Welcome back to our (really long) blog post about the pros and cons of hiring a PR manager versus doing your own PR with the help of an online service like PressKing. In case you missed it, last week, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an agency, the cost, and whether PR is really necessary for your young business. On to part two…

Should I hire a PR manager to handle my social media?

The short answer is “no.” PR agencies will tell you that they are experts in social media, and while that may be true, YOU are the expert in your business. You know your brand, your product, your goals, your competitors, and your clients better than any hired PR pro does, and thus, you can communicate with them more effectively. You know better than to think that Facebook and Twitter are just new platforms to sell: social media is about building relationships, sharing valuable information, and listening to your customers. It is about changing what used to be a one-way transaction into a meaningful exchange. The honest truth is that no one cares about your business as much as you do, and this will be obvious to your clients if you show them that you are willing to engage with them yourself.

 I don’t know much about PR. How can I do it myself?

It’s hard to deny that a PR professional knows how to do PR better than you do. But fortunately, this isn’t as prohibitive as it used to be. With social media and the internet, it is easier than ever to cultivate personal relationships with key contacts through a variety of outlets: Facebook, Twitter, blogs, websites, you name it. What used to be privileged information for PR pros is now widely available and ripe for the taking. And as mentioned before, you know your business better than anyone. You know what message you are trying to send and can position it according to the market you know best. And luckily, services like PressKing are there to help you with the rest.

We hope this has shed some light on the PR issue for you. Questions? Comments? Leave them below!

Until next time,

The PressKing Team