You’ve decided to engage the services of a PR agency – but where do you start?
As someone who has sat on both sides of the fence – working in-house managing external agencies, and as part of an agency with multiple clients – I like to think I’m in a good position to offer some advice.
So, if you’re wondering what to look for in a PR agency, here’s my tips on how to choose an agency which is a great fit for your business.
What does a PR agency do?
A PR agency will use effective communications to support the goals of your business and to manage its reputation.
Our agency is full service, which means that as well as PR, we offer other services including help with your social media and website.
If you’re not sure exactly what you need help with, start off by asking yourself ‘why do you need a PR agency?’. A good agency will be able to have a chat with you about your needs and your goals, and make recommendations.
Why hire a PR agency?
Put simply, your business will be talked about – both positively and negatively – regardless of whether you hire a PR agency.
So if you’re wondering ‘why do you need a PR agency?’ – hiring one gives you the chance to get involved in those conversations, with the benefit of professional guidance, and will help to effectively communicate your key messages.
How to choose a PR agency
The most common approach is to identify agencies and then invite them to pitch their proposals of how you could work together.
You can make this process as effective as possible by giving the prospective agencies a brief – a short document with some background information on your business and why you think you need agency help. This will guide the agencies on what you’d like to hear from them.
A pitch will cover the agency’s approach to PR, its team and credentials, and its recommendations for your business.
In a competitive pitch, several agencies will be shortlisted and invited to pitch.
What questions to ask a PR agency
“Can I see some of your work?”
While all clients and campaigns are different, a good agency will be ready to show off some of the excellent results it has achieved – that’s why we keep our case studies up-to-date.
It’s not all about the plaudits, but it’s also a good sign if an agency has received the stamp of approval externally by winning awards for their campaigns. We don’t like to show off, but we love sharing details of our award-winning campaigns!
“Who will be working on my account?”
It’s good to know who your key contacts will be and establish whether it feels like a good fit. You’ll be speaking to these people regularly – and sometimes in times of stress, if a crisis comms situation arises – so finding a team who you think you could work with is a good place to start!
“How will we work together?”
Discuss and set up expectations of what the contact between client and agency will look like. Would you prefer to meet virtually, in person, or a mix of both?
It’s also good to discuss how often you want to meet – it might be more regular in the early days as the relationship is getting up and running, or perhaps you’ll only have time for a monthly catch-up.
“Have you worked with other businesses like ours?”
It’s always interesting to find out about examples of work carried out within your business’ sector – and agencies often have specialisms in particular industries, as well as a big book of media contacts, as we do in veterinary, property and logistics PR.
If an agency hasn’t worked with a business in your sector before, it’s not necessarily a negative – this might mean they bring fresh eyes to your industry and may think of new ideas.
If you’re wondering how to find the right PR agency, speak to us about our public relations services. Alternatively, learn how we measure PR success.
