Should You Hire Someone To Manage Your Press And Publicity?
There are many roles within your organization. Some you’ll want to handle yourself. Others you’ll handle internally. You’ll hire an employee or outsource to an independent contractor or service provider. One of the roles that often remains in question is that of a PR manager. Should you hire someone to manage it for you or take care of it yourself? Let’s look at the pros and cons of both.
What Does a PR Manager Do?
A PR manager is responsible for how your business is perceived by the public, by your shareholders and by your employees. It’s their job to tell your story and to tell it well. A PR manager often handles many duties beyond writing and issuing press releases. They can also maintain your company’s website, work with your marketing team to create marketing materials and initiatives, represent your company on social media and even blog or create content.
It’s Expensive
PR management firms don’t come cheap. You’ll likely pay several thousands of dollars for representation from a PR firm. The average salary for a PR manager is $70,000 a year and most PR firms charge around $10,000 to $15,000 a month. If that’s in your budget, great. However, you may be able to manage the tasks of a PR manager yourself or by hiring a few independent contractors for much less money.
If You Decide to Hire a PR Manager
If you decide that hiring a manager is best for you and your business there are a few key considerations. Ask how they’re going to measure success and how they’re going to help you meet your marketing and PR goals. Also make sure that you know who you’re working with, if you hire a firm. Consider not signing a long term contract with a firm so you have the option of testing the waters.
If You Do It Yourself
If you decide to manage your PR yourself it’s important to have a strategy. Make sure you have specific goals you want to achieve and a realistic plan to achieve them. Don’t hesitate to leverage both technology and the specialty skills of others. For example, you can hire an independent contractor to write your press releases and a press release distribution service to submit them to the media.
The bottom line is that you do need a plan to manage your press and marketing. Whether you hire a firm, employ a PR manager, or create an in-office DIY approach, find a solution that works best for you and your goals and needs. Don’t let your press release marketing efforts fall through the cracks because you don’t have a plan.
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