PR Is a Partnership
- TREAT YOUR PR AGENCY AS A PARTNER
To ensure the success of your PR program, view your agency as a business partner, not simply a vendor-for-hire. Give your PR agency reps a seat at the table during important meetings and trust their counsel when it’s given. We often tell our clients to think of us as an extension of their staff.
- GIVE YOUR AGENCY ACCESS TO INFORMATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
When deciding what information to share with your PR agency partner, the rule of thumb is as much as possible, as early as feasible. At the very least, marketers should schedule a regular weekly or biweekly update meeting with the agency to review strategies and discuss company news.
- RESPECT YOUR AGENCY’S ADVICE
You hired your PR agency for their expertise and insight. If your agency is not challenging you and presenting fresh ideas and unique solutions to your business challenges, then they are not doing their job. Sometimes the advice is a little hard to take, but remember, the PR agency looks good only when you look good.
- GIVE YOUR AGENCY THE TIME AND BUDGET NECESSARY TO SUCCEED
When you hire an architect or an engineer, you don’t negotiate down the rate, ask for junior level staffers so you can stretch the budget, and then expect to get stellar results. Likewise, be patient. If you’re new to PR or have had a rocky go with the media, it could take six months before your PR agency is able to build renewed trust with the press.
- DEVELOP MEASURABLE GOALS TOGETHER
Because most goals today are to increase sales, make sure you track leads that come in from your PR efforts and measure the value of those leads that convert to sales. Tracking where the leads come from will help strengthen the PR efforts by focusing more on those media outlets.
For an extended version of this story, visit https://chiefmarketer.com/disciplines/publicrelations/0302-pr-tips
