Measuring PR-results: The truth is right near the task

PR-measure is always out of the project field

After 15 years of journalism and public relations I don’t get any more into a debate about what is PR, whether it should sell, whether it is advertising for free, and whether it is right. Two of three pitching briefs are aimed to find an agency which will place the greatest number of publications for the lowest price. Sometimes they add "in the most high-circulation media" or the most visited Internet resources. Of course, the number of publications can be a measure, it’s a good, simple and easy-to-count way to look at PR-results. In practice, nobody has any guarantee that anybody read those publications and loved the brand after reading.

Nobody to fight

Writing is the best thing I am busy by. Seriously, all my carrier is built on writing - texts, articles, plans, presentations etc. Once I even participated it writing a book. That was a nice PR-tool to promote working skills. Playing with words and meanings is alike with checkmates or puzzle with one difference - there are no enemies.
So you never risk to loose in real public relations, because nobody fights you. You can make a mistake, the result of your campaign may be postponed or changed if you were wrong in you system of arguments. But there is only win-win game, and you can get only "less" win or "more".
'But what about the competitors?' you will ask me.
Well, but you don't communicate with them untill they don't become a channel for your communication project :) If you understand what I am talking about.

To make them feel the same

Localization is much more than just a correct translation. It means creating right expression, strong impression and good opinion made by the only mean you’ve got – by your text. The unique cultural code reflects in every language. A local reader is not able even to explain what exactly he doesn’t like in a foreign page translated well, but not localized yet. Cause this text is perceived as alien cultural code, and the human subconscious reacts in a moment.

During 15 years of my practice I am trying to connect people in right way, because I'm sure that correct contact crosses many borders, national and professional. And cultural, which are even more important. That's why I'm especially glad to assist people from different countries - it's always unrepeatable experience. 

Once I organized the diner-meeting  for Belgian and Russian businessmen. The moscovites was deeply surprised by the beer ordered by partners. They just didn't know yet that beer in Europe is not prohibited to be drunk during the daytime. 

I personnaly think that beer is ideal drink for business meetings - it's not as strong as vine and especially as vodka, so people can control themselves much better :)

Is there PR-life outside Moscow? – Yes, Newton PR&Communications says

The PR-agency «Newton PR & Communications» took the sixth position in the national ranking of communications companies by the turnover level ‘2012. The results of the "RIA Rating" survey were presented on Wednesday, July 3^rd. «Newton PR & Communications» with its headquarter in Yekaterinburg and branch offices in Moscow (Russia) and Warsaw (Poland) became the only agency outside Moscow included in the TOP-10.

100 Russian PR-agencies were invited to participate in the ranking process. The final rating includes 22 of them. The survey took in attention the company’s turnover got for  PR-activities, the number of employees working on the PR-projects, and  share of the revenue per employee. As the results showed, the Russian companies included in the National rating, earned 3.8 billion rubles (over 88 million euro), which is 12% more in comparison with the previous year.

The "Rating of the communications companies by the level of earnings in 2012" will be part of an integrated national rating, which will include the financial aspect, the information activity, and the professional level of the staff.

"Despite the mixed methodology and incomplete reflection of market activity, many members of the PR-industry, the rating is a good basis for further development”, the chairman of the board of directors of the" Newton" group of companies Alex Glazyrin says. - "Newton" is one of Russia's leading communications companies, and continually improves its performance. We will participate in the further surveys of the National Rating of communication companies and plan to keep our leading position".

"Top-ten position of the “Newton PR & Communications” means that we keep moving in the right direction”, Natalia Gurova, the executive director of the agency says. “We develop actively our international cooperation, integrating new technologies and rules of the global PR-market. Our standards of work and the system of managers training are based on the modern international practice. Newton’s portfolio shows the growth of the quantity of foreign projects promoting goods in Russia and the CIS".

About

The “Newton PR & Communications” creates and implements PR-projects in Russia and CIS since 1998. In 2009 it became the  Russian representative of the global network Vivactis-Newton21, in 2010 – the “Waggener Edstrom Worldwide” network, in 2012 –  the “Partners of Promotion” network.

Brave enough to be funny?

Mistakes are the easiest way to destroy the communication from the first step.
Russia &CIS is one of the most attractive region for many large and medium business. Entering WTO, striking the crisis, unique customer’s behavior make this market a delicious apple pie. From the other hand, Russian tourists are easy meat abroad. And of course, first positive marketing ideas with signboards and menu in Russian worked very good . Small and rude texts mistakes seemed charming to naïve tourist eye.  But those blessed times passed over.  Now literacy is one of the marks of quality.

Passion for stories

It's common knowledge that journalists like stories. The funniest thing in all these modern means of communications is that [let's say] some journalists don't like to create their own stories and prefer to get something 'ready-to-print'. I don't know why it happens. When I used to be the journalist myself, I had a passion for story-seeking, matching and comparing facts, building the context which made my articles bright. Today it looks like storytelling becomes a task for PR-specialists. I consider it to be a good way to build a good PR. But you can judge for yourselves.
Once one of my clients decided to make a charity action. So he bought the violin made by famous master. Honestly, that was a really old instrument, and surely it was very expensive.

Goals, objectives and principles of social networking

Typically, is social media goal setting and objectives planning are similar to the general principles of PR-planning: reputation KPIs, audience coverage, the wording of key points of communication. Further objectives tree is constructed, the audience is segmented by quality groups, messages for each of them are written. So you start working and developing effective projects and actions on the best channels of communication. I prefer to create a prototype of the communication model and test on a focus group, adjust it if necessary, get a budget and start an implementation. Coverage of the tasks of social networks commensurate with their abilities - from selling apples to crisis communications. You can even conduct case studies, test product and choose the chief for your transportation department. And the principles of communications will meet these challenges. But it’s very important to conform to generally accepted norms of behaviour. Don’t be rude, don’t continue senseless debates, don’t even try to start censorship on your blog. Also don’t lie. Please.  It’s rather better to be positive, non-intrusive, interesting, original  erudite. Remember that you are a storyteller. A good story told in time to the right person, can enter the company name in the history of the market.