Ask ATHENS!

Athens is the adorable schnauzer mascot of the Bella Boca office. His wisdom knows no bounds. Take a look at questions people often ask about PR and learn from the master!

Question: What is public relations?

Athens: Public relations is a management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and their audiences i.e. customers, shareholders, employees, investors, etc.

Question: How do public relations practitioners charge?

Athens: Practitioners charge an hourly fee based on their years of experience. Public relations plans are then developed to determine the execution of strategies and tactics to achieve goals. Hours are then applied to determine how long it will take to complete the plan.

Question: How long does it take to see results?

Athens: It all depends on the strategies and tactics used to achieve the goal. However, a good window to see momentum is three to six months. That allows your following to see brand direction and trust the messaging you are sending them.

Question: I have been sending press releases and letters to the media so they can cover my company or event. They never show, why?

Athens: Media coverage is based on: newsworthiness, relevance, timeliness, proximity, human interest, future impact, prominence and shock value. Press releases must be written in the correct format and journalistic style and reporters tend to respond faster when there is a relationship already in place.

Question: What social media platforms should I use?

Athens: Who are you trying to target? Who are your customers/clients/donors/followers/fans? Do research to have a complete understanding of your audience i.e. their age, interests, ethnicity, etc. This will help determine where your audience spends their time online... Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Pinterest, Periscope, etc.