Working with a PR agency can mean the difference between a soft product launch and a massive product sell-out, a one-night limited audience engagement versus a sold-out traveling series. The power of PR and the ability to harness the media to properly market a product, event, or initiative is a unique one, and should not be taken for granted. There are certain tactics to ensure that you get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to partnering with a PR firm, and we will explore some of them below!

Know clearly what your goals and objectives are

               The job of a PR firm becomes decisively easier when a client knows precisely (or at the very least has an idea) of what they wish to achieve and get out of the partnership. This awareness will in turn benefit the client because the PR firm will have a clearer understanding of the media coverage and results they should aim to achieve. In the end, clarity will benefit both customer and client by allowing for a smoother partnership where everyone is operating on the same page.

Remain open to new suggestions/approaches

               One of the biggest roadblocks I have seen in PR partnerships in the past has been a client’s unwillingness to accept an alternative course of action for an opp, or the course of the campaign. Of course, as already mentioned, the client having a vision or direction for the partnership is crucial, but PR experts have an awareness of the media landscape and understand optimal marketing strategies for particular situations; as such, allowing them to take the reigns and guide the course of the campaign is important. Being receptive to new ideas may be the only way to guarantee effective media exposure.

Stay in regular communication with your team

               When in doubt, ask. Regarding all things media-centered, your PR firm does in fact know best. Therefore, rather than trying to make an educated guess on what to do and what coverage to target, reach out to your PR team and take direction from the experts. After all, that’s what they’re there for! Doing so avoids the possibility of crossed wires or the failure to seize an opportunity for widespread coverage. A PR team is quite literally paid to answer its client’s questions and be a sounding board to bounce ideas off of, so don’t be shy when it comes to seeking advice.

Invest in the power of media/social campaigns

               Prior to enlisting the help of a PR team, you should already have established yourself a certain way for media and socials. If you rely on an outside party like a PR team to do this for you, it will come off as inauthentic; customers need to see the company’s story from those who wrote that story. Of course, PR teams are trained to increase media scope, visibility, as well as social media popularity, but the company must itself put the effort and resources into cultivating an image for itself to kick start the process.

Be flexible to changing circumstances

               We’ve all seen them. Those huge opps come in and push five others aside. A piece of coverage you were relying on doesn’t end up making it to publish. Your client’s rep dangerously misspeaks during an interview. In the world of PR, nothing is guaranteed, and even less can be anticipated. But one thing is for sure: there will be a solution to the problem, even if its not the solution you wanted or expected. The best way for a company to come to terms with this is to simply exercise patience and flexibility. Knowing your PR firm is working for you and has your best interest at heart, you sometimes have to trust the process and let it play out, allowing the trained team to do what they do best.

Summary

               Working with a PR agency can be one of the most rewarding and profitable things a company can do. However, if a company refuses to open its mind and let the experts assist, progress could be stifled. At the end of the day, supporting your team and trusting their ability to get results will allow them to meet and exceed these expectations without pause.

Agent Intern Ryan