How do you know if a PR campaign is effective? I hear this question a lot from potential clients. Contrary to what many people might believe, there are several ways to evaluate the performance of your PR agency. (You can read more on that with this blog How to Measure the ROI of PR).
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick summary to measure the effectiveness of a media campaign.
Number of Targeted Media Placements
Demographics and Readers for those Media Outlets
Increased Credibility
Actual Sales, which can be measured through analytics.
Improved SEO – since search engines use news stories and blogger stories to measure the value of a website.
There is another way to measure the ROI of PR that is frequently overlooked. It’s more difficult to quantify than Google Analytics but according to researchers out of Motista – a consumer intelligence analytics firm – it’s actually more persuasive and leads to higher revenue for brands. This is where the art of PR contrasts with the science of data.
Every business owner wants to get their story on their business. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that reveals how to get news coverage, but there is a blueprint that can increase your chances for media placements.
As Executive Producer with NBC in New York, I approved story ideas from reporters, publicists and producers. Sometimes, stories were approved but later killed for various reasons.
Other times, I killed a story because it lacked visuals or had outdated information. The approval process in news is subjective, just like any other profession involving creativity, opinions and experiences. So if you get a bite from the media, move fast and don’t delay.
So how do you get journalists to cover your business?
You can increase your chances for coverage by identifying what is different, new or unique about your business. It sounds simple but a lot of people forget that news is based on the root “new.” They pitch stories but forget about timeliness. If you don’t have that “new” component, your story is at a disadvantage.
You can figure out what is new about your business by asking some simple questions: Is your business contributing to the local community in a unique way we might not expect? Are you about to accomplish a feat where others have failed? What is different between you and competitors?
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Journalists and marketing peers consistently rank MACIAS PR as one of the best PR Agencies based on our results.
Over the years, MACIAS PR has launched publicity, media and branding campaigns for companies from all industries. We’ve worked with boot-strapped startups as well as established international brands, securing publicity with the most influential news publications.
Prominent clients include: Noom, WellRX, Meru Health, Lifesum, Columbia University Medical Center, Plenty of Fish, Kilo Health, Burke Hospital, the Former UN Executive Director on Climate, and members of Congress. Our media campaigns helped these brands raise tens of millions of dollars with investors, while improving their name recognition with customers.
We have client case studies, detailing these campaigns.
At MACIAS PR, our clients always work with an experienced media strategist. And as a boutique PR consulting firm, our communications process is streamlined, while our execution is hyper-focused.
PR Awards – Earned by MACIAS PR
Marketing peers named MACIAS PR the Strategic PR Firm of the Year from 2017-2021. As part of the selection process, marketing and PR professionals reviewed media campaigns promoted by our agency.
Finance Monthly also named MACIAS PR the 2015-2017 Financial PR Firm of the Year. And in 2022, City & State Magazine named our founder, Mark Macias, a Top 50 Political PR Power player in New York.
Message Mark at the bottom of this screen (green button on the right) if you would like to schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here.
PR helps build your business, but on a personal level, it can also make you a better communicator and sales person.
A few years ago, I worked with the founder of a hedge fund who wasn’t the best communicator with the media. He made a lot of mistakes when speaking with reporters.
But after a few months, I noticed his delivery got better. He also confided in me that his sales pitches got better. Our media training helped him learn how to better communicate with investors.
You can read more about media training here, but here are 5 Ways PR can help you communicate better in person. I originally wrote this article for Entrepreneur Magazine. You can read a shortened version of that article on the next page.
Why does the cat always catch the mouse? When you think of how agile and quick a mouse can be, it should easily outmaneuver the cat. Yet, most of the time, the cat will catch the mouse.
That’s not just a fun question. It’s actually a way of thinking that applies to PR and business.
First off, I’m not an expert on mice or cats. I’m allergic to cats and I hate mice. But as a person who lives in Brooklyn, and every New Yorker will tell you – “if you have mice, get a cat and the problem will go away.”
I got to thinking about that concept when watching of all things – Tom and Jerry – with my son. It got me thinking of the relationship between cat and mice, and the reporter and publicist. Here’s a closer look at what the classic cat and mouse game can teach us about media strategy.
MACIAS PR led the PR & media campaign for MBS & Accounting Technology & Advisory firm in 2017. The accounting firm approached us for help in growing their business, generating new leads and promoting their annual tech conference. The Senior VP of MBSATA said our media and digital marketing campaigns had a direct impact on their business growth.
Challenge: Accounting is not an interesting topic to reporters. It’s perceived as being systematically boring with few fresh angles. It’s also in a vaguely defined market that includes bookkeeping and accounting. Our PR team had to find interesting, creative and timely topics to position this accounting firm in the news.
Solution: MACIAS PR developed targeted and timely stories that appealed to their targeted business base: nonprofit and tech startups. We simplified the message and communicated the story to reporters in a way reporters would understand. In addition to our thought leadership ideas, our PR team also ghost-wrote editorials on the CEO’s name, including several prominent pieces that were published in Forbes and ValueWalk – one of the most prominent tech publications that reaches young entrepreneurs. Our messaging was designed to drive new business.
The article in Forbes was also picked by their editors under their “Editor’s Choice” section, bringing even more exposure to the story. The article was titled, “5 Red Flags That Inexperienced Entrepreneurs Must Avoid To Attract Investors.”
