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advice

How To Choose Your PR Agency

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Date

Nov 14, 2018

Read Time

min read

Date

Nov 14, 2018

Read Time

min read

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Intro Questions PR Budget Team structure Capabilities Size matters but not how you think Offices Location Market knowledge PR Measurement

Intro

Bill Gates and Richard Branson have both gone on record saying PR is one of their most critical business tools. Indeed Gates said if he was down to his last dollar in a business he’d spend it on PR.

It’s easy to see why. When PR is done well, it delivers results at a cost that no other marketing method can match. PR reaches hearts and minds; it creates credibility for a brand or business; it gets people talking about a company and sharing it like ardent fans. Indeed research firm Nielsen found that the kind of recommendation and sharing which PR generates is far more trusted than traditional advertising.

That’s why choosing the right PR agency is so important. Get it wrong and you will not only waste a lot of time, and money, but you will also miss out on the opportunity to create some serious clear water between your own business and the competition.

So how do you avoid making such a cataclysmic mistake? Well, here are the 9 danger signs to look out for when choosing a PR agency:

Questions

PR works at its best when it is closely aligned to your business plan. A good agency will want to understand the bigger picture, and you should be prepared to share it. If they don’t ask about your business plan DON’T use them.

PR Budget

If you are going the agency route you will be buying the time of good quality, experienced people. You will pay significantly for their services. However if a prospective agency appears much more interested in your PR budget than your business, alarm bells should be ringing as their priorities are all wrong!

Team structure

Big agencies typically pitch using their smartest, most senior people. Then as soon as the account is won, more junior personnel are left to handle the day-to-day work. That’s how many agencies make their money but it’s a monumental rip off that you shouldn’t stand for. So interrogate closely who the day-to-day campaign will be delivered by. Insist on meeting them. It’s an essential part of choosing a PR agency

Capabilities

You need your PR agency to be capable of deploying any of the communications tools at their disposal. You want all the skills under one roof – and we’d argue in the hands of the people who will be looking after your account. If your day-to-day team can’t do social or digital media and doesn’t understand PR’s impact on SEO they are not good enough for you.

Size matters but not how you think

Don’t assume a big agency will be a safer bet. Big agencies are simply a series of teams, all collected together under one roof and brand. Your account will only ever have one team assigned to it – so there is NO advantage in the agency being huge. Indeed unless your budget is very big, you will be somewhere down the list of priorities for even the team assigned to you. Whereas for a smaller agency you will be a much bigger deal and you will probably receive much better attention and care. This is reflected by the fact, as PR Week recently reported, even major brands are choosing boutique firms. Big isn’t always better when choosing a PR agency.

Keep reading below ↓

Searching for an agency that ‘gets you’?

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Offices

Don’t be seduced by the fancy offices. As soon as you are discontented with the agency’s service you will begrudge meeting at those lovely offices – feeling ‘this is where my money’s going.’

Location

Don’t obsess with having an agency nearby. One worth its salt will travel to you quite happily…and will not charge you their time out of the office doing so.

Market knowledge

Many think they need someone who specialises in their sector. Don’t be limited in this way. Yes market knowledge is helpful, but someone steeped in a sector can be staid, with a dogged ‘this is the way things work’ mindset. Good PR people are smart. They can quickly pick up the nuances of a market. Better a smart agency that doesn’t know your specific market (YET) to a mediocre one that does.

PR Measurement

This is a crucial. When speaking to prospective agencies ask what they will be measuring in your campaign. Don’t prompt them with the answers, see what they say. If the agency is still obsessing about just measuring column inches DON’T use them. You want an agency that is keen to really measure PR, but that means measuring the stuff that shows you are achieving your goals – this could be web traffic, downloads, enquiries, sales etc.

Reviews

Discover why top brands trust us

From transforming businesses to achieving remarkable results, our agency has earned the trust and admiration of our clients.

  • I have been blown away

    Since Energy PR has been managing our socials, the level of interaction, from quality leads, has been unbelievable. Being able to build my personal presence online, whilst also generating new business leads has been eye opening. I am more excited than ever to see what magic Team Energy can sprinkle over my account, and the Crossflow company account, as we move forward.

    - Rebecca White | Commercial Director

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  • The team is a delight to work with, always happy to go over and above, and are also our friends

    Energy PR has been our close partner on our events for around 15 years, and has been key in helping to build particularly our packaging events brand in the UK. They work collaboratively, creatively and reliably to deliver excellent service and results!

    - Alison Church | Chief Marketing Officer

    Visitors at AntwerpXL
  • Energy PR have worked with Siltbuster for many years providing full media relations

    Its creativity and drive are a great asset to us, particularly pitching thought-leadership pieces and feature ideas to our target publications.

    Along with a strong amount of media coverage, with their help we have won several awards. The team are responsive, personable and great to work with.

    - Sol Sunnarvik | Marketing Manager

    Siltbuster site
  • We see them as our 'trusted advisers'

    We look forward to their ideas and creativity around the areas that we are looking to focus on.

    The ‘Digging Up Britain’ reports that they created are an industry first and testament to their approach.

    - Richard Broome | Managing Director

    Digger

We're always interested in a new PR challenge

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