PR consultancies pitching more effectively

London, 23 July 2008 - The PRCA New Business Barometer has shown a noticeable slow down in the number of pitches consultancies are making, but an improvement in the percentage of pitches that they are winning. The last ten months has also seen a dramatic increase in the proportion of consultancies whose primary source of new business is from new clients to existing clients.

Francis Ingham, PRCA Director General, said “The last five years have been a time of plenty for PR consultancies. As a result many consultancies would play a numbers game, often successfully, in the hope of rapid growth. With fewer opportunities out there consultancies are working hard to maintain the clients they already have. Agencies are also being more targeted about which opportunities they chase and are investing more time on a few pitches. The result is that conversion rates have increased markedly.”

average number of pitches and pitches won per consultancy
1 - August; 2 - September; 3 - October; 4 - November; 5 - December; 6 - January, 7 - February; 8 - March; 9 - April; 10 - May

primary new business source new customers
1 - August; 2 - September; 3 - October; 4 - November; 5 - December; 6 - January, 7 - February; 8 - March; 9 - April; 10 - May

- ENDS -

These figures come from the PRCA Barometer surveys. The full results are available to PRCA members and journalists.

 

For further information please contact:

Richard Ellis, Communications Manager

E: richard.ellis@prca.org.uk

T: 020 7233 6026

 

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