How to hire a PR agency

As a small company selling to larger businesses the one thing that will help you to attract clients and give flight to your dream is a credible and respected reputation.

Easy to say but not easy to do and to get anywhere near this you will need the help of the professionals. Engaging a PR agency can be the best thing you ever did for your company, or it could be the biggest drain on your finances.

To make sure you get it right we have put together our thoughts on how you can benefit from PR, what agencies there are out there to choose from, and what you need to think about when selecting one that’s right for you. Oh, and it’s worth noting that for the purposes of this article we have focused primarily on press coverage exposure so no hints on how to become a TV star I’m afraid!

What does PR do?

PR (Public Relations) is the most effective way to build a company’s profile and reputation through the media and positive exposure in the press. By engaging the right agency and following an effective strategy PR will see your company grow as positive press coverage can attract new customers or even encourage investment. Your PR agency will work specifically to your needs and within your industry and sector. This means that they will target not only the local and national press but more importantly the trade press. You will also see growth in terms of profits as new customers means more sales, and these new customers will be encouraged to approach you since good PR adds validity to your company and your services, helping to improve your brand and positioning. If you are a small company starting out it can be very difficult to persuade people to use your products or try your services. It’s not a bed of roses for the big boys either, as a high profile can be high-maintenance and requires hard work to be sustained.

At its best, public relations not only tells an organisation's story to the public, it also helps to shape the organisation and the way it works.

How does PR work for small businesses selling to big business?

It stands to reason that your company is not going to have something to announce in the press every week, however this is the beauty of a good PR agency as they will work with you to create effective and sustainable campaigns that will ensure your company is still receiving coverage. There are many ways for you to gain the coverage you need and your PR agency will need a creative edge in order to deliver fresh ideas and strategies that will ensure your profile remains high. For a small business an aggressive and highly creative PR agency can often level the playing field against your much larger competition.

Remember that journalists are constantly looking for a story that will not only be about the hot topic of the day but will also break new ground. You may not have something to say about the latest age discrimination legislation, for example, however your company may have an innovative, fresh approach to coping with stress in the workplace that will get the tongues wagging in the pressroom. Your PR agency is responsible for making sure the journalists know what you are doing and why it is so new and exciting.

Journalists also need to get access to large organisations to give their story wings and credibility – while this might not be you, you might have a client base that will be of great interest to a journalist and will help them make an impact with their story. Your PR agency will provide the press with access to the big names that you work with either through an interview or a dedicated case study and in turn you can bask in the associated positive exposure. More than 60% of national newspaper journalism is PR driven; journalists are always looking for content and the right approach will achieve consistent results.

What kinds of agencies are there?

The “King Kong” Agency
These are the über agencies that work with the big players. They may have large London offices with smaller regional offices around the UK, or if they are the truly mighty they will have a global presence. Some of these agencies are, in themselves, huge – with hundreds of billable staff in offices all around the world.

Upside: Well it’s easy to see what some of the advantages might be here: you will have access to large teams with a range of skills; this agency can boast well established media connections that will make you gasp with excitement; and they will have the manpower to provide you with what you imagine to be constant support and access to resources such as research agencies, creative designers and even photographers. They will also have their fingers well and truly on the pulse and be able to demonstrate formidable industry knowledge and undoubtedly will be “in the know” when it comes to all future opportunities that you could benefit from.

Downside: I know it seems churlish to bring this up, but yes there is also a downside. Even though you might have been dazzled and thrilled by the Account Director that pitched for your business, the reality is that your account will be run by a much smaller, junior team. However good your junior team may be they won’t be junior for long – and are likely to move on quickly since large agencies typically experience high levels of staff turnover.

With agencies of this size you will need to be prepared to put your money where your mouth is. As well as demonstrating a budget that is worth their while, you may also have to commit to a ‘retainer’ which could be as much as a year's fee – and beware the cancellation policy which can be anything up to 3 months notice! Remember that your pint-sized budget is competing for attention with all the other, bigger, wealthier clients that your agency is already representing. They won’t actually want to under-service you, but the billing economics of a big firm make it almost inevitable that you’ll come in far down their list of priorities.

The “Eager Beaver” Agency
These are the smaller, newly established agencies that still have a twinkle in their eye and fire in their belly.

Upside: These types of agencies are usually started by extremely experienced PR professionals who may be tired of the über agency lifestyle and want to set up on their own to provide a more personalised service. They will be determined and dedicated to doing a good job for you as they too are focused on the growth of their business and your success means their success. The Account Director or MD who presents the pitch to you is most likely to also be leading your account, and at a fraction of the cost they used to charge. Because they too are a small company and looking to establish their reputation and credibility they are unlikely to try and tie you in to a retainer or indecipherable cancellation policy and may even agree to work with you on a project-by-project basis, as and when you need them. This is good news if you prefer to “try before you buy” as you can get them on board for a taster project before you commit to the long term.

Downside: It all looks great so far doesn’t it – can there really be a downside? Well unfortunately, yes. Due to their size and limited resource you won’t be able to rely on them to pick up ad hoc projects at a moment’s notice, in fact as their business picks up they may even struggle to cope with their workload while they redress the staffing balance. Even though they work on a project-by-project basis you will probably be expected to make a financial commitment of some sort e.g. pay half your fees up front and half on completion of the project.

The “Lone Ranger”
The Lone Ranger - otherwise known as a freelancer.

