Tag Archives: Ad Agency PR

Newspapers Decline Necessitates New PR Strategy for Ad Agencies

The recent announcement that Colorado’s oldest paper, the Rocky Mountain News, was ceasing publication is a sad reminder of the changes that are taking place in the newspaper business. Many of the nation’s largest papers have cut staff and are struggling financially.

While the Denver Post, which was the News’ competitor for a more than a century, will try to fill the void, it has its own challenges ahead. According to the Denver Business Journal, both the News and Post had lost half their circulation since 2000.

When I moved to Nashville nearly 16 years ago, we had two newspapers but only one survived. It was great having a second option to pitch a local story, but in most cities the days of having two papers are gone. However, the Internet provides an array of opportunities to communicate in new ways.

Ad agencies that learn to use PR strategically via the Internet will thrive, while those that continue along the same old way will someday find themselves like the Rocky Mountain News— no longer able to compete.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Internet Helps Ad Agencies Put the Public Back in Public Relations

A growing trend in public relations, particularly when trying to sell something, is to do shorter online news releases on a frequent basis. For example, instead of announcing three new services, a company will do a separate release about each new service. This gives the company multiple opportunities for exposure, similar to the way an ad is run over and over again to produce better top-of-mind awareness.

The Internet has made it possible to reach customers and prospects directly. Ad agencies that include various forms of Web content in addition to traditional media relations initiatives will improve their results by connecting directly with important audiences and keeping conversations going with them.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Press Release Grader Helps Ad Agencies Make the Grade with Releases

Press Releases Grader is a free service that evaluates releases and assigns a score to each one based on a number of factors determined by public relations experts. It checks everything from language and content to links and search engine optimization.

Ad agencies will find Press Release Grader a convenient way to do a quick check of a release before distributing it on behalf of a client or for the agency itself.

To try Press Release Grader, visit http://pressrelease.grader.com

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

 

The New Rules of Marketing & PR for Ad Agencies

The New Rules of Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott is one of the best business books I’ve read in a long time. It provides a comprehensive yet very practical overview of how to use social media to reach audiences.

“What all the new Web tools and techniques have in common,” Scott writes, “is that together they are the best way to communicate directly with your marketplace.”

Creating a buzz online also is a great way to get the attention of journalists, helping them discover you rather you going to them.

Ad agencies will find this book a useful guide for leveraging Web-based communication and helping their clients communicate more effectively. For more information, visit http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/books.htm

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Communications Audit: Helping Ad Agencies Uncover Important Issues

A communications audit gives an organization an opportunity to find out what it is doing well in its communication and where it needs to improve.

The audit may also uncover important issues or perceptions that need to be addressed, and in some cases it will significantly alter the way the organization operates.

The end product is a written report of findings, along with recommendations for improving communication.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Ad Agency Arrogance is Not a Winning Position

For years I’ve kept files on some the best and worst examples of PR.  I find it helpful to have some of these examples on hand so that I can quickly illustrate a point I’m trying to make about how to handle (or not handle) a particular situation.

 One of my worst PR examples comes from the president of an ad agency who took out a full-page “open letter” ad.  I’ll leave the parties’ names out because they really aren’t necessary to make my point.

 In his letter, the agency president derided the chairman of a large bank that was trying to acquire a smaller bank his agency represented.

 “Obviously the aggressive and highly effective ad campaign has helped (bank’s name) turn things around has jolted you and your friends…” he wrote.  The agency president then went on to lecture the chairman about how his bank should be emphasizing some of the benefits it offers, such as greater resources and its capacity for lower mortgage rates.

 Then, he ended with this zinger:  “And maybe you could use the help of a growing Georgia ad agency to tell the story.  We’d be happy to help.  You’ll remember us as the agency that did the…advertising for (second bank’s name).  Those were the campaigns that helped (second bank’ name) grow so big you bought it.”

 I imagine the ad agency president felt pretty good about himself the day this letter ran, and he probably had a few laughs and high fives with his staff and colleagues.

 But was his approach really smart – or necessary? 

 I don’t know how things turned out, but my guess is the larger bank declined his suggestion to move their business with his agency.  In fact, I suspect quite a few people who read the letter, even if they agreed with his position, would not want to do business with him.

 Arrogance is not winning a position, especially in a highly competitive industry.  There are ways to make a point, even when being critical, without being condescending and needlessly alienating others.

 It’s been said that while friends come and go, enemies accumulate.  And accumulating enemies is not a good way to keep an ad agency growing.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.