubSpot.



    7. Google News Alerts: Google News Alerts has become an invaluable tool for PR professionals, delivering continuous email updates on clients, competitors and industry trends. It’s free, easy and effective.

      Savvy professionals will use Google News Alerts, RSS Feeds and other free online monitoring applications to reduce or eliminate the need for high-price monitoring services that have long been a staple of the public relations industry.


    8. Standardized Services & Set Pricing: I may be a bit partial to this one, but based on the phenomenal response and demand we have seen in the market since introducing standardized services and set pricing in November 2005 (check out The 20/20 Standard to learn more), it’s hard to imagine more firms won’t catch on and move away from prohibitive hourly rates.

      It will be extremely difficult for many traditional PR firms to evolve, since it requires a dramatic shift in staffing, billing and operations, but it could quickly become the model of choice for PR and marketing upstarts.

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