I need a PR agency
We hear from many people who need a PR agency; however, you need to find the right people, at the right time. You also need to be sure that you need an agency at this moment in your business’s life. We sometimes have people approach us who just aren’t ready. Make sure you have the right message to put forward, the time to commit, and the available funds.
A PR agency can’t do a good job if you don’t have the time to either speak to us on the phone sometimes; or have a trusted member of your team who can do so for you. When you put your brand message out into the world, we can do an amazing job of making sure it reaches people far and wide. However, it won’t be authentic if it doesn’t have your tone.
How do I know if a PR agency are good?
Make sure you do your research. Find out what other people have to say about them. Reviews can be faked, so look at websites like Bark. (Click here to see our page as an example.) Bark gathers up a variety of feedback from multiple sources and rating platforms so you know it will be honest and reliable.
Another way of finding out are awards. If you need a PR agency, you’ll want a great one. Look for organisations who boast being ‘multi award winning’ and ask them what the awards were for. It’s all well and good having more than one, but if they are for something unrelated to service, like ‘best place to work’ this may not do you any good. Equally, you want a variety of accolades. If they are only boasting one expertise this isn’t going to bode well for your results. Look for a PR agency with ten or more awards, who have a variety of wins in a multitude of sectors.
Ask to see case studies or feedback pertaining to your industry or project type. You will undoubtedly need to know that they are as capable as they promise. What are their results like and how will this impact on your ROI?
Here at VerriBerri we are the only PR agency (to our knowledge) that guarantee our results. The way we look at it, how can you possibly pay for a service if the agency doesn’t have enough faith in themselves to provide a cast iron guarantee?
Finally, look at how they invest in you. Regardless of size, they should have access to a quality PR service like Cision. These platforms cost thousands of pounds to run, but ensure clients get amazing results. Do you really want to work with an agency who doesn’t want to empower your brand?
How do I find a PR agency?
Know where to look. Google is a good place to start. After all, if they are readily found online (a little like how you found this blog,) then they must know what they are doing.
Naturally, asking for recommendations is also a safe way to get quality PR representation. Make sure you know what you are looking for too. Is it brand awareness, social media, reputation management, or something else?
Establish the goals you are working towards. Without doing this you will not be able to accurately convey to the agency what your needs are. Consequentially, they will not be able to fulfil them, and you’ll be wasting your time and money.
How do I instruct an agency?
First of all, make sure you meet them. This may not always be possible due to distance; but lengthy phone calls or Skype video chats should be held. This allows you to get a feel for the PR agency you are hoping to work with.
If you don’t click with them, or get a gut feeling for whatever reason, trust that. A successful working relationship involves a good level of personal interaction and if you don’t like, respect, and trust each other; it’s just not going to work.
Once you feel comfortable, ask for a proposal. This should outline what they will do for you and at what cost. Ideally, there will be KPI’s too. At a minimum you should have an objective, a strategy and tasks. Think of a proposal as a map. It shows you where your end point is and directs you how to get there. You’ll see a number of paths, some longer than others, but they all get to the final destination.
If you need a PR agency, look no further. We are a multi award winning organisation who guarantee results. If that’s what you need, you’re on the right website! To get in touch all you have to do is click here to visit our contact page. You can either telephone or email us from there.
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