You can guarantee media coverage, and any PR who says you can’t is just afraid of commitment

Lightning round, Bayfront B Room, InterContinental Miami

The idea that it’s impossible to guarantee earned media coverage is a myth perpetuated by PRs who simply don’t like signing up to commitments. In this talk, I’ll explore the arguments for – and against – guaranteeing earned media coverage for your clients.

Key takeaways include:

  • If you run a press office for your client, it’s perfectly possible to guarantee a volume of coverage within certain media targets on a monthly / quarterly basis;
  • It’s not always the right approach, but the notion that there is no correlation between output metrics and organisational impact is in contradiction to the principles of the AMEC Measurement Framework;
  • The industry’s aversion to committing to results is holding it back in the boardroom. Decision makers don’t sign checks for hopes and dreams; they do it for calculated returns;
  • Media coverage needs to be earned. If PRs aren’t hitting their coverage numbers they should work a little harder.