See the real value of PR with Axia’s PR PRoof system

When you know what to measure, you can reach your business goals more easily.

Are you getting your money’s worth from your public relations efforts? It’s a question asked every day in conference rooms and strategy sessions, but many companies don’t know how to tell or even what they should measure in order to determine the answer.

No company of any size can afford to waste money. You need to ensure that PR initiatives are working to increase your customer base, visibility and profits. With help from Axia Public Relations and our PR PRoof system, you can take away the guesswork when measuring PR success.

Why is measurement important?

PR measurement should be a part of everything you do. Studies have shown that companies that incorporate PR into their overall strategic goals fare better than those that don’t.

However, instead of looking only at numbers, such as how many media hits you got this month, you will achieve better results by associating activities with goals. For example, your sales team experienced more conversions due to the increased visibility you received after a major PR campaign.

While it’s great to see creative ideas and bold strategies, they mean nothing without the data to demonstrate that they are valuable and can help you realize bottom-line results for your company. This may include aspects such as increased customer retention and satisfaction, winning industry awards and a boost in name recognition.

You may not know if you actually gained these outcomes unless you have solid measurement procedures in place. Measurement is the best way to quantify your return on investment. It also provides a way to choose the best PR firm, as those that are thinking of measurement at the beginning of the relationship should have an advantage over their competition.

What is PR PRoof?

PR PRoof is Axia Public Relations’ seven-step strategic planning, measurement and reporting approach to PR work. It helps us to develop the best programs for the unique needs of each of our clients and then measure what matters most to them. This is a smarter, more focused method of delivering effective communications efforts.

We do this by examining key areas involved in the success of PR programs. For example:

Step 1: No PR firm can help you if its people don’t know enough about your industry and company. Therefore, in the Mission and Objectives phase, we make sure we understand your goals, field and important stakeholders. This allows us to determine what audiences we need to reach and what success will look like for you.

Step 2: There is no one-size-fits-all methodology for PR. Consequently, for the Strategic Planning step, we collect your input and develop the scope and budget for PR work.

Step 4: After determining key performance indicators, we determine what we’ll need in order to meet them in the Tools phase. Some of these devices might include tools such as call tracking, surveys and focus groups.

Step 7: This is where we clarify Client Satisfaction, which is the biggest measurement of success. We achieve this through ongoing dialogue and performance assessment, including Net Promoter Score.

Make Axia your strategic partner

At Axia, we believe that measuring is great, but measuring the right things will lead to meeting your desired objectives and increasing your profitability. Using our cache of measurement and monitoring tools, we provide the best value for our clients. In fact, most would recommend us to other companies seeking a PR firm. Contact us today or register for our 60-Second Impact to find out how we can help you further grow your business.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.

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