15 Sep How to get the most out of your PR consultancy
You have gone through the pitching process, weighed up your options and selected the right PR consultancy to spread your company’s message. After briefing your new PR partner on the company’s goals and sharing your vision for the future, you pass the baton and wait for the coverage to roll in. Right? Wrong.
Achieving PR results relies on a real partnership between you and your PR company – working together to amplify your message. I have put together my top three tips to build a successful relationship and create PR magic!
1 – Communication is key
It is easy to let regular PR meetings slip off the agenda once things get busy. But communication is an essential ingredient in the recipe for a productive PR partnership. The key is to integrate your PR consultancy, so it is an extension of your team rather than an external agent.
Arrange to have a weekly call with your PR team – even if it is just fifteen minutes – to ensure it has all the information it needs to get you the best results.
2 – Act fast
Timely responses to journalists can be the difference between securing a national story and missing out on the opportunity. Often the companies who secure the best interviews are first to the mark.
Particularly with broadcast interviews and breaking news stories, media schedules fill up quickly and often require quick turnarounds. Your PR company will rely on a quick response from you to agree an interview time or approve a comment to send to a journalist.
3 – Set your expectations
Some PR agencies or consultancies will promise you the world but often will not be able to deliver. The onus is on them to set expectations around the time it takes to achieve quality coverage. But equally, you have a responsibility to set expectations for your PR consultancy on the company news you will be able to provide to generate media stories, how quickly you will be able to respond to queries and what success looks like.
Every company works differently and there is no golden bullet to achieving quality PR coverage. However, the more collaborative your relationship is with your PR consultancy, the better return on investment you will get from the time and money spent on PR – and then some!
Emily Brewster
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