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Expanding your team is always a significant decision for any business. Whether that expansion involves building an inside sales team, establishing a new accounting department or hiring senior-level executives to take major day-to-day work off your plate, it's important to make sure it's the right time to bring new hires into the fold.
There is a feeling that comes when you hit a wall and your current team members have too much work on their hands. You may notice growth stagnation within your business without enough hands. For example, you may feel that receivables need to be logged or followed up on more promptly, so you'll know it's time to add a receivables manager. Work overload and delays are crucial to understanding when to hire.
What if your company's brand awareness is keeping you up at night, and you aren't sure whether it's time to bring in help? Here are four signs that it may be time to hire a PR firm.
1. You Feel Limited By Growing Pains
Growing pains in a business are a good sign, but if left unresolved for too long, they can certainly hurt. They are generally a sign that it might be time to make an investment. That investment may be new equipment for your team or a new software system to automate processes. Or it may be an investment in new people.
The growing pains you feel when it's time to hire a PR firm include difficulty reaching out to media or getting them to cover your brand, products or services. You may notice your competitors frequently in the news and wonder why it's not you.
If these issues resonate with you, it's a strong indication that hiring a PR firm can help alleviate your growing pains. A PR firm should have established media connections to break down these barriers. They can help by developing effective stories, using their media connections and executing strategic campaigns, which can enhance your brand's visibility and reputation, allowing your business to grow and thrive.
2. Your Brand Awareness Has Stagnated
It can be frustrating when you're burning the midnight oil, but your brand awareness simply isn't there. We only have so much energy and creativity to spend before we burn ourselves or internal teams out. The thing about brand awareness is that it doesn't occur overnight. It happens with careful planning and a strategic direction for your public image.
This is where a PR firm can be invaluable. They can view your brand from a totally different angle, identifying what people will respond to and tapping into that effectively. By looking at your brand with fresh eyes, a PR firm can uncover unique aspects and strengths that you might have overlooked. They understand what stories resonate with different audiences and can craft narratives that capture attention and engagement.
For instance, a PR firm might highlight your company's community involvement, hyper-segment the innovative qualities of your products for breakout industry targets or assist you in contributing to industry thought leadership. A PR firm can also identify and leverage media trends, ensuring your brand is part of the conversation in relevant and timely ways. By tapping into what resonates with people, they can create a more compelling and relatable brand image.
3. Your Competitors Are Outshining You
If you frequently see your competitors dominating the news while your brand struggles to gain traction, it can be both frustrating and concerning. You know you have the superior product, but does the media know you are there? Have you taken the time to build a phenomenal relationship with them so they'll remember you each time they run a story? Do you have the bandwidth to email or call the media whenever you roll something new out, or if your business is experiencing large-scale momentum?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, then it may be time to hire a PR firm. It's a common situation, and most of the time, competitor market visibility and media saturation are due to your competitors investing long-term in their PR strategy.
4. You Have Limited Internal Resources
A small internal marketing department can only do so much. If your team is stretched thin and struggling to keep up with the demands of both day-to-day tasks and larger strategic initiatives, it's time to consider external support. When hiring a PR firm, think of it as gaining an extended team of vice presidents, directors and publicists, along with a wealth of creativity and brainpower.
The right PR firm won't be a burden; instead, they will be a seamless extension of your team. They will augment your internal resources, providing expertise and additional bandwidth to tackle complex campaigns and long-term projects. This collaboration allows your internal team to focus on what they do best, while the PR firm handles the heavy lifting of media relations and brand positioning.
Be Ready For The Investment
Investing in a PR firm is a significant step, and if you're ready for it, you should view it as a long-term commitment rather than a short-term fix. The words "PR firm" and "quick campaign" should never be part of a single thought; instead, think of hiring a PR firm as forming a partnership. A PR firm can grow with your business, adapting strategies to meet your evolving needs and helping you navigate the changing landscape of your industry.
The cost of hiring a PR firm on a monthly retainer may seem significant, but it's often less than hiring internally, and it eliminates the ramp-up time and industry learning curves.
When you hire a PR firm, think of them as an integral part of your team that contributes to your long-term success. Such a partnership can ensure that as your business grows, your PR efforts grow with it, continually positioning your brand at the forefront of your industry. Your PR firm can shift, change and grow with you, supporting your business's growth every step of the way as an extension of your team.
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