One truth is not so self-evident — all PR firms are not created equal. This certainly goes for those of us in the profession dedicated to the proposition that charging by the hour might be appropriate for parking or a masseuse, but not for public relations … and absolutely not for media relations outreach. It seems the economic recession of the last four years has once again turned attention within our profession toward something “unique,” something “new,” something almost “revolutionary” … pay-for-performance PR. Once more, a compensation model that is practically as old as the profession itself and is practiced by hundreds of publicists in between “real career jobs,” but only by a few firms successfully on an institutional basis, is being trotted out of the shadows into the bright sunlight by the business and trade media as either the “answer” to reduced marketing budgets at best … or as a viable test for companies willing to experiment. Read more…
