Whitepaper
The PR market is massive: valued at around 88 billion US dollars in 2018, it reached nearly 130 billion by 2023. Many companies invest thousands of euros in PR every month. Yet, the results often fall short of expectations:
It’s frustrating—and expensive. But why is that? Is your team simply not up to the task, or are you focusing on the wrong things? Are your goals unrealistic, or have you failed to communicate your expectations clearly?
In this whitepaper, we explore five key questions you should ask yourself to determine if and why your PR isn't working—and what you can do about it.
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The PR market is booming: valued at around 88 billion US dollars in 2018, it reached nearly 130 billion by 2023. Many companies invest thousands of euros in PR every month. Yet, the results often fall short of expectations:
It’s frustrating—and expensive. But why is that? Is your team simply not up to the task, or are you focusing on the wrong things? Are your goals unrealistic, or have you failed to communicate your expectations clearly?
When your PR doesn't deliver the desired return, it gets expensive: your budget melts away, and you lose visibility and potential business opportunities.
Whether it’s leads, investors, or talent—the key is to stay top-of-mind with the right story and build long-term trust. Mere reach and random mentions are of little value if they don't reach the right people with the right messages.
How to throw your budget (pardon the expression) out the window.
Before you replace your entire team, apply the next five questions to your current setup. After all, hiring new PR staff or constantly switching agencies are significant cost drivers.
We’re highlighting five key questions you should ask yourself to determine if and why your PR isn’t working—and what you can do about it.
01.
If no measurable goals are defined, your agency or department doesn't have to take responsibility.
The hard truth: Many still work "into the blue" without any fixed benchmarks. And between us: many PR professionals or agencies don't want to be held to specific goals. Modern PR work, however, does exactly that.
Think about which overarching communication goals your PR should contribute to (e.g., strengthening trust within your target group to increase sales conversion rates).
Tip: You can read about how to set clear goals and measure your PR against the right criteria in point 5.
Now for the execution—whether internal or external: Have you agreed on clear, measurable KPIs with your contacts, such as the number of clippings in Tier 1 media, the quality* of coverage, or the tone?
Important: When it comes to the number of media reports, make sure that you and your contacts have the same understanding of your target media.
Does your target audience read WiWo and Handelsblatt? Then an article in the local Buxtehude newspaper won't do much. Make sure you define your target media and similar alternatives.
You should check in regularly on the current status of goal achievement: quarterly or semi-annual reporting on progress and a brief update during every recurring meeting or jour fixe are standard practice.
Reach figures may look impressive and advertising equivalency values can be flashy, but they are not clear, individual, or qualitative KPIs for measuring PR efforts. For a no-bullshit report, take a look at these criteria instead:
01 – Media quality
02 – Article quality
03 – Quotes
04 – Competitors mentioned
05 – Tone
06 – Backlinks
Furthermore, it may make sense to look at additional or different quality metrics – depending on what makes sense in view of your company goals.
02.
Many PR departments or agencies spend too little time actively contacting journalists. That is not enough to build a solid media presence.
Let's assume you have a full-time PR professional working 40 hours a week. This person writes press releases, blog posts, content pieces, and articles for media outlets, arranges photo shoots, and perhaps even handles social media and performance marketing.*
It’s no wonder the results aren't coming in. Without sufficient contact with journalists, you miss out on important coverage opportunities and lose media visibility. It’s just like sales: if you don't send emails, make phone calls, and set up meetings, you won't sell anything.
Invest sufficient time in media outreach. Ensure that you have the capacity for it and that your team's activities have a direct impact on your coverage. This means: monitoring, developing storylines, and direct contact with journalists (more on the "how" in the next point).
Furthermore, you should ask yourself how much experience and professional expertise your team has. People who have been doing PR for years and have built up a network of journalists will likely be faster and more successful than marketing managers who handle PR on the side. The more results you want, the more time and expertise you should invest in PR.
03.
