Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Isn’t advocacy just a new marketing fad?
Advocacy isn’t new. People have always sought out and welcomed the views of others, which they value highly. What is new is the opportunity to communicate on a one-to-one basis with a large number of individuals who are now connected via the internet and worldwide web. Portfolio uses this to communicate and create dialogue with individuals through ePR, which enables tailored information to be shared among networks relevant to clients’ businesses, products and solutions.
Q: Isn’t ePR just another name for emarketing?
No. Although some of the techniques are similar, emarketing generally involves a direct form of selling, which many people associate with spam. ePR works very differently by communicating on a one-to-one basis with individuals in target audiences and providing information that adds value to them.
Q: So, what difference does that actually make?
As you will be aware from personal experience, in today’s environment people are bombarded with information from all angles. ePR turns this problem into an advantage. By offering high value information an ePR delivery stands out from the crowd. In our experience recipients actively “look out” for information sent by our ePR clients because they know they will be receiving information that helps them to do their job or improve their lifestyle.
Q: What type of ‘high value’ information are we talking about?
Ideal material for business ePR deliveries includes white papers, market insights, market reports, case studies, research reports, contributed articles, newsletters, seminars, conference details and papers. Material for consumer ePR deliveries might include, for instance, environmental or health information while for charities it might include information on a key issue.
Q: What if my company does not have this type of material?
Portfolio can provide a complete turnkey service to produce it very cost-effectively.
Q: What about email lists? Most companies now have their own databases that contain at least some email addresses. Portfolio can source high quality lists from reputable vendors if they do not. In our experience most companies supplement their existing with additional data, which we source on their behalf.
Q: Are we allowed to send unsolicited emails?
emails can be sent to individuals providing they have ‘opted in’ to accept them. B2B audiences can be sent emails providing the email used is a business (not personal) address, the sender is clearly identified and the recipient can ‘opt out’. However, we are not lawyers and If you are in any doubt we would strongly recommend you to check with your solicitor.
Q: Can’t these regulations just be ignored?
No, Portfolio takes them very seriously and takes every precaution to ensure they are adhered to. Not only is this a legal requirement it is also good marketing sense – the essence of ePR’s success is to deliver high quality information.
Q: How can ePR be effective if all it delivers is “information”?
The success of ePR is that it allows an organisation to reach and communicate with people effectively, many of whom would be impossible to get hold of in any other way. This is especially true for businesses – in a recent ePR campaign conducted by Portfolio, almost half of all the respondents (45%) were board directors of major companies, with the remainder at senior management levels just below this. The client had never been able to reach such a critical high-level audience in any way before.
Q: How does ePR help to create a dialogue with advocates and prospect purchasers/decision-makers? A major benefit of ePR is that it allows us to determine who is interested in different types of information, issues and other content. This can be used to create a dialogue with named individuals who themselves benefit by receiving information they need and want.
Q: How does ePR fit with other marketing activities?
ePR complements and supports all marketing activities and the data it generates can be fed directly into other programmes. For instance, details of named individuals responding to an ePR campaign can be fed directly to telemarketing for follow-up. ePR helps to identify who is interested in what, allowing you to maximise the effectiveness of your marketing budget while reducing the risk of prospects being contacted about something in which they have no interest.
Q: How will I know if an ePR delivery/campaign has been successful?
You can set your own parameters for success or we can advise you; and, because the results of ePR can be measured very accurately, determine whether these are achieved or not. Portfolio can also compare the success of your deliveries/campaigns with ‘norms’ from other organisations to determine how well a delivery/campaign has done. Most importantly, the results of ePR deliveries can be constantly fed-back so that the service can be continuously improved.
Q: How do we start to use ePR?
Just call Portfolio and we will be very happy to discuss your requirements. This can range from a single delivery to a complete programme – we can work with you to develop every single aspect from list sourcing to deliveries and content material.
Q: What if I already have an agency?
Portfolio would be very happy to work with any agencies you currently use.
Q: Do I have to have any technical or marketing expertise?
No, the ePR service is easy to understand and Portfolio can provide a complete ‘turnkey’ solution, allowing you to focus on your job, with detailed reporting provided throughout.
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