What to Look For When Hiring a Public Relations Agency
Public relations is an essential part of a brand's success. An experienced PR agency can help you build brand recognition among journalists, investors and your target audience. However, choosing the right PR agency can take a lot of time and effort to research, especially if you're unfamiliar with the industry. Below, we share some key things to look for when hiring your PR agency.
An Experienced Team
Like everything else, choosing a PR agency with years of experience working with journalists is key. It also helps if they’ve worked with a variety of clients and industries, both relevant to your company and within the categories you have stories to tell. So, if you’re a tech company, but you work with customers in the hospitality or entertainment industry, ideally they have knowledge of all of those reporters and publications.
Modern Tech Stack
Get to know what technology your prospective PR agency is using to access media opportunities and use their hours efficiently so they can be more strategic vs. wasting time on administrative tasks. Tools like Slack, Asana, SEMRush, MuckRack, and the like should certainly be part of an effective PR agency. Make sure they factor in the role of SEO in reporting results, since PR efforts can improve search rankings and more.
Length of Engagement
PR agency fees vary widely, depending on the level of services offered, the agency's experience, and the project's scope. Before choosing an agency, ensure you clearly understand their pricing structure and whether it aligns with your budget. Does the PR agency require a long-term commitment of a year contract or more? As a startup, hiring a PR agency with more flexible lengths of engagement may be a better fit.
Knowledge of Journalism
Make sure the PR agency you are considering can speak to their working relationships with journalists. If you hire an agency that SPAMs the wrong journalist with non-relevant information, it will hurt your brand too. You can understand an agency's approach by simply asking what their approach is with journalists. As a bonus, ask if they know how to write press materials and pitches in the way that journalists like to consume information.
Choosing the right PR agency can significantly impact the success of your marketing efforts. These are some of the top considerations when selecting an agency, but ultimately choosing the one that best aligns with your brand's mission and vision is key.