Valek & Co. Helps PMI to Gain Value

By Genevieve Valek

For Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), Valek & Co. handles media relations and outreach, as well as social media and communication to current and potential members. To execute effective communications initiatives toward each PMI audience, Valek & Co. helps the association to collaborate with members and emphasize the value of PMI membership.

For example, Valek and Co. filmed testimonials from several individuals active in PMI at the association’s 2016 annual conference; these testimonials highlight the value of PMI membership to their companies and provide personal takes on how PMI has furthered members’ professional success. Valek and Co. is also developing PMI case studies and success stories and amplifying them through the PMI website, publications, social media, and media outreach.

Valek & Co. highlighted the Flint relief effort organized by PMI and the United Association (UA) plumbers union as a telling example of the success of “real PR” versus “virtual PR” due to the positive impact the effort made in the Flint community. PMI members donated faucets, showerheads, and other plumbing materials for the UA plumbers to install in Flint homes affected by the crisis. After being notified of the relief effort by Valek and Co., major media outlets such as NPR, People Magazine, Associated Press, and the Huffington Post picked up the story.

Valek & Co. provided PMI with an estimate of the monetary value of PMI media outreach in 2016. Using media monitoring and media value estimating tools, Valek & Co. found and assessed the value of 77 pieces of original media coverage on outlets reaching an online readership of 839.5 million. If PMI were to buy this much online coverage, it would have cost them about $277,000, Valek said. The cost to produce this coverage reached only $52,000, which brought PMI a return of $5.32 for each dollar it spent. Valek & Co.’s  experience in PR and advertising validates that $277,000 is a credible estimate and PMI received an outstanding return for the work put into the Flint relief effort and other goodwill initiatives.