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Public Relations - Agency or go it alone?

Guest post by: Deborah Hastie

Article Overview: This article is looking at the pros and cons of taking on a PR agency or external support. What are the hidden extras, the advantages and the pitfalls of taking the PR plunge.

Public Relations - Agency or go it alone?

Whenever any company is thinking about taking the plunge into PR there are inevitable questions about the cost, implications on your reputation and what return you can realistically expect on your investment.

Whether you work in the trade or consumer side, PR can bring with it a host of benefits in terms of raised profile, product or service sales, enhanced reputation or increased market share.

But, with any investment you will only get something out of it, usually in relation to what you put in and I am not talking about just a cash budget either. If you are truly wedded to the idea that PR can help your business then you will have to commit yourself and your business to the process not just the balance sheet. It means sticking your head above the parapet and allowing the PR professionals enough information and leeway to do their job.

Here are a few pointers to think about when you are at the start of the PR process that may help point you in the right direction and save you time & money.

1) Be realistic at the outset as to what you want to achieve. It is difficult but try to come up with a budget you are happy to spend as this will guide the PR agency or consultant instantly as to how much time and resource will be available.

2) Recommendation is always the best way to be introduced to PR. A fantastic website does not necessarily mean a fantastic service. Ask around and see who else is using who.

3) When speaking or meeting an agency for the first time you will undoubtedly meet the main director but your main concern should be who will head up your account and be visible and available later on. Do not allow your account to be swamped or run by juniors, they are great for groundwork but don’t have the experience or confidence to do proper sell ins.

4) When looking at Agencies see where they are based – London PR firms are inevitably more expensive than regional counterparts but not necessarily any more successful at the end unless there is lobbying work involved. Fashion may be the other exception as the industry is so London centric.

5) If you want to see a range of agencies then short list 3-4 and when you speak to them to book in, prepare a brief in advance so they have something to work with. If possible give them a budget to work with; otherwise you could have some fantastic ideas presented that are simply out of your league/budget.

6) If you are an SME then a consultant could be a very cost effective way to go. They are usually more flexible than an agency on their T&Cs, have smaller overheads and are cheaper in terms of a daily rate (£300-£500 per day as opposed to £500-£1300 for Account Director equivalent). They can usually work out of your offices to feel more part of the team and soak up knowledge more quickly. The downside is that there will be less cover during holidays and sickness but, unless you are planning to employ them five days a week, then you would expect periods when they are not at your beck and call anyway.

7) When taking on an agency also beware the expenses small print as this can easily add hundreds if not thousands to your invoice each month. It would be prudent to get a deal where admin and travel expenses are inclusive in the fee and any third party expenses are billed direct to you. If they go through the Agency they will typically add a further 15-20% on it as a handling fee by the time it reaches you.

8) Also check if they charge you for travel time – i.e. when they travel to your office or other meetings. If they are hours away from you it becomes costly to pay for them to be sat in a car or on a train if they are not actively working at the same time.

9) The one big advantage of using an Agency or Consultant is access to media contacts. Press them on this when you meet them – who do they speak to? who can they call upon with an urgent story? How do they circumvent the newsdesk and get direct to the journalist? Ask them for names not just newspaper or online titles you can check out. Even ask for reporters you can speak to who would recommend them and how they work.

10) Once you have seen your agencies or consultants then it is decision time. A lot of it will be gut instinct – who do you think you can work with, who is on your wave length and has an understanding of your sector. If you are ready to appoint - again just check the contract and ensure you are not tied into a long notice period (3-6 months) If the relationship does not work out you don’t want or need more than 1 month’s notice to extricate yourself and regroup. Miss this fine print and it could cost your thousands of pounds for a pretty unproductive period when the team is on wind down to finishing or handing over to a new agency.

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Article Tags: choosing a PR agency, Is PR for you, PR pitfalls, the advantages of PR, what to look out for in PR agencies, who use a PR agency



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