Once you’ve decided to hire a PR agency, the next step is to find the right partner for your business. Not only are you making a financial investment, but you will also be spending a significant amount of time with the agency, especially in the onboarding phase, so it is worth investing the time to ensure you’ve found the right team.
In some ways, the process feels like dating. Start by building a list of “must-have” qualities and reach out to public relations and communications agencies that offer these. Some initial factors to explore include:
Industry experience: Some PR agencies specialize in specific industries while others offer services in various areas. If you have a highly specialized industry, it’s best to find an agency that knows and loves your industry as well. This ensures that your team understands the nuances of your business and “speaks your language.” For example, at BPR, we only work with restaurant and hospitality and tourism clients, such as hotels and travel destinations. Our team is passionate about these industries, so much so that we have certified sommeliers, a cicerone and a spirits specialist on staff, and many team members began their careers as front desk agents, waiters, hostesses, or in-house at Destination Marketing Offices (DMOs) and Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs).
Client roster: Take a look at the agency’s current and previous client roster to determine if they have worked with businesses that are similar to yours. If case studies are available, review them to learn more about the capacity in which they have worked with these clients. Are you looking for a short-term project for a specific launch or opening, or do you need to build ongoing awareness? Are you looking for traditional media relations, influencer partnerships, social media content, or brand engagement/marketing support, or all four? Client rosters can help identify if the agency aligns with the type of work you’re seeking.
Agency size: Large communications firms often have a lot of experience in many areas, whereas boutique firms usually specialize in one or a few industries. Both options are worth exploring and each have their own benefits, but you may quickly feel more comfortable with one style. We like to think our boutique agency size allows us to get to know our clients on a deeper level and quickly insert ourselves as an extension of their teams.
Results: Of course, you’ll also want to review the agency’s results to ensure they align with the goals you have in mind for your business. This can also help determine if the agency can align PR efforts with your overall business objectives.
Beyond these initial qualifications, there are always a few other factors that are just as important to the relationship’s success but may be less apparent at first. As you connect with various agencies, it’s worth learning more about how they operate to ensure it’s a good fit for you and your team.
Team make-up: Some questions to ask should explore what the team make-up will look like on your account. Are any of the team members who will be on your account participating in the initial calls? Will senior leadership be involved in your account day-to-day? We always recommend getting to know some key team members in advance so you feel comfortable at the start of the relationship.
Communication style: If you’re someone who is always on the go and not often in front of a computer, regular meetings might be challenging to fit into your schedule. Alternatively, you might prefer a team that connects over email or the phone rather than in formal meetings. In addition to getting to know the team, learning more about how the agency communicates with its clients is essential to ensure it’s a fit.
Core values and culture: While it may seem cliché, understanding what makes the agency and its employees tick can give you insights into what a relationship with the team will look like. Do the employees seem to enjoy their daily work? Do they seem valued? One way to learn more about this is to ask questions about the agency’s core values and review the awards they’ve received.
Team retention: Agencies sometimes get a reputation of being places of high turnover. You probably don’t want to work with a team that is constantly changing, making it harder to educate them on your product or goals and developing a strong communication flow and rapport. Ask the agency about its team member retention, or check out a few of the team members you may be working with on LinkedIn. At BPR, we’re proud that some of our team members have been with us for nearly a decade, and a significant percentage of our team has been with the agency for 5 years or longer.
Like any new relationship, finding the right agency partnership is a mix of aligned values, similar communication styles and a little chemistry. We’d love to connect with you if you’d like to learn more about a partnership with B Public Relations!