Closer Look at Media Coverage
Results: MACIAS PR helped raise the profile of MBSATA in the nonprofit and tech space. We also helped sell tickets to their annual tech summit, bringing in the largest number of attendees in the history of their organized event. Our coverage helped drive more than 1500 people to their event in Manhattan.
Our PR team secured prominent and targeted news stories that positioned the firm as a leader in accounting technology. We conceptualized campaigns and executed media campaigns that introduced the firm to their ideal client base: nonprofits, tech startups and accountants. Our media coverage included stories with Forbes, Accounting Today, Asea, Valuewalk, Nonprofit Information, NonProfitPro, Bitcoin.com, MedCityNews, CoinDesk, YoungUpStarts and BizEdge.
You can see more of this media coverage on our document below the client testimonial.
In addition to securing these news stories, MACIAS PR also promoted their annual tech summit, MBS CalculTech with the local tech community. If you are looking for a PR firm to help you with your B2B campaign, we encourage you to contact us. We would be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with a free consultation.
Client Testimonial
“MACIAS PR promoted our business and annual tech event in 2017. I couldn’t be happier with the media coverage and online publicity they secured for our firm. Their PR strategy had a direct relationship to our business growth. Mark is also easy to work with and comes up with his own angles that get coverage. Highly recommend MACIAS PR.”
~ Michael Jones, Senior VP of Sales and Partnerships
Finance Monthly and ACQ5 5 – an international industry award – named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year. This was the third year in a row that Finance Monthly recognized our firm. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. He is also a PR contributor with Entrepreneur and Forbes, providing media analysis, insight and crisis advice on timely business topics.
Most of us have similar thoughts on Musk renaming Twitter to X: It’s a self-inflicted mortal wound that tosses a globally recognized name and verb (tweet) out the window. There’s absolutely no long-term value in altering a name, logo and trademark that nearly everyone with a smartphone recognizes. It’s a short-sighted move and a lesson in what not to do with your brand.
Luckily you can’t destroy your brand like Twitter if you’re a startup. That’s because no one has heard of your company. But, there are missteps that can make your branding path more difficult. Over the years, I’ve heard many CEOs, entrepreneurs and CMOs turn down media opportunities because they thought the news organization was too small. In some cases, they criticized the news website design.
Every brand wants to be in the New York Times or on Good Morning America but sometimes those aren’t the best news outlets for your targeted exposure.
I wrote an article for Entrepreneur recently that explores when smaller news outlets might bring more targeted exposure. You can read that story here.
Many times, clients will suggest we turn down a smaller publication because they have their hearts set on these larger news organizations. If you’re a startup, you should be accepting all media opportunities — big and small. Your story hasn’t been told as a startup and every media opportunity is a chance to scale your brand. These news stories also help your website with SEO.
In 2018, the founder of MACIAS PR – Mark Macias – wrote and produced an Off-Broadway play on the final hours of Elvis Presley’s time on earth. The King, The Final Hours was an artistic look at what went through Elvis’ mind as he realized he was dying.
This agency led the entire publicity and marketing campaign for the play, and it had a direct impact on ticket sales. The King, The Final Hours received local, national and international media attention and sold out 50 percent of its shows. More than 50 independent theaters across the country expressed interest in the play before COVID hit. The first syndicated play was scheduled to open in May 2020 in Portland, Oregon. COVID put that on hold.
Media Coverage for the Play
Local TV, community newspapers, radio, national and international online publications all published features on The King, The Final Hours. Here’s a look at some of the mentions from those news stories.
New York Post – “The King, The Final Hours, Macias’ debut play that imagines Elvis Presley’s sad last hours on this earth, had a well-received reading… with an eye towards enticing more investors.”
Broadway Box – “The King, The Final Hours will take baby boomers back to their youth and introduce a new generation to the powerful entertainer who became the most famous man on Earth.”
NY1 – “While many story tellers focus on what made Elvis so successful, this play examines the singer’s struggles.”
PIX 11 – The play looks at how his life ended and finds themes we can all explore in our lives.
Rock & Roll Globe Magazine – “This story explores some of those personal failures that he had as a human. If a play is going to succeed, it has to be a great story, a new story, something that hasn’t been told. And I believe this does have that.”
Brooklyn Reader – “The play doesn’t shy away from the truth about Elvis.”
Brooklyn Paper – “Macias’ show imagines Elvis realizing something very strange is happening, and calling out to the three most important women in his life: His mama, his first wife, and the woman he loved but didn’t marry.”
Media Partnerships
In addition to securing media placements and creating content for social media, MACIAS PR also partnered with sponsors from different industries. We created experience packages for hotels. This included a Meet & Greet with the cast, seats in the front row and a private Q&A with the producer following the show.
You can see more of our media coverage in the case study below. Interested in hearing how MACIAS PR can help promote your show or play? Click here to get a free PR estimate. We learned a lot from producing and promoting this play, and can share more of this knowledge with your creators.
ABOUT MACIAS PR
Marketing peers named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the Financial PR Firm of the Year. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named him a PR Political Power Player in New York
Rising prescription costs are at the forefront of the healthcare debate. Despite this timely news issue, one digital health company had trouble standing out even though it provided a unique value proposition that lowered prescription costs.
This case study looks at how MACIAS PR helped elevate the WellRx brand by placing targeted consumer stories across TV, print and influential online news publications. You can also read a Linkedin testimonial from the company executive who worked with our agency throughout our 3+ year relationship.
