PR firms look to a good year ahead
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Independent communications firms globally are starting off the year in better business shape and inclined to begin hiring, according to a recent survey.
“Professional service firms worldwide are leading the pack when it comes to new hires and business growth for 2012,” Matt Kucharski, chairman of Worldcom Public Relations Group, said yesterday.
”We are seeing the same trend reflected by our Worldcom partners across all regions,” he said.
Worldcom, the world’s leading partnership of independently owned public relations firms, surveyed CEO’s from national and international partner agencies servicing clients ranging from small to mid-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
The results showed that most partner agencies polled have already experienced an increase in business and budgets as they begin the new year.
The survey indicates a high percentage of new business growth in the technology, consumer, healthcare, and professional and financial service sectors, with steady growth in travel and leisure, transportation, energy and government markets also anticipated.
The survey tapped more than 100 firms from three regions – Asia/Pacific, Europe/Middle East/Africa and North and South America on 2011-12 business trends.
Survey responses include:
_ More than 76 per cent of firms surveyed have recently hired staff to support new business or intend to hire this quarter.
_ About 67 per cent of firms have started off 2012 in better financial/business shape than 2011.
_ More than 64 per cent of firms saw a notable surge in new business activity at the end of 2011.
“What our Worldcom partners are reporting globally indicates markets are growing across a broad range of industries and businesses,” said Dorothy Pirovano, chairwoman of Worldcom’s Americas Region.
“We are finding clients to be much more optimistic moving into 2012 than they were a year ago, and while there is still some caution, there seems to be far more confidence.”
According to the survey, businesses across all sectors exhibited greater confidence in market opportunities and the value of public relations, retaining more agencies on an annual contract rather than project-by-project basis.
The survey was fielded in December.
