Myths About The PR And Publicity Process Abound, We’re Here To Set The Record Straight.

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Public Relations, PR and Publicity are crucial elements of any consumer facing brand’s success. There are no serious marketing pros that will contest this point.

From product placement in magazines and websites; guest posting on relevant blogs; to professional profiles in business media – PR is an elemental cornerstone of marketing for any B2C brand.

However, the method you employ to grease the wheels on your publicity machine can vary dramatically.

Companies that appreciate the complexities of a comprehensive publicity strategy hire PR firms like Boxwood Co.

Others who believe they have no budget for outside PR will try to mount a campaign on their own. This is not impossible, and when a seasoned media person is brought in-house, the plan can be very successful.

We took a look into some of the myths circulating about the PR and publicity process and wanted to clarify some misconceptions.

Myth #1:
Hiring a PR firm costs $10,000 per month.
$10,000 a month is the budget for some multinational brands, but nowhere near what a boutique PR firm would charge a startup or small company. In fact, most PR firms are happy to negotiate a budget that works for a brand that intrigues them, starting at about $1000 per month. This is far less expensive than hiring a person inhouse and having to pay benefits and payroll taxes on top of a living salary.
Myth #2:
PR is Easy
Public Relations is exhilarating, addictive, fun, and rewarding, but it’s not easy by any measure. Many small brands trying to manage just a product placement or two find themselves banging their heads against a wall in no time. It takes writing skill, a good eye for art, a dogged determination to follow up time and again, and the ability to do tedious research day in and day out – and that’s just the start.
Myth #3:
You can easily handle PR tasks along with your current workload.
If your focus is on developing a product, reaching out to retailers, working through supply chain issues, and creating marketing materials for your target market - throwing yet another full roster of tasks onto your current workload is a crazy idea. Public Relations for even the smallest brand is a fulltime job.
Myth #4:
The Media is Desperate for Submissions.
This is perhaps the saddest myth of all. The fact is, that as of this writing, brands far outnumber media personnel. In fact, one estimate I’ve seen is that for every writer specializing in beauty and health, there are 5 cosmetic, skincare or body care brands competing for that writer’s attention. That ratio gives you very poor odds of landing coverage, unless you work relentlessly to make it happen. The media in reality is swamped with submissions and most editors read only a small percentage of the pitches they receive. When it comes to submitting self-promoting guest editorials, about 98% are rejected. It’s imperative that a brand not wear out their welcome with the media by peppering writer email accounts with irrelevant, poorly designed pitches.

Beware of “PR coaches” that basically give their customers a pat on the back and send them out the door with an outdated media list.

If you are confused about the process get in touch with us. We can give you a reality check and help you save time and frustration.

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