Are you sceptical of anyone who claims they can guarantee results? It often sounds too good to be true.
But that’s what performance PR is all about; guaranteed results or your money back.
Our ‘fixed fees for fixed outcomes’ model, bolstered by robust KPIs and offer of a formal service level agreement, means if we don’t hit the targets we’ve agreed with you, you don’t pay for them. It sounds bold, wild, and perhaps even a little risky (on our part) but the truth is it offers transparency and accountability, a return on investment for you, and success for us; because your wins are also ours.
You’re waiting for a ‘but’…
Well, there is no ‘but’. There is, however, an important discussion about how we set those agreed targets; the process, working out what is achievable and understanding how they relate to your overall business objectives. But how do we go about doing that?
Working with you and for you
We specialise in collaborating with B2B tech brands, so we already have a comprehensive grasp of the tech PR landscape. The more intricate process of devising campaigns and setting outcomes goes a little like this:
- We forge an intimate understanding of your business; your positioning and your commitment to your customers.
- We extensively analyse your target audience; what are your customer pain points and their aspirations? Which communities do they congregate in – where can we target them?
- We understand your overarching business objectives; are you interested in building brand awareness or generating brand loyalty, for example?
- We look at your timelines – what do you need to achieve and by when?
All this informs the strategy and helps us craft the narratives underpinning the campaign; we want them to cut through the noise and drive meaningful results.
Why agree on outcomes?
Results can only be reported objectively and quantified if measured, which lies at the heart of performance PR. We’ve written comprehensively on our approach to measurement.
We use KPIs to measure performance against a business goal. KPIs can include traditional media coverage volume, website traffic, social media engagement, and more. We recommend tracking just a few important KPIs, and only those that are relevant to what you’re trying to achieve.
Agreeing on the campaign’s targets or its outcomes is important because it provides clarity for all parties, it defines the scope of a campaign and is important for managing expectations.
And when those KPI targets are hit – and they’ve been aligned with business objectives – demonstrating ROI becomes straightforward and makes justifying the investment in performance PR to your senior management team a piece of cake.
Deciding and reporting on targets
So how do we set KPIs targets? The slightly annoying answer is “it depends” because the truth is, of course, every client and their goals are unique.
Setting targets in PR requires a delicate balance between ambition and realism. Budget constraints and timing play significant roles in determining what is feasible within a given campaign. And it’s essential to establish clear milestones and delivery stages, allowing for iterative adjustments along the way.
For a business seeking to enhance brand awareness, our reporting would likely highlight metrics such as the volume of media coverage, total media impressions garnered by the campaign, and the audience’s association with key messages (message penetration). We could compare these statistics before and after the campaign to illustrate the impact and changes achieved.
For a business working to build brand loyalty, trust, and credibility, we’d report on metrics showing the content’s effectiveness at engaging your audience and sentiment. Agreed KPIs would include ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on social media platforms, or clicks through to a webpage, comments, messages, and enquiries.
For a business aiming to enhance brand consideration, we could focus on measuring the percentage change in brand perception before and after a PR campaign.
Fixed fees for fixed outcomes
By understanding the nuances of each client’s business, setting realistic targets, and maintaining accountability through robust reporting, we can help tech brands cut through the noise in an increasingly competitive landscape.
At Whiteoaks, we devise campaigns aligned with those goals right from the outset. Our performance PR model is designed to deliver tangible outcomes that directly support your business objectives and deliver ROI.
We guarantee results, for a guaranteed return on investment – it’s as simple as that.
If you’re interested in finding out how investing in performance PR can help your brand get results, reach out to us today.