Mass emails are a dead end. If your agency or PR team sends the same press release to hundreds of newsrooms, the chance of getting coverage is very low. It’s no surprise: journalists have individual goals that must align with the goals of their media outlets—so your announcement about your website's new color scheme rarely fits in. There’s even a dedicated hashtag for this on Twitter/X: #prfromhell.
What does your media outreach look like? Does your team approach target journalists with individual pitches? Only when your story is tailored to the specific needs of the journalists can you work with them on an equal footing—and expect coverage. For this, you need people on your team who think like journalists and develop stories that capture the zeitgeist—even when you don't have any breaking news. This skill is how you can tell if your team really knows their stuff.
Here is an example from us: Our client Strato, Germany's second-largest web hosting provider based in Berlin, has been on the market for almost 30 years. The goal: to gain more visibility as a hidden champion. Due to its reach and local relevance, the Tagesspiegel is a suitable target medium. A targeted, personalized approach led to an interview with the CEO and a profile in both print and online.
*Also helpful: trust factors such as well-known investors, leadership figures, or clients. Did the CEO work at a well-known company before or have a major exit? That helps.
04.
Emails are often not enough—even if they are written individually. They end up in spam, get deleted, or are overlooked.
Experience shows that you reach about 10 to 15% of the journalists you call during phone outreach—this is something you need to factor in.
Public relations is all about relationships: anyone who isn't interested in networking, grabbing lunch together, or attending the occasional press event is in the wrong job.
Without regular interaction with your key contacts, you are closing doors on opportunities. Even if every pitch doesn't immediately result in an article, podcast feature, or speaking engagement, you are building visibility with the right journalists—and that is the only way they will come back to you with topic-specific inquiries.
How often do personal phone calls or meetings with relevant journalists take place? Hold your PR team accountable for investing more in face-to-face meetings and regular calls—have your internal team track their efforts. This allows you to see which channels are generating article placements and whether your guidelines are being followed.
Good relationship management also prepares you for times of crisis. The PR motto should be: Make friends before you need them.
So, know the ten most important journalists for your company. Your team should have a strong rapport with them.
"We reached 260 million people! In Germany alone!" It sounds impressive, but it doesn't mean much. Reach on its own isn't a meaningful metric. What matters is how that reach impacts your business.
Time and again, we sit down with CEOs and CMOs in consulting sessions who tell us their goal is to get featured in the Handelsblatt. "But why?" we have to ask. Does it really have to be the Handelsblatt? What is your communication goal? And who are you trying to reach? A prestigious media outlet doesn't always equal a successful outcome.
Your PR team can work as hard as they want and land the most incredible articles—but if they don't contribute to your business goals, their efforts are nothing more than an expensive hobby.
Define clear PR goals, regularly review their impact, and share your insights with your PR team or agency. Only when they have transparent visibility into how their work affects company goals can they effectively adjust their tactics. Furthermore, without measuring your PR outcomes, you lack the necessary leverage when dealing with agencies or internal PR departments.
These questions should be adapted based on your specific company goals, for example:
Your PR team has spent months working to get VCs to notice you.
However, no one has reached out, even though you secured ten articles in relevant media outlets. Something didn't work there.*
What else you should do with your PR successes to reach your goals:
*Note: PR is not performance marketing. Your successes often only become apparent in the long term and cannot always be clearly attributed to a specific PR activity.
"PR is not a game of chance; it is a strategic tool. Those who ask the right questions and consistently measure results transform PR from a costly experiment into a measurable value driver for the company."
PR shouldn't be a black box. With clear KPIs, intensive media relations, and a personalized approach, you can get your PR back on track—and give your company the visibility it needs.
A few more tips for implementation:
Of course, your PR setup also influences your success. So, ask yourself how and how often you are currently checking in with each other. An outcome-oriented agenda for regular meetings and the right meeting rhythm can work wonders.
You shouldn't settle for mediocre results. It’s better to take control of your PR outcome yourself.
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getpress GmbH
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