Picking a Public Relations Firm

As we enter into the new year with an economy that is finally showing signs of life, businesses are under renewed pressure in the fight to attract customers.  Many small businesses will look at advertising and promotion as the key marketing tools with which to build institutional and product awareness.  The problem is that these options are pricey – an effective advertising campaign can be out of reach for many small companies.  How, then, do you break through the clutter and get the most bang for your buck when bucks are limited?  

Public relations is often employed as a valuable and cost effective alternative.  PR that is truly compelling, targeted and strategic can define your brand and motivate your target audience.  In New York City, PR can be particularly effective because there are more media outlets here than anywhere else –both locally and nationally. 

The downside, of course, is that this it is also one of the most competitive places on earth.  At any one moment, any number of people may be fighting for that same small column inch of media turf.  But that’s where a skilled and savvy PR person can make the difference.  The right PR person will enable you to position your story and find the best media outlets and the most receptive reporters. 

Going Public
As a small business owner, how do you know when the time is right to consider an outside PR consultant?  You can start by honestly evaluating whether what you want to say to the world is truly of interest to anyone beyond your immediate family.  A credible PR pro will give you an honest opinion about the news value of your story before going forward. 

Finding the right PR consultant is not an easy process.  There’s very little credentialing involved; virtually anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a PR expert.  You can look in the phone book, you can call the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) or you can ask your father-in-law.  For my money, it’s all about referrals.  You want the anecdotal perspective – the war stories.  What was your prospective consultant like to work with; how responsive were they; did they truly understand what they were pitching; and did they deliver qualitative as well as quantitative results?  You may also ask to see clippings and writing samples.

As much as we may try to quantify its results, PR will always be an inexact science.  Unlike advertising, placements cannot be guaranteed and the value of an individual press hit is difficult to put a price on.  In spite of the obvious uncertainties, however, searching for and retaining an outside PR firm or consultant doesn’t have to feel completely murky.  There are ways to make it a little easier to evaluate the process. When working with PR consultants, here are a few things to consider:

Don’t Be Paralyzed by Sticker Shock
When I prepare a proposal, I like to give potential clients a comprehensive soup to nuts package, detailing everything we can offer, with the understanding that we can amend the menu of services to fit specific budgets and priorities. Unfortunately, some prospective clients become overwhelmed by the details and the overall fee structure.  You need to be clear and firm about exactly what you want to accomplish. 

Ask for the Plan
Most independent PR firms and consultants are wary of giving away too much in a proposal.  They’ll provide a general outline but they may hold back on specific creative ideas or other details.  However, the proposal should give you a solid picture of their strategic thinking and planning.  Once the agency is on board, you should expect a detailed plan to illustrate exactly how they’ll take you from concept to execution.  It’s what I call a ‘road map’ and you, as the client, have the right to it. 

While the above points are vital for you to consider when picking a potential PR rep, there are also a number of items you need to take into account when shopping for outside PR:

• Do they understand your business?  Can they take your story and speak the language of your business to a journalist?
• Do they know how to think like a journalist?  Can they find and articulate the news value in what they are pitching?
• Do they understand strategic positioning?  Do they recognize the difference between ‘getting ink’ and generating PR that truly makes an impact?
• What is their plan? 
• Can you communicate with each other?  The PR process can feel strange and uncertain; it’s up to your consultant to explain what’s going on along the way.
• Are you comfortable with this person as the public face of your company
• Are they creative and passionate about your business?  Does their approach feel cookie cutter or is there a sense that your company’s needs are unique and different?
• Do they come recommended? What do their clients say?  What do journalists say about them?

Asking the Right Questions
When it comes time for you to meet with your prospective PR firm or representative, you have to be on the lookout for lip service. After all, this is a person who makes pitches all the time. Here are a few things to ask for to try and pin down your prospective consultant and get the right answers you are looking for: