How to Define Return on Investment through Press and Media Relations   by Leslie McKerns McKerns Development

1. Track the Number of Professionals that Read Your Release: Do you use press distribution services that allow you to see the number of times professionals have read your release?

2. Track the Number of Media Outlets that Picked up the Story: Does your press distribution service allow you to see how many media outlets picked up the story?

3. Track a Custom Database of Media Contacts: Do you maintain a select list of media professionals that you know are interested in reading your news? Do you regularly send them news?

4. Track the Number of Requests for Media Kits: Can you track how many magazines and other outlets requested media kits from you based on this story idea or release?

5. Track the Number of Requests for Further Information: How many magazines or newspapers asked for additional information or for photographs?

6. Track the Number of Stories Generated: How many stories were generated from this release and others that you have sent about this topic or firm?

7. Track the Amount of Continued Interest: Has your media campaign generated continued interest on the part of the media?

8. Track the number of times your Client receives requests for coverage and quotes in the media: Do you make it known that your client is an expert on certain topics?

9. Track Where and When and What Publication: Do you have a list of where your clients appeared? Do you have it categorized by media type and audience?

10. Track the releases and mentions about your client on the Internet: Do you print out a listing of each press release that appears on the internet? Do you print out and save the actual release with the outlet name and logo at the top?

11. Track the Total Number of Pages on the Web: Do you know how many total pages of releases and stories about your client appear on the internet?

12. Track and Compile the Total Coverage: Do you compile a print book for you and for your client based upon your stories that appear in the press?

13. Track any Awards: Did your client receive any awards as a result of your exposure of their work? Did you submit them for any industry awards?

14. Track any Listings or Rankings: Did you client enter or rise in a Top Ranking as a result of your exposure?

15. Track New Hires, Promotions, New Offices and New Projects? Can any of it be attributed to positive media exposure? How?

Once you have answered these questions, you will be in a position to define the success of your media campaign to your client. You can tell the story of your success; you can show the story of your success.

It might look like this. I took a client and tracked the results of one release then took several and tracked the results over one year to get average overall stats.

Track the Number of Professionals that Read Your Release: The last press release was read by 63,838 media professionals in less than one week.

Track the Number of Media Outlets that Picked up the Story: The last press release was picked up by over 1300 newspapers, magazines and major media outlets.

Track a Custom Database of Media Contacts: 300 select professionals are on each client's target e-mail list, and each editor receives a minimum of (12) press releases and (2) pitches annually. These professionals are all interested in this topic because they regularly cover this category as part of their news beat or as a focused part of their publication.

Track the Number of Requests for Media Kits: Two (2) major magazines requested full media kits within two days of this release.

Track the Number of Requests for Further Information: Editors and reporters of target publications made four (4) requests for further information on this story and made two (2) requests for photographs.

Track the Number of Stories Generated: Because of this topic, stories are in the in the works with two (2) major magazines, a four-part series in a Business trade journal, and seven (7) smaller mentions in other important media.

Track the Amount of Continued Interest: Two (2) well known reporters were assigned to cover this topic; two (2) media outlets made it a permanent coverage.

Track the number of times your Client receives requests for coverage and quotes in the media: Clients regularly (2-3 times a month) receive requests for coverage and quotes in the media.

Track the releases and mentions about your client on the Internet: Clients average 33 pages of features and releases posted on internet.

Track and Compile the Total Coverage: Clients garner a 90% pick up rate of the pitches to the media.

Track Awards, Listings or Rankings and growth measured by New Hires, Promotions, New Offices and New Projects: Clients receive two (2) major annual awards as a result of this publicity. Awards include: Nation's Top 100; Most Influential, Top Projects; Industry-Project of the Year Award, Lifetime Achievement Award; clients are listed on at least one (1) ranking list and have grown their business an average of 85% through public relations exposure.

Can you paint your media success story? If you compile your statistics in this easy but consistent manner, you will have the results to show for the return on investment of your media and pr campaign. http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

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