Pros & Cons of In-House PR
A few months ago, my friend bought a fancy juicer / steamer. One of those kitchen aid things that cooks everything for you, preserves nutrients, makes you healthy, washes up after you and feeds your cats while you’re away. This machine is incredible. My friend is glowing with plant-powered youth.
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Hot on the heels of this undeniable proof, I too bought said wonder cooker. And waited for the results to come pouring in…
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Except, they didn’t.
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Now I’m sure you’re wondering what this story has to do with in-house PR, so let me assure you that this analogy is entirely relevant when you’re deciding which path to go down for your business.
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Let’s take a look…
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Why did the juicer work for my friend and not for me? Let’s break it down (in brutal honesty):
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- My friend is a vegan personal trainer whose business and life is built around healthy eating. There was my first clue. She even blogs about her home-made meals and writes diet plans for her clients. Crucially, she loves what she does and looks forward to the process[ing] (pun intended!)
- I, on the other hand, loved the results she was getting from this machine and assumed that the benefits would come to me as easily as they did her. Sadly I was forgetting that I’m not as naturally interested in home steaming / juicing / nut butter making as she is, and that I cook for convenience. Often in a rush.
- This machine saved my friend money because she was spending a small fortune on store bought products. Now, she could make all the finished products herself at home for a fraction of the price.
- This machine cost me money. Even though I had all the instructions, all the recipe books, and it was as simple as planning ahead and following a proven process, ultimately, it was another ‘to-do’ that stretched my already busy home-life. I knew this almost as soon as I bought it and within days, every time I looked it I felt confused, guilty and resentful.
- It suited my friend’s lifestyle.
- It didn’t suit mine. I sold it on.
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So, when you’re considering whether to take your PR in-house or to outsource to an agency, you can pretty much follow this cautionary tale to help you decide what’s best for you.
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In-House PR works when…
- You have a genuine interest in the process (or you hire someone that does)
- You have the time to commit to building relationships with the media (or you hire someone that does)
- You have such a proven product / business / message / record of success that you can save money by bringing the workload in-house
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Choose an agency when…
- PR doesn’t come naturally to you and you don’t have time to learn (and, ‘learn to love’) the process
- When your time is too valuable to be spent scouring Google for PR contacts and calling journalists to sell-in your brand. Professional agencies like ours have exclusive press list subscriptions that are updated daily = contacts at your fingertips. Plus, we actively speak to your target publications on a monthly basis, building relationships and raising your profile in the media.
- You have a new product / business / message and you need professional strategy as to how you position it in the market for maximum results
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To your PR – and juicing – success!
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