by Mark Leeper
Account Director, PPR Hong Kong
Today, the range of opportunities online must surely mean that no communications professional can overlook the potential of the web.
Blogs, e-books, viral marketing initiatives, RSS feeds, podcasts, web conferences and e-newsletters are just some of the tools available to reach out to customers and other audiences.
It is simply no longer sufficient to run a regular advertising schedule and manage a PR programme in the local press.
But as opportunities multiply, so do your choices of a marketing partner – and you probably already have agencies to manage Advertising, PR, Direct Marketing and Website Development.
Do you need an entirely new breed of agency to manage your online activities – can you turn to one of your existing partners to handle this evolving communications arena?
Well, Advertising Agencies are frequently well-resourced and many of them are adding online divisions. If you have an Ad agency that is already providing you with a solid communications strategy beyond traditional media, your current partner may be able to help meet your online requirements.
Website Developers know the Internet and understand the nature of the evolving family of online tools. However, their focus is more on technical capability than on interpreting business needs.
Direct Marketing agencies have a depth of knowledge when it comes to talking with customers - experience that is clearly relevant in an online environment – but they tend to be more comfortable executing instructions than devising a comprehensive communications strategy.
As for Public Relations – well you could argue that an organization that spends its time talking to the media is less relevant in an online world of direct communication. However, a broader interpretation of PR targets many audiences, through a variety of communications channels. And a well-managed agency will take a strategic approach to communications – focusing on understanding a client’s business needs before implementing a carefully designed plan.
In a world increasingly influenced by the Internet, your choice of agency type is much less clear. My recommendation would be to look for the right balance of services that your business requires. Chose a partner based on their strategic approach, their people and their openness to adopting and using online tools to meet your business needs. Good luck!
