| My 10 top tips for small businesses looking to hire a PR | | | | well - and ideally on a personal not just working basis. |
| agency for the first time (or who are maybe ditching | | | | At the national level, relationships are particularly |
| the lot they're currently with because they're a | | | | important. |
| complete waste of space) are as follows: | | | | 6. Make sure the agency you work with is creative. |
| 1. Never hire a PR agency that ties you into contracts. | | | | Ideas are crucial to generating media coverage. So |
| PR agencies that tie into contracts are PR agencies | | | | you need thinkers and drinkers. Go got flashing colours |
| that don't perform. If a company is confident it will give | | | | and zing, not grey. |
| you the results you're after, why the hell bother with | | | | 7. Always use a pr agency that is made up |
| contracts? In our experience, small companies want | | | | exclusively, or almost exclusively, of ex-journalists. |
| and need the flexibility of being able to step back at | | | | Journalists understand what journalists want and how |
| any time, even if only temporarily for, say, cash flow | | | | they work, whereas people who have only ever |
| reasons. The 'No contracts' approach gives company | | | | worked in PR too often don't. Ex-journalists can write, |
| directors peace of mind, which is essential in this | | | | too, which is again essential when it comes to press |
| market. | | | | releases and other written copy you are issuing to the |
| 2. Only hire a pr agency if they will work for you | | | | media. |
| around the clock. Many PR opportunities arise outside | | | | 8. In the digital day and age, only ever employ a PR |
| conventional working hours and on weekends so you | | | | agency that understands how to leverage your brand |
| need to be sure the agency you employ is prepared | | | | online through the myriad technologies that are now |
| to drop what it's doing at any time and focus on you. | | | | out there. Depending on the company, direct to |
| 3. I can't stress how important this tip is, but never | | | | consumer activity through online channels can be more |
| work with an agency that starts later than 7.30. So | | | | powerful than traditional PR strategies and tools. |
| much of the day's news breaks before eight o'clock | | | | 9. Ask who will be managing your account. This is |
| that if the person on your account only switches the | | | | crucial, as the people who rock up at the pitch and |
| Dell on at 9.30 then you're on a hiding to nothing. If | | | | who bowl you over with their expertise and |
| you're a business in the financial services sector - an | | | | knowledge will often have nothing to do with your |
| analyst, for example - getting an earlybird pr agency is | | | | account on a daily basis. Instead, smaller companies |
| particularly important. Corporate results almost always | | | | are often handed over to Jackie or Elizabeth, the |
| come out at 7am. Don't hire a sleepy head! | | | | company noobs, junior account execs who know as |
| 4. Only employ an agency that completely | | | | much about PR as I know about cross stitch. Always |
| understands the sector you are in. It's not essential | | | | make sure you are working with account directors and |
| they have strong contacts in your sector, but it does | | | | above - don't accept anything less. |
| help. Ideally, you want them to have a great | | | | 10. If you really are risk averse, and don't even want to |
| understanding of your industry and a great contact | | | | pay a monthly fee to an agency, then go for a |
| book with your target media. | | | | results-based PR agency (excuse the shameless plug) |
| 5. If you want to target primarily national media, you're | | | | such as our own Just In Time PR. No coverage, no |
| best off hiring a London PR agency as you'll want to | | | | fee my lovelies! |
| be working with PRs who know the national journalists | | | | |