Public Relations: What are the key benefits to outsourcing?

Are you struggling to capture media attention? To capitalise on the power of the press. Whether that’s print, online, TV or radio to endorse your brand as a trusted industry expert? If so, have you considered outsourcing your public relations? Either to act as your PR department or media office, or as an extension of your in-house PR and marketing department. To support as they juggle the many different challenges of building a brand and cutting through the crowd, multi-channel digital media landscape?

Public relations is a fast moving industry which works best when organisations are quick off the mark with highly creative ideas that are proactive as well as responsive, to the market’s needs. There are many benefits to a PR team, but why hire externally?

8 reasons to outsource your public relations

1. Frees up your time to strategise and grow

Outsourcing to a dedicated team of experienced PR professions, who are well connected in the media, instantly brings expertise into your business to get the PR and marketing underway. Working as an extension of your team, this team lends several critical pairs of hands to execute the PR activity and ideas. Freeing up the in-house pros to focus on business strategy in a larger business. External hirescan be more beneficial for a small business. Giving the Managing Director time to to concentrate on building the business, while reaping the rewards of the PR activity.

2. Can be cost effective

Because you’re getting a team of highly qualified, highly experienced people as an extension of your business for typically the same price as one.

3. Technology

An external agency will have invested in all the correct tools and databases needed to be to be efficient and effective, and will keep abreast of new technologies and tools so you don’t have to. That’s not to say this can’t be done internally, but it most likely won’t prove to be cost effective if purchased in-house.  

4. Three heads are better than one

Especially in a creative industry such as PR where you’re competing for customers’ attention within a noisy online marketplace. Therefore, the best ideas that are original and relevant will get you noticed. It’s often comes from a brainstorm of ideas from various creative minds, coming together either working to support the in-house head of PR and marketing. Or acting as the organisation’s sole PR department.

5. Six eyes are better than two

With the news moving at an incredible pace across multiple platforms and all competing with the latest news stories. Having a PR team of sharp eyes and ears constantly scanning the media is critical to ensure opportunities aren’t missed and when spotted they’re maximised.

6. Limiting your risk

That comes with the commitment of employing people directly and the associated costs. It also gives you greater flexibility over your business and budget, to scale up as your organisation grows or in line with your in-house PR’s needs.

Having an in-house team brings with it the recruitment overheads. Including hiring and firing, redundancies, sickness, holidays, performance, pay, and everything else that comes with employing people. By outsourcing, you’ll have access to a team of experts instantly, without having to withstand any of the recruitment headaches

7. Objectivity

An external public relations team will be able to offer an objective view of your business and provide real consultancy. They won’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to something that won’t work. The bottom line is, if it doesn’t work and you don’t get the results, they won’t get your business for long.  

8. Tracking and Review

An external agency knows it is under constant review. If they don’t perform and you don’t get the results, they will lose your business. Along with the ‘word of mouth’ new business pipeline many agencies rely upon. This, and the huge amount of professional pride they get from happy clients, means they can never afford to become complacent.

Ready to get started with your public relations? Get in touch to find out how we can get people talking, clicking and sharing about your brand.