It’s all too easy for charities to overlook PR. And, for fundraisers, at first glance it seems like it is out of our remit – but just think about it. We all have a brand we need to promote. We all have campaigns we need engagement for. We all have profiles we want to build. And… well… it’s just nice to be featured in glossy magazines sometimes. Seriously, who doesn’t want to featured in ‘Hello’?

The big question is: how to prove the value of PR in our sector? Advertising Value Equivalence (AVE) can often seem a bit Emperor’s-New-Clothes; offering huge stats to back up poor results. Then there’s increasing awareness – which, I don’t need to tell you, is hard to measure and even harder to prove. And if you’ve got a limited budget and very tangible income targets then these metrics are difficult to prioritise.

However, when handled correctly, PR can work wonders for an organisation. The proof is out there. The evidence, on the surface, may sound like one-off opportunities which sprouted mysteriously from left-field. But if you dig a little deeper, it's examples like these which can make the difference in proving a case for investment with our more conservative stakeholders.

Here’s an example. Last October, Chickenshed was featured on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine Show. In January we got a call from a trust who wanted to make a large donation. One of the trustees had heard us on the radio and we had stuck in her mind ever since. When the time came for them to consider a charity – hello! There we were! From one radio interview we were able to start a conversation with someone which led to a significant gift. It makes you think: what other conversations can we start? What other sparks can we ignite? What 'sticky' stories can we use to inspire the world to support our cause?

I’d love to hear your success stories (or maybe even a few tales of caution …?). Have you struggled to get buy-in? Or are you on the fence? Post in the comments below!