PRCA survey shows a boost for the PR industry

London, 13th April -  The future of the PR industry is looking increasingly optimistic according to the latest figures released from the PRCA’s quarterly barometer of consultancy MDs and CEOs.

Key findings show that agency members of the PR trade body are experiencing growing client budgets and are confident graduate recruitment will dramatically increase as will the number of staff in the next quarter.

And importantly the results showed that optimism in the PR industry had grown by 39 per cent in the last quarter, leading to a growth in new business.

This has also coincided with a general growth in faith of what will happen to the general economic condition of the UK PR industry in 12 months time, showing a massive 53 per cent growth.

Chief Executive of the PRCA, Francis Ingham, said: “These figures just go to show that the PR industry is bucking the national trend of job losses, pessimism and a reluctance to employ graduates.

“This will become increasingly evident when the results of the PRCA’s annual Benchmarking Survey will be published next month.

“On the contrary, our members are keen to expand their businesses, to employ new starter and on top of that there is a growing interest in internships and apprenticeships.”

Results:

 

Question

Q1 2012

Q4 2011

What have your clients done with budgets

10

-17

How busy would you describe the level of new business

54

32

What happened to over-servicing levels

7

5

Has the last quarter affected optimism for consultancy

39

2

Has the last quarter affected optimism for PR industry

25

-14

What will happen to general economic condition of UK PR industry in 12 months time

14

-39

What will happen to staff numbers in next quarter

23

16

What will happen to graduate recruitment in next quarter

13

-16

What will happen to use of freelancers in the next quarter

3

2

Is business from new or existing clients

N12

N2

 

FOR THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY TO 31 MARCH WHAT HAVE YOUR CLIENTS DONE WITH THEIR BUDGETS?  

                                                                                                                 

 Increased significantly                                                                  3%

 Increased marginally                                                                   21%

 Stayed the same                                                                           62%

 Decreased marginally                                                                   8%

 Decreased significantly                                                                 6%

 

 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE LEVEL OF NEW BUSINESS BETWEEN 1 JANUARY AND 31 MARCH?  

                                                                                               

 Very busy                                                                           18%

 Busy                                                                                    59%

 Quiet                                                                                   19%

 Very quiet                                                                             4%

 

 DURING THE LAST QUARTER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR OVER-SERVICING LEVELS?  

                                                                                                 

 Increased significantly                                                   7%

 Increased marginally                                                   19%

 Stayed the same                                                             53%

 Decreased marginally                                                   15%

 Decreased significantly                                                  4%

 Do not over-service                                                          2%

 

 HAS THE LAST QUARTER MADE YOU FEEL MORE OR LESS OPTIMISTIC FOR YOUR CONSULTANCY?  

                                                                                               

 More optimistic                                                              51%

 The same                                                                       37%

 Less optimistic                                                              12%

 

 HAS THE LAST QUARTER MADE YOU FEEL MORE OR LESS OPTIMISTIC FOR THE INDUSTRY?  

                                                                                               

 More optimistic                                                             35%

 The same                                                                       55%

 Less optimistic                                                              10%

 

 DO YOU THINK THE GENERAL ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE PR INDUSTRY WILL  IMPROVE, STAY THE SAME, OR GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?  

                                                                                                 

 Improve                                                                             31%

 Stay the same                                                                  49%

 Get worse                                                                          17%

 Don't know                                                                         3%

 

  WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO STAFF NUMBERS IN THE NEXT QUARTER? 

 

                                                                                               

 Staff numbers will increase                      40%

 Staff numbers will stay the same            43%

 Staff numbers will decrease                     17%

 

 IN THE NEXT QUARTER WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO GRADUATE RECRUITMENT RELATIVE TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR? 

                                 

 Increase                                                                         28%

 Decrease                                                                       15%

 Stay the same                                                                57%

 

 IN THE NEXT QUARTER WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE USE OF FREELANCERS RELATIVE TO THE PREVIOUS QUARTER? 

                                                                                                 

 Increase                                                                            28%

 Decrease                                                                          25%

 Stay the same                                                                  47%

 

WHAT PROPORTION OF YOUR INCOME FOR THE LAST QUARTER WAS DERIVED FROM RETAINED WORK?  

                                                                                                 

 0 - 10%                                                                                 0%

 11 - 20%                                                                              1%

 21 - 30%                                                                               3%

 31 - 40%                                                                              7%

 41 - 50%                                                                              7%

 51 - 60%                                                                              15%

 61 - 70%                                                                              17%

 71 - 80%                                                                              16%

 81 - 90%                                                                              17%

 91 - 100%                                                                            17%

 

 IS YOUR NEW BUSINESS PRIMARILY FROM NEW OR EXISTING CLIENTS?  

                                                                                                 

 Existing clients                                                                44%

 New clients                                                                      56%

 

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