By Cassy van Eeden
When selecting a PR consultancy to meet your communications needs, how do you see beyond a
slick pitch to find the perfect match? Aside from
doing your research and looking at case studies, here are some more pointers for picking the PR agency for you.
Never trust a skinny chef
As the saying goes, you wouldn’t trust a skinny cook, right? So why would you trust a public relations firm that doesn’t represent themselves? A PR agency that promises
social media management should have an exceptional
social media presence, while one that promises extensive media coverage for your brand, should boast media coverage of their own brand.
Mike Roberts, CEO of BuckET Communications, says, “A successful communications agency is one that handles their own publicity like they would any other client.” He explains that if an agency guarantees perfectly SEO-ed content, visit their website to see just how SEO compliant their own content is.
Roberts adds: “If they brag about killer media releases, ask to see what they’ve written about themselves. And if they promise to make your blog brilliant, check out their own blog. Is it well-written? Updated regularly?”
Lauren Volmink, director of Atmosphere, says, “PR agencies should actively manage their reputation and brand across all touch points.” She says the mark of a good agency is one that manages and positions its own consultancy through social media, speaker platforms, industry events and blogging.
There’s no ‘I’ in team
You hire one agency to manage your
traditional public relations needs, and a digital agency for the rest. But can they work together? Being unwilling or unable to collaborate with another company isn’t a good sign.
“Integration is an over-used buzzword of the month, but it is actually vital to sorting out the potential mess of a sophisticated campaign,” says Patrick Gearing, managing director of Meropa.
“If an integrated approach is important for your business, look for evidence that demonstrates their collaborative approach with partner agencies across their current clients,” says Volmink.
Sam Walt, senior account director at Magna Carta, says “Make sure the PR agency [you choose] can work with partner agencies and is able to collaborate with your entire team.”
There are no stupid questions
You’ve sat through the pitch, you’ve researched your heart out and you’ve heard enough case studies to last you a lifetime. But what if you still haven’t settled on a public relations company that is right for you? The trick is to ask your prospective agency the right questions.
“How long has the agency been around? Clients hire and fire all the time, but an ability to last in the market is proof of good work,” says Gearing.
He advises that you ask: “Who owns and operates the agency? Are they actively involved in managing the delivery of the work you’re buying or will they give you access to growth platforms of global best-practice?”
“Ask about staff retention rates,” says Volmink. “Look for a consultancy with a strong, stable and experienced team. A consultancy that has a low staff turnover rate is a good indication that you’ll have the same dedicated team working on your company or brand,” she adds.
How can you tell if a PR agency is sub-standard? What are the signs of a good agency? Let us know in the comments below.