So, you’ve decided it’s time to raise the profile of your business through PR, but if it’s your first foray, it can be difficult to know where to start and who to employ.
Ask friends, family and colleagues if they can recommend a reputable PR firm. If you attend business networking groups, ask the organisers to introduce you to any PR people on the guest list. If you both regularly attend, you can get to know each other over time and without any pressure.
Once you’ve lined up some potential agencies, ask about their track record. Find out what they’ve done for other businesses and how they went about it. If they’ve worked for your industry before, ask about their results. You need to decide what PR success will look and feel like for your business.
A good PR agency will have access to a full contacts book and enjoy regular dialogue with local, regional and national journalists.
It might sound obvious, but one of the most important questions to ask is do you like the PR team you could be working with? You’ll spend a few hours every month meeting, chatting and emailing your account handlers so it makes sense if you’re on the same wavelength.
And do you feel they will be honest with you? Here at Cobb PR, we have to manage our clients’ expectations. While TV and radio coverage is achievable, that only happens with a really strong story – and even then it’s not guaranteed if something bigger comes along to pique the media’s interest. Sometimes we have to be brutally honest with our clients and tell them that their story just doesn’t merit the kind of coverage they’d like.
Now you have some ideas on what to look for when appointing a PR agency, it’s a good idea to let you know what’s expected of you, too. We’ll need a main point of contact, preferably someone senior who can sign off press releases, statements and the like – or someone close who can get answers swiftly. The media moves fast and you don’t want to miss opportunities.
If you’d like to learn more about what Cobb PR can do for you, we’re always happy to get together for an informal chat. We don’t go in for the hard sell and understand that signing up for PR support can sometimes be quite daunting.
Why not give us a call on 01323 416999 or drop us a line at jenny@cobbpr.com.
