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writing/media
placement/other
Hiring
someone to do public relations in-house is a practice many
nonprofits employ, and for good reason. In-house PR specialists
offer many benefits, including:
In-house
PR-Advantages
Convenience-Having
someone nearby can mean the difference between getting it
done today and waiting for a return phone call tomorrow.
Responsiveness
to opportunities-Typically, in-house PR specialists
are or required to attend and take part in meetings that
discuss future programs, efforts and events. At those meetings,
a good PR specialist will be able to notice PR opportunities
you didn't even know were opportunities.
Closeness
and accountability-You know what they're doing. A quick
glance over the shoulder of your PR specialist will tell
you if they're researching advertising rates on the 'Net,
or playing Solitaire on the desktop.
In-house
PR specialists are not immune to their own set of disadvantages,
however. These include:
In-House
PR-Disadvantages
The
'let PR handle that' factor-Nonprofit agencies are notoriously
understaffed and overburdened. In this situation, it's easy
for tasks that have something to do with the public (event
planning, volunteer management, etc.) to be delegated to
the PR person simply because they're there, which leads
to less time spent focusing on true public relations activities.
You get what you pay for-Average nonprofit PR salaries
fall far below salaries for 'for-profit' PR professionals.
You're less likely to be able to hire a PR person with years
of experience because of the limitations of your budget.
Can't
do it all-Organizations may be closing their eyes to
advances in public relations and marketing technology by
relying on one person to be good at, and keep track of,
current technology and practices.
So,
what's the answer? Largely, this depends on your organization's
staffing, budget and rate of growth. Study your options, get
input from others in your field and make the choice that's
best for you at the time-you can change your mind and try
another option later.
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