Put On Your PR CAP To Find Your Perfect PR Match
August 27, 2018
“PR is a process, not an event.” ~ Regis McKenna
Everything is perfect. We live in a world of sunshine and (tech) unicorns. Clients and PR agencies are perfectly in sync – meeting deadline after deadline ahead of schedule. Everyday “We are the Champions” plays in the background as you end your day.
Oh wait – that’s the perfect world. While the reality is far from perfect, there are several steps clients and PR agencies can take to produce amazing results and establish an ideal relationship – a give-and-take partnership based on compromise, collaboration and active listening.
Looking for the perfect PR match? Make sure to put on your PR CAP:
The Ideal PR Client
- Communicative – Share everything. PR is part of the communication field for a reason. There’s (almost) no such thing as oversharing when it comes to a client expressing their business goals with their PR firm. You’re in the thick of it – in the trenches at your company. We want – and need – to hear about your successes and failures, your short and long-term goals and more. PR agencies are loaded with ideas, but hearing yours as well can help put a different spin on your story and lead to more coverage.
- Available – It may be redundant to say, but Public Relations is a partnership and a relationship. PR clients should expect to hear from their agency a lot, especially at the start. Some clients occasionally think that once hired a PR team can operate on their own. The reality is your PR firm needs the CMO/VP Marketing/Head of Comms and the client’s spokesperson to be readily available for comment. Press often have tight deadlines for comment – and the old proverb “the early bird gets the worm,” or in this case, the press coverage, really does apply. The more available you are, the more apt press are to think of you as a “go-to” source.
- Passionate – Do you love your business and continuously brainstorm ways to make it better? If you do, and your product or service serves a market need, it’s time for the megaphone. PR amplifies what’s already there and passion is key. After all, if you’re not passionate about your company, people and products, why should a journalist or their readers be?
The Ideal PR Agency
- Communicative – A good PR agency will keep you apprised of progress every step of the way. You should know the direction your company’s PR strategy is going and what irons are in the fire – speaking and award opportunities, opportunities for comment, product launch statuses, insight into reporting and KPIs being met, etc. Both teams should discuss strategy and updates frequently across multiple channels – email, Slack, conference calls and more. If you haven’t heard from your agency in a while, they might be less than ideal.
- Available – Will you be top of mind for your agency? Whether you choose a global firm with offices in every major market or a boutique agency, you should always feel that your concerns are heard and your needs are being met. A good PR agency will feel like a natural extension and part of your team.
- Passionate – Your PR agency should love your products and services as much as you do. While they might offer a pragmatic approach to getting the word out and you’ll hear the phrase “managing expectations” more than once, they should believe in your company and products as much as you do. If they don’t, you’re with the wrong agency.
PR works best when the client and the agency are “in it to win it” together. There is a high degree of trust involved in the relationship and a dotted line between the two organizations. The client needs to trust in the PR process, while the agency needs to trust that it has client support. Though clients and their PR teams are made up of different people with difference skillsets, ultimately the two teams share the same goal.
Look for an upcoming worst case scenario future post: “It’s Not Me, It’s You: 5 Signs It’s Time To Break Up With A Client”
Tara Hill
Account Executive
Put On Your PR CAP To Find Your Perfect PR Match
August 27, 2018
“PR is a process, not an event.” ~ Regis McKenna
Everything is perfect. We live in a world of sunshine and (tech) unicorns. Clients and PR agencies are perfectly in sync – meeting deadline after deadline ahead of schedule. Everyday “We are the Champions” plays in the background as you end your day.
Oh wait – that’s the perfect world. While the reality is far from perfect, there are several steps clients and PR agencies can take to produce amazing results and establish an ideal relationship – a give-and-take partnership based on compromise, collaboration and active listening.
Looking for the perfect PR match? Make sure to put on your PR CAP:
The Ideal PR Client
- Communicative – Share everything. PR is part of the communication field for a reason. There’s (almost) no such thing as oversharing when it comes to a client expressing their business goals with their PR firm. You’re in the thick of it – in the trenches at your company. We want – and need – to hear about your successes and failures, your short and long-term goals and more. PR agencies are loaded with ideas, but hearing yours as well can help put a different spin on your story and lead to more coverage.
- Available – It may be redundant to say, but Public Relations is a partnership and a relationship. PR clients should expect to hear from their agency a lot, especially at the start. Some clients occasionally think that once hired a PR team can operate on their own. The reality is your PR firm needs the CMO/VP Marketing/Head of Comms and the client’s spokesperson to be readily available for comment. Press often have tight deadlines for comment – and the old proverb “the early bird gets the worm,” or in this case, the press coverage, really does apply. The more available you are, the more apt press are to think of you as a “go-to” source.
- Passionate – Do you love your business and continuously brainstorm ways to make it better? If you do, and your product or service serves a market need, it’s time for the megaphone. PR amplifies what’s already there and passion is key. After all, if you’re not passionate about your company, people and products, why should a journalist or their readers be?
The Ideal PR Agency
- Communicative – A good PR agency will keep you apprised of progress every step of the way. You should know the direction your company’s PR strategy is going and what irons are in the fire – speaking and award opportunities, opportunities for comment, product launch statuses, insight into reporting and KPIs being met, etc. Both teams should discuss strategy and updates frequently across multiple channels – email, Slack, conference calls and more. If you haven’t heard from your agency in a while, they might be less than ideal.
- Available – Will you be top of mind for your agency? Whether you choose a global firm with offices in every major market or a boutique agency, you should always feel that your concerns are heard and your needs are being met. A good PR agency will feel like a natural extension and part of your team.
- Passionate – Your PR agency should love your products and services as much as you do. While they might offer a pragmatic approach to getting the word out and you’ll hear the phrase “managing expectations” more than once, they should believe in your company and products as much as you do. If they don’t, you’re with the wrong agency.
PR works best when the client and the agency are “in it to win it” together. There is a high degree of trust involved in the relationship and a dotted line between the two organizations. The client needs to trust in the PR process, while the agency needs to trust that it has client support. Though clients and their PR teams are made up of different people with difference skillsets, ultimately the two teams share the same goal.
Look for an upcoming worst case scenario future post: “It’s Not Me, It’s You: 5 Signs It’s Time To Break Up With A Client”
