Why aren’t PR firms offering digital marketing services to their clients?
On Sunday, David Anderson from Off Madison Ave and I presented this roundtable at the PRSA Counselor’s Academy conference in Palm Desert.
The title is: Revenue.com: Launching Digital Marketing Services to Grow Retainers. Note we only had ~30 minutes, so this isn’t as comprehensive as I’d prefer.
Social Media And Seo For PR Firms
View more Microsoft Word documents from Jason Baer.
There are 5 Advantages of Digital Services
- Marketing dollars are moving to the Web (Internet is already 3rd largest advertising vehicle, behind only newspapers and TV)
- Brands are embracing social media. 63% of global best-in-class companies will increase social media spending in 2009.
- Most digital services are ongoing, retainer-based programs.
- Digital services are inherently measurable, making it easier to prove PR firm value.
- Digital is ever-changing. There’s always a new wrinkle – always something new to sell.
3 Must-Do Digital Services for PR Firms
- Search engine optimization. Fundamentally linked to modern public relations (or should be).
- Social media. Listening programs. Engagement and messaging counsel. Social media crisis management.
- Digital content creation. Blogs. Facebook pages. Podcasts. Videos. eBooks. Helping clients atomize content effectively (see this post from Todd Defren for more info).
6 Steps to Mastering Digital Services at PR Firms
- Matrix client opportunities. Is the client engaged in SEO, social media, etc. already? In-house? With another agency?
- Index staff competency. Probably, your existing staff aren’t SEO or social media “experts.” But, are there team members with interest + aptitude? Put your aces in their places.
- Assign vertical expertise. Don’t try to make an all-knowing digital superstar in your agency. It’s high risk, and it doesn’t scale. Divide expertise throughout the team. 1-2 people per discipline.
- Train. Find someone reputable to provide serious social media training, SEO training, digital content training.
- Practice on yourself. Eat your own dog food. Get good at SEO, social media, and digital content on behalf of your own agency.
- Sell to clients through education. It’s easier to sell digital services in a seminar, rather than a “pitch.” Start scheduling regular education sessions for your clients, and they’ll end up “pitching” themselves.
What did we miss?