Companies often find comfort in paying large retainers and choosing larger PR Agencies. Mainly because of their stature and standing in the world of PR – it’s called gaining a marquee name. Their reputation goes before them and larger organisations can afford the upfront costs and want the PR that comes from being associated with a big PR name. But are they getting value for money?
Not all PR firms are equal. And sometimes small can be just as effective as big. Small Agencies have the expertise that large organisations and companies can tap into at a fraction of the cost. What really matters is that you gaining successful PR.
Successful PR is getting the right people to pay attention to you at the right time and depending on connections, experience and approach, the strategies PRs devise can be very different. Therefore your results may vary widely and this can happen with marquee names, small Agencies and freelance PRs alike.
A word from the wise: Why not check out the PR’s previous form by way of case studies? Take a look at their Google reviews and testimonials and take note.
It’s advisable to regularly collaborate with your PR firm to make the most out of the relationship. Share stories about a new starter, product and service, think about reactive PR along with proactive PR and come up with a plan.
Make sure you have metrics in place to measure how things are going and if they’re meeting expectations. Take regular meetings and adapt the plan as necessary. PR is an art.
Ruby Edwards, YouDoBetter PR, says: “If it doesn’t work out, change things up. Be open and honest. We recently worked with a client to help grow their marketing function. They needed extra support for SEO and sector-specific content, so we sourced a reputable company and are working with them to give our client what they need. This symbiosis is great for our client and good for us as we can learn along the way too. We were open and honest about our capabilities and identified a need for extra support with their marketing.”