05 Apr 5 Questions to Ask Before Marrying Your PR Firm

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5 Questions to Ask Before Marrying Your PR Firm

That’s right…we said ‘marrying.’ When you select a public relations firm you, you’re making a commitment, one that requires constant communication and collaboration. Sound like work? It is.  Achieving your PR goals is a two-way street. If the firm is the right match for your organization and you are successful at reaching your goals, the harmonious relationship can last for years or even decades.

PR gurus are commonly a creative and personable bunch, and chances are, you’ll enjoy your meetings with them, too! If you don’t, that’s an immediate red flag. You should also consider them an extension of your company, plus they’re usually on-call 24/7 and there when you need them most.

Before taking the plunge, consider these five questions to ask before signing the dotted line.

1. Get right to the price. Find out if the firm charges a flat retainer fee or if you’re billed by the hour. Some firms charge hourly and, thereby, your bill may change every month or on each project, and/or they may hit a hard stop if they run out of hours. The other school-of-thought is a flat fee in which the firm assumes liability for hours and works until the job gets done within reasonable terms.
2. Find out how they handle reporting their efforts to you. Not every PR firm is created equal; neither are their reports. You may receive a report a quarter or once a year; however, our philosophy is to deliver a weekly report that shows what we’re working on in real-time, plus a comprehensive monthly report outlining our success.
3. Ask if they’re excited about your business and why. This is a big one. Do they really want your business? What will they do with it once they get it? Do they have team members with a particular passion for your industry? Make sure the person selling you on the PR firm isn’t the only one excited. You’ll want to ensure the internal team working on your account is enthusiastic, too
4. Find out who will be managing and working on your account. You may meet with the CEO and upper-level professionals during the sales meetings, but who will be working on your account once the agreement is set? Our philosophy is to ensure a senior-level executive is on every account, as well as a team of experienced professionals. Many companies assign accounts to their junior-level team members after you sign the contract, so be wary.
5. Get a feeling of what makes the PR firm special or different from the rest. Do they have a special ‘flair’ or energy about them? Do they handle their conference calls or meetings a bit different? Do they take your business to heart or is this just another job in which they clock out at 5 p.m.? Find out, and don’t ignore that gut feeling you get from the PR firms you’re interviewing. We say, follow your heart.

So before you say ‘yes’ to the big proposal, research, research, research, and ask questions.  The answers could mean bliss for your organization.

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