In this blog, Hayley Goff, Whiteoaks’ CEO, explores:                             Â
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How agency support can help start-ups make better use of limited internal resources
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The benefits of accessing specialist PR and marketing expertise without increasing headcount
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How to choose a PR partner and ensure your investment delivers measurable results
Building a successful B2B tech business isn’t easy. Just ask any CEO or board of directors. This is especially true when it comes to start-ups and smaller companies where traditional roles of sales, marketing, operations overlap and are carried out by one or two people.
Not all new businesses have the budget to hire a powerful marketing team from the get-go. In our experience, when businesses like these secure funding, PR and marketing is often on the wish list – a nice to have instead of an absolute must-have. We’re of the opinion (naturally) that PR and marketing is absolutely essential for business growth.
The power of PR in business growth
PR fulfils many functions. It elevates brand awareness amongst target markets, investors and the media, helps businesses differentiate themselves from competitors, nurtures your profile as an attractive employer to attract the right talent and plays a role in supporting sales with lead generation.
But achieving these outcomes requires more than simply generating media coverage. It takes a clear strategy, an understanding of the audiences that matter to the business and the ability to turn PR activity into meaningful results.
For some businesses, this can be managed effectively in-house. Others may benefit from the specialist expertise, media relationships and additional resource that an external PR agency can provide. The decision should come down to what the business needs, what it can realistically deliver internally and where external support could add value.
For start-ups with limited internal resources and ambitious growth plans, working with an agency can be a worthwhile investment. But as with any marketing expenditure, there needs to be a clear commercial rationale. Here are five reasons why agency support may make sense:
1. Find a B2B tech PR agency that understands your business
That’s the most important thing to remember. You need to choose the right agency with the right experts and approach to PR to meet your business needs.
Every business has different priorities, challenges and ambitions, so finding a PR partner that understands your industry and what you’re trying to achieve is vital. That might mean having specialist knowledge of your market or the ability to deliver integrated campaigns across different channels.
A shared understanding of your objectives will help build a stronger working relationship and ensure PR activity supports wider business goals.
2. Free up your time to focus on growing your business
While you recognise the value that PR and marketing activities can deliver, you don’t necessarily have the time to dedicate to making them happen. Neither does the rest of your team, particularly when people are already managing multiple responsibilities.
Working with an external agency can take some of that pressure off, allowing your team to focus on their core responsibilities while ensuring PR activity continues to move forward.
3. Access specialist expertise
Building an in-house team with expertise across every area of PR and marketing isn’t always realistic for a growing business. Working with an agency gives you access to specialist skills without having to recruit for every discipline.
Depending on the agency structure, you could have access to specialists across media relations, creative, social and content. At Whiteoaks, our approach brings these capabilities together, allowing us to deploy the right expertise depending on the objectives of each campaign.
4. Set clear objectives and hold your agency accountable
Before appointing an agency, establish what you want PR to achieve and how you’ll measure success. Whether that’s based on coverage achieved, assets delivered or media interviews secured, work with your agency to agree clear targets that support your wider business objectives.
It’s also important to look beyond activity and consider the impact PR is having on the business. Depending on your objectives, this could include changes in reputation, brand consideration, lead generation or the establishment of new partnerships.
Having clear commitments from the outset gives both parties something to work towards and makes it easier to assess whether the investment is delivering value.
5. Benefit from a flexible, results-focused approach to PR
We often hear from prospects, especially those in the start-up space, that they are concerned about the traditional retainer model. Having access to ongoing agency support can be valuable, but businesses also need clarity about what they’re paying for and what they can expect in return. This is particularly important when every pound is under the microscope.
At Whiteoaks, we’ve moved away from the traditional retainer model in favour of a fixed fees for fixed outcomes model with a money back guarantee. This gives clients clarity over the deliverables they’re investing in from the outset, with the flexibility to adapt those commitments as business priorities change.
Whatever commercial model you choose, the important thing is that it provides transparency, accountability and enough flexibility to support the changing needs of a growing business.
A PR partner that works hard for you
Ultimately, when your growing business invests in external support, you want that investment to deliver measurable value while allowing your team to focus on what it does best. The right agency should act as an extension of your team, providing specialist expertise and remaining accountable to your commercial priorities.
Contact Whiteoaks to discuss the communications support your next stage of growth requires.
