Selling PR Measurement Published June - July 2007 As PR professionals we know that metrics are important.  But how do you persuade your clients that measurement (and the budget that supports it) is critical?  Here are some key messages to assist you.  ROI must and can be measured. The argument that PR focuses on relationships and simply can’t be measured simply does not cut it anymore. There are now a variety of ways to measure the performance of your work. Measurement does not cost a lot The old argument is always that measurement costs too much. This is simply false. In fact, the cost of not measuring might be even higher. Measurement is not only a report card on what you have achieved, it also gives you strategic insights to refine and improve your PR programmes. As a general rule, spending about 6 percent of the program budget would be realistic. PR Measurement - Large or Small? Depending on your objectives and budget there is a range of techniques available. Some of these are long term and more expensive, whilst others might address simply one tactic in your campaign and are therefore less expensive. For example, if one of your PR programs involves an event, you can simply track media coverage and related sales for that event. This can also apply to activities such as sponsorships and road shows. ROI is measured in different ways When we think of return of investment or ROI we often think of measuring it simply in dollar terms.  However, with forethought, there are other ways in which ROI can be measured.  A key audience for organisations is often staff, but how many organisations measure the impact their PR activities may have on staff retention? Need to know more about measurement? Attend the Public Relations Institute of Australia’s Sydney professional development workshop, Introduction to Measurement for PR and Corporate Communications.  Details are available at: http://www.pria.com.au/events/id/41118 Read our list of the best pr measurement blogs sourced from around the globe. PR Influences is produced by Network PR a Sydney based pr company focusing on B2B, technology and online public relations including social media engagement. Contact us if you would like a results driven pr campaign.

PR Influences is published by online pr agency Network PR. Article discusses need for pr measurement and selling it to clients and management.