Before You Hire a PR Firm

A few years ago, we were asked to bid on a PR campaign for a new hospitality group. We were very excited about this organization because they, at the time, had the potential to become game changers, firing up an industry and changing the way business is done. We put together a solid presentation and proposal, received great feedback from the executive team and felt fairly confident that we had a good chance of getting the business. 

About a week after our presentation I received a phone call from the CEO stating that they thought we were a solid agency that could deliver but ultimately decided to go with another firm that had deep experience in the industry. Without much prodding the CEO sheepishly admitted that the selected agency didn’t seem to be as enthusiastic as we were, but they certainly had the contacts and years of experience to achieve expectations. We ended the call on a good note with me wishing the prospect luck with the new venture and to keep in touch, perhaps we’d have an opportunity to work together in the future.

About six months after that call, I received a follow-up call from the CEO. Less than 30 seconds into the call, he blurted out, “We f#@*ed up.” After a few questions by me, it became clear that they had gotten caught up in the bigger is better syndrome, thinking that the big firm with the big name and big budget clients would be a good fit for them.

Like a jilted lover my initial instincts were to make them beg for forgiveness. Instead, I stayed professional and happily told him we’d love to have his company as a client. Throughout the years we’ve built on the relationship and we are as excited about having them as a client today as we were back then.  

In terms of PR firms, size doesn’t matter. Your primary focus should be finding an agency that is passionate about your project, understands your business and goals and has good ideas about how to best execute your campaign. 

Hiring a firm to handle public relations for your business is a decision that you should not take lightly. The right agency will be a critical component in helping to shape and execute the communications strategy for your company.

Before we meet with a PR prospect, we give them a little homework. Here are some of the questions you should be prepared to answer before you hire a PR firm and a few to ask the firms you meet along your journey:

Internal questions

• What are your goals? Most entrepreneurs are all about goal setting. This practice should also be applied to your PR expectations. Prior to vetting potential PR partners, create a list of goals in simple terms to help firms understand what you want. This list will likely be modified once you select a firm, but having some initial criteria will help the agency understand what’s important to you.
• What does success look like to you? You should have a clear idea in your mind of what you would deem as a successful campaign and be able to communicate that to the selected firm.  
• Who will serve as the spokesperson for the organization? Determine the person or people who can best tell the story of your organization and will be committed to making time for media coaching, pre-interview prepping and on-going interview requests.
• Who on your team will serve as the point person for the PR team? You can significantly lower your chances of being able to act on opportunities in a timely manner by not assigning a contact to manage the requests of the PR partner.

Questions to ask your PR partner

• What is your process? Every agency works differently. Ask them to provide some insight into their client communication process. Also, ask what you can expect in the first month of your engagement, as that is when most of the strategic work is being done to create the plan.
• Do you understand our business? Of course this isn’t a question that an agency can likely answer in great detail during a first meeting, but prior to you signing on the dotted line you should have a comfort level that they “get you.” If not, how can they successfully communicate your story to the media?

Your PR partner will be an extension of your internal team. Look for a partner that is passionate about your story and understands how to tell it in a manner that will help you achieve your business goals.