2. When someone asks “What’s the Ad Value Equivalency?” are they really asking “Did I get a good deal on PR versus spending on advertising?” Likely no. More often than not, clients want to know if they made a strategic decision that supports their objectives. Following are questions every PR professional or business owner should ask when considering the relevance of AVEs… 2 The AVE debate
3. 1. “Is the AVE providing you the most insightful, relevant information?” 3 Ask …
4. The most important questions to ask when evaluating public relations activity are: Were objectives defined when the communications plan was drafted? Did the objectives link to the business goals? If yes to the above, did public relations achieve the objective/s? The best time to decide how PR “success” will be measured is when the plan is created. Airfoil is dedicated to making sure our clients’ strategies are on point and meeting their business goals. In this scenario, AVEs are not the hallmark of success and businesses have a dynamic measurement model that can adjust – quickly, strategically – as goals or the marketplace may. 4 …then consider this AVE insight…
5. 5 Ask… 2. “How do you know what customers are saying about you?”
6. Airfoil Research Director Jennifer Becker has looked at customer data long enough to know that people will believe what experience – no matter how limited that experience -- tells them. Changing this perception isn’t always easy. “Sometimes people’s view of a brand isn’t even based on a real experience, it’s based on an expectation. Today’s 24/7 news cycle makes something old news before it even hits. Or does it? Have we asked the target audience if they understood it the first time…or the second?” -- Jennifer Becker So we encourage clients and businesses engaging in PR to challenge the perceptions, internal or external, and ask yourself, “How do I know?” 6 …then consider this AVE insight…
7. 3. “Are you the reason you don’t know if your communications campaign is working?” 7 Ask…
8. Do you have a pulse on the comprehensive health – not just AVEs -- of your PR plan? Are you continuously evaluating whether your plan is still aligned with current goals, objectives and business performance? Asking questions is hard, but not asking them might be the reason your plan isn’t going according to plan. Sometimes asking questions positions us as the difficult person in the room, when what we’re really doing is trying to be smarter communicators. Asking questions about the health of your brand is one way to be a better communicator. Using data to answer some of those questions is one way to create alignment and bring teams together to work from a common goal, following the best path. 8 …then consider this AVE insight…
9. We thrive on challenging, meaningful dialogue about what works – and what doesn’t – within our industry. In a recent PRWeek,Airfoil Research Director Jennifer Becker faced off against an industry peer on whether AVEs are a viable way to measure PR. Her, and Airfoil’s, position is that it is not. While supporters of AVEs as a metric seem to lean on the “Senior management likes numbers” argument, our experience tells us that “Senior management loves real ROI.” 9 Final thoughts
