If you’re looking to work with a public relations agency, choosing the right PR agency for your business is crucial.
A bad PR agency, or one that doesn’t understand your business and industry can cause some serious damage to your brand and reputation.
The right agency, one that really understands your business and knows how to build the right relationships with your audience and customers will help accelerate your growth.
To help you find the right PR agency, here some of the main considerations:
Know your business objectives
It’s the role of a PR company to put together a strategy to build brand awareness, improve your public image, and help communicate what your products and services are to your audience.
But they can only do this effectively if you know what you want your message and company image to be.
Even the best PR agency in the world will not know your business and products as intimately as you do. Therefore, the more information you can give them, the better placed a PR agency is to formulate an effective strategy.
Interview the PR agency as they interview you
When meeting with a prospective PR agency, you have to keep in mind that they’re selling themselves to you.
There is nothing wrong with that, but they’re going to be pitching what they do well and giving you all of their best highlights.
To separate the average PR companies from the best, you need to turn the tables on them and ask them some questions about what they can do for you and your business.
Be prepared with some targeted questions. You should know what your PR objectives are as per the last point, ask the agency how they’re going to help you achieve those objectives.
Check their portfolio and reputation
As mentioned, when you approach an agency, you’re going to get their best pitch. It’s on you to do some due diligence and see what you can find out about them.
It’s normal for PR agencies to show a portfolio of their work on their website. Just pick any highly rated PR agency in London by performing a Google search and you should be able to see their work.
This will give you a good indication of whether or not their style aligns with yours, and if they’ve been working in the industry you’re in.
Know your budget
The cost of a PR agency can vary greatly. Not just in their base service, but also the number of services they offer and the time they will spend working with you.
A lot of people don’t like talking about money, but this needs to be one of the first things you talk about. Knowing your budget is going to rule out a lot of agencies and help you whittle down your list.
Check they know your industry
Industry knowledge is always important, and in the case of PR, in particular, understanding an industry can make a huge difference.
Try and find an agency that has worked in your industry before. Ask if they have contacts within the industry, and whether or not they know the best industry-related media outlets.
It’s those kinds of existing relationships that will make all the difference. If you have to look further afield, that’s fine. You don’t have to choose an agency local to you.
Most of what a PR agency does is digitally or over the phone. A PR agency in Brighton will be able to serve you just as well as one in London.
The important thing is that you find an agency that understands your business, knows your industry, meets your budget, and you’re comfortable working with them.