Upside: Most of these individuals are actually former journalists so you can expect to be dealing with someone who has first hand knowledge of the press and how journalists like to operate. They will also have good connections with possible influential newspapers and magazines and you can be sure of high quality copy writing! If budget is an issue, hiring the lone ranger is the most cost effective option. They are likely to charge just £250 to £450 a day and you’re unlikely to have to make any kind of lasting commitment. If good quality writing, for your website, brochures or internal newsletters is your priority, and you don't need 24/7 support, this is your best option.

Downside: The lone ranger doesn’t tend to advertise their services and relies on business from a fairly small network of contacts so they can be hard to find. Similarly they may have chosen to go down this route in order to obtain the holy grail of work-life balance, thus making them uncontactable for months at a time due to school holidays for example or a period of voluntary unemployment.

As they're not working on a wide range of accounts at any one time, they tend to have a very limited number of media and other contacts, so you won't get the kind of media exposure that the other options can offer and they won't be as creative or innovative as agency people who get constantly exposed to new experiences and information. It pays to pick someone with good knowledge of the sector you work in and find out what media connections they have in advance.

What should you expect to get for your money?

There are various ways in which PR agencies can help you get the exposure you crave for your company and it doesn’t always have to cost the earth. You may simply want to start off with getting your company name and services mentioned in the press, be it trade or nationals. This needn’t cost an arm and a leg and the right article in the right publication could provide you with just the coverage you need to persuade that all-important new client to come on board.

If you have a bit more budget to spare and want to make more of an impact you can set about a more sustained approach. Your PR agency may work with one of your existing clients to produce a case study of their experiences of working with you and using your services, this can then be actively pushed out to the press to bring you higher profile coverage associating you with a large successful client. Your agency can also use this as a springboard to find you speaking opportunities at events that will increase your exposure even further. The beauty of the case study is that you can put it to good use inhouse as well by pushing it out to prospective clients yourself.

If the sky’s the limit then your agency will be delighted and now is the time to really test their creative mettle. This is where you can let them off the leash to present you with a strategy that should really knock your socks off. You may want to go for prolonged press coverage, a sustained campaign of interviews with high profile journalists or even have your company entered to win awards. Behind the scenes your larger budget will enable your agency to really hit the nail on the head by allowing them to invest their time and effort in researching, researching and researching some more. Time is money and if you can afford it, it will be money well spent. Market research, competitor information and gap analysis are all gold dust when it comes to setting campaign and strategy objectives. With the right information at their fingertips your agency will be able to produce something really special!

What about chemistry and working relationships?

The key to any successful working relationship is whether you have chemistry! You need to feel inspired by your PR agency, you need to feel important to them and above all you must be 100% confident that they are providing a top-notch service for your company. Whether you are with an agency already or looking to sign up – here are some questions you should keep with you when considering your options:

  1. How often do the agency want to meet to update you on progress and/or check they are covering everything you need? It’s no good agreeing a plan at the start of the year and then wondering what became of it. Your agency must be committed to keeping you informed of developments so that you feel confident that progress is being made without you having to constantly intervene. Likewise your needs may change and you might not always realise it – your PR agency should be committed to finding out what your needs are at agreed checkpoints so that should your priorities change or shift they will be on hand to offer advice and help you realise new opportunities.
  2. Do they restrict you to phone call updates? Some agencies may say they will keep you up to date but this may simply take the form of a phone call. This may be fine for you but if you prefer the personal touch it’s worth checking how many times throughout the project they actually plan to meet with you.
  3. Is it only at year end that they tell you why they think a particular campaign was unsuccessful or do they monitor and flex? It’s no good waiting till the end of a project or the year to hear why your campaign was not a success. Make sure your agency always have your interests at heart – if something isn’t working ask them to investigate why they think this is and make sure they are prepared to revisit their strategy to bring about success.
  4. Are they pro-active or do you have to chase to see what’s happening? As with Question 1 – you need an agency that is pro-actively monitoring your account and keeping you informed, you don’t want to feel that it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on them to make sure things are happening.
  5. Are you feeling inspired? Your chosen agency must fill you with excitement at the thought of their proposed campaign strategy. You need an agency that makes you feel confident in their dynamic and innovative approach. If they inspire you then they’ll do the same with the press.
  6. Is the person you meet initially the person who will handle your account? It is vital to meet with prospective agencies but be warned! You may like the people presenting to you but will they be working on your account or will your account be handed to a more junior team? Ask agencies to send you background information so that you have a basic understanding of how they like to work and can ask any further questions in the meeting. Your decision to go ahead must be based on the specific individuals you're going to be working with.
  7. Ask for a client list! It’s imperative that you know from the start who else they are representing in your industry, and always check their references. Remember they are supposedly masters at PR so don’t believe the hype!
  8. Can you trust them? Remember you will also be confiding in your PR agency when your business has problems, this is a very open relationship and they will need to be informed of the good, the bad and the ugly.
  9. Do they have experience with companies of your size? Look for firms that have experience in your industry and work with similar sized clients – they may be more well known but will you end up being their smallest client?

 So there you have it! Follow our golden rules and you can’t go far wrong. Don’t settle for the first agency that comes along, you need to work at it to make sure you find the best people you can, with the best experience and reputation in each market you go into. It’s harder work that way, but you’ll save money and get much better results. And above all, make sure you are clear about what you want to achieve, and that both you and your PR agency know what your objectives are. Laying ground rules with your agency now can avoid disappointment or perceived failure in the long run.