Beyond ROI: The Amplifying Effect of PR

April 18, 2024

By: Scott Westcott

How do you measure the value — or ROI — of your PR efforts?

Many organizations track common metrics such as media placements, sentiment, ad equivalency, and click throughs. 

And in some rare but welcome instances, you can draw a direct line between a prime media placement and clearly measurable results such as an uptick in online engagement, email sign ups, or a boost in ticket sales for an event. 

Often, however, the true impact is nearly impossible to measure. 

After all, how can you really determine if an op-ed changed minds, or if a positive story bolstered your organization’s reputation among supporters or skeptics?

The answer, of course, is that you can’t easily quantify opinions — or even changed sentiment — with any true degree of accuracy.

But you can demonstrate the value of your PR work by going beyond the common metrics and highlighting some of the unexpected results that are often overlooked.

Let’s call it the amplifying effect of PR.

Amplifying in Action

Here’s an example of the amplifying effect of a recent PR effort by my colleague, Lauren Stewart, on behalf of the Cleveland Foundation.

In pitching a story about the Foundation’s climate change work, Lauren caught the eye of a national reporter at ImpactAlpha who expressed an interest in broadening the story to include efforts from other entities in Cleveland. 

Lauren consulted with the Foundation’s team, which put her in touch with the offices of the city’s Mayor and County Executive, both of which were eager to share their efforts focused on climate issues.

During the interviews, the reporter also learned of a Green Bank in Cleveland that was an active partner on climate related issues.  

Ultimately, the process led to an in-depth piece that told the story of impressive collaboration between philanthropy and government that took a step toward rewriting the narrative about Cleveland that has long been tagged with the Rust-belt reputation for high-profile environmental challenges. 

Yet, the benefits didn’t stop there. After the piece was published, ImpactAlpha invited the CEO and president of the Green Bank to host a call about climate investing with its subscribers – an audience of high-level philanthropists.

Not only did the Foundation get positioned as a key figure in a positive national story, the effort affirmed the Cleveland Foundation’s role as a collaborative partner — ready and willing to share the spotlight in ways that demonstrated an aligned regional effort.

I have no doubt this will not be forgotten by elected officials in Cleveland — let alone by the Green Bank. 

A Ripple Effect

There’s likely no way of fully measuring the multiplying benefits of what began as a cold pitch to a reporter that has since grown into an invaluable media partnership.

But it’s safe to say these benefits were substantial and created a ripple effect that could continue to benefit the organizations involved, as well as the region they serve. 

In a data-driven world that craves immediate results, investing in PR can often face resistance or skepticism. Yet those organizations that make the commitment will be better off for it.