Major Warnings Signs You Should Spot in Choosing a PR Agency for your Design Business

In the onset of reading this article, you might be somewhere in the place between currently working or having worked with a Public Relations company, to considering employing a firm to do PR for your business. Without question, Public Relations is an effective tool in brand building, but when done wrong, it could be a great hassle on your part, let alone that it can drain your finances substantially. The game-changer in this whole intimidating situation is to choose the right firm that can do the leg-work for you.

How do you choose a Public Relations company that’s a perfect fit for your business goals? What are the biggest considerations you should demand from them? What values should they uphold that will make you know, as a client, that you are dealing with the right PR people?

It all starts with research. With the power of the internet and social media, almost everything we need to know about a PR company is practically laid out in Google right at our fingertips. You can search and assess, select and compare PR companies apples-to-apples, read positive and negative reviews about them, and even ask friends in your circle of some good recommendations. Making this research yourself allows you to spot RED FLAGS— obvious factors that will tell you if a Public Relations company doesn’t fit the glove. Here are some areas where you can spot them:

CLIENT REFERENCES AND REVIEWS

Remember when shopping online and one of the first things you find is the Review Section to see if the seller and the product are legit? The same goes with choosing a PR agency for you. Look for client references and reviews. They may include this in the proposal, but if they don’t, ask for maybe two or three and check how those current references are standing. Check for reviews in their website, their social media accounts, because all that can tell a story of how effective they are and have been as an agency.

THEIR WEBSITE

We’ll set the record straight: a Public Relations agency with a poorly-created website is a huge RED FLAG. Sure, a company’s website is not all there is to it, but if you are offering the services of crafting stories, media mileage, tri-media and social media publicity, there HAS to be a good website. Check for structure and content, read their blogs and client base, because most likely, everything you need to know about them has to be reflected in their website. A good website means they are dedicated to their craft, they have the right people to do it, and they mean serious business.

THE SCHEDULE

Assuming you and the agency are in the process of exchanging emails and chats and you get to schedule a call or a face-to-face meeting, one factor you should spot is their adherence to your schedule. Are they dedicated enough to the schedule you both agreed? Are they punctual? Are they well-prepared? Did they send you the right materials to ensure both parties are on the same page? How they treat a schedule with you will tell a story of how prepared they are, and how much they value your time as a client. On the other end of it, not taking your schedules seriously probably means they are overwhelmed perhaps with too many clients, or they lack preparation. Remember you are spending money for this firm, so they have to give you their full attention and dedication.

THE METRICS

As a client, regardless of whether you like outcome reports or not, the agency has to deliver the metrics. A good PR firm will pitch key and detailed metrics to let you know you are on the right track, and that they are really delivering you results. They must include basic media monitoring reports, keyword search analysis, social listening and tagging services, etc. They may all be too technical for you, but it’s best to know these things so you know you’re not flushing your money down the drain hiring a Public Relations company that can’t even provide you the most basic reports.

THE FIT

Sometimes the most obvious of all red flags is the fit test—it’s when you know that it just doesn’t feel right. It could be as simple as the chemistry between you and your PR rep, or as complex as knowing full well that everything just wouldn’t work out smoothly.

Again, do your share of research. Basically these are just major warning signs, but trust us when we say a lot of people get to ignore them, so consider these a good reminder for you when choosing a PR firm to build your brand. Public Relations is an investment for your company, in that sense it is seen as an expense. Work with the right agency to make the most out of your investment.

Do you want to learn more about the benefits of Public Relations? Click here to schedule a complimentary Brand Consultation.