Do you Know how to Work with a PR Agency? 

Companies hire PR agencies for a variety of reasons and with a variety of expectations. Typically, when we pitch ourselves and our services, we’re not only looking for a good fit of expertise but also a good fit of personalities. PR can’t be successful without the support of an in-house person or team. Our best results have come from clients that treat us as an extension of their team, keeping us in the loop with internal activities, potential news coming down the pipe or other happenings that we can potentially use as a media pitch. 

Unless you’ve worked with a PR agency before, chances are you don’t know how to best proceed with this process. Here are a few tips on how to successfully work with a PR agency to achieve the best results. 

Be Realistic with Expectations 

“We want the Wall Street Journal.” No kidding, who doesn’t? If we had a dime for every time we heard that we wouldn’t need to pitch for new business! But let’s be honest, coverage in a top-tier publication is few and far between, and if your company happens to be mentioned it’s probably going to be alongside others in the industry discussing an overarching trend, not a feature of your own.  

The idea here is to play the long game and a PR firm suited to your industry will know the best strategy to do so. Perhaps starting with trade publications associated with your services is the place to start. This will help to start getting your company’s name out there and positioning your executives as subject matter experts in your field. Positive brand recognition in your field is never a bad thing, especially since you know you’ll be reaching a target audience. 

Measuring Measurables 

PR can be difficult to measure. It’s all about building relationships and trust with key audiences – so how can we put that in a report? While we can set goals for placing press releases and getting by-line articles published, it’s important to keep in mind that PR can also help shift perceptions. Say your company goofed and now you’re trying to rebuild your reputation. Earning some positive PR can help the media, potential and current clients, and the community stick by your side if there is ever an issue down the road. This goodwill isn’t necessarily measurable but it’s certainly priceless.  

Agencies Aren’t ‘One Size Fits All’ 

For every industry there’s a PR agency that specializes in that space. There’s a reason why Paige PR works with a lot of industrial clients. We’ve built relationships with pertinent media contacts, we’re familiar with the type of content that the publications want and perhaps, most importantly, we already have knowledge about the industries our clients are trying to speak to. Take, for instance, a restaurant. We simply don’t work in food and beverage; a client would be best served looking at an agency with relationships in that sector. Trying to work with an agency outside of your scope can take up valuable time and resources for all parties involved.  

Last pro tip, securing media coverage is hard. If it were easy, you wouldn’t need an expert. No good media relations strategy happens overnight. So, before you pick up the phone, or let’s be real, send that initial email, think about why you want to leverage a PR agency, what your goals might be and who would be best suited to work with your organization. And be open and flexible along the way. The best PR professionals reassess strategies and potentially shift priorities depending on trending topics and heated headlines. 

Looking to work with a PR agency this year? Give us a call or reach out to Kristen Quinn at kristen@paigepr.com to get the conversation started.