By Scott Cytron, ABC, president of Cytron and Company, a consultancy specializing in public relations, marketing and communication.
ROI. Three simple initials that can make or break a campaign.
Why have we become so dependent on ROI? Pretty simple. If management can’t measure something in quantifiable terms, then how will anyone know whether something is effective?
My friends in PR who are reading this are smiling. PR certainly can be measured, but not in black & white or simple numbers. You might be able to figure out how many units were sold based on a media relations campaign, but you won’t know if you changed someone’s impressions of a company unless you ask them for an opinion. And, if you’re still telling your CEO or clients that the last story’s ROI you placed for them in the Houston Business Journal was worth $1,000 based on the number of column inches, you really need to go back to the drawing board.
This is a great time to work in public relations and communications because of social media. I think of social media and public relations as kissing cousins. Given the tools we have at our disposal to tell a story and influence opinion, we now have the ability to be creative, insightful and imaginative with clients and employers – way beyond the static news release.
Let’s share some stories about how our companies and clients are using social media to further their PR efforts. Comment on this blog and I’ll share your responses (by name or anonymously – you choose) during my presentation to IABC Houston on May 28 at Maggiano’s. See you there!
