Advice on Hiring an Agency

How to hook up with the PR agency of your dreams

Choosing a PR agency is a bit like dating. There are a lot of possible partners out there but finding the right one isn't easy. The metaphor doesn't end there I'm afraid... Some of them are already in exclusive relationships, others won't share your interests or your attitude... that's before we even start to think about how much your new partner is going to cost you!!! So how do you find the right partner?

The simplest option is to call the PRCA.
We run a free and impartial business service matching briefs to agencies, saving you time, money and hassle. That's the end of the plug for our dating service. Whether you choose this route or not, there are other things to bear in mind. Know what you want - make sure that you and other stakeholders internally are clear about what you are trying to achieve and how it ties in with wider organisational objectives.

Narrow your search
There are thousands of PR agencies in the UK, so where to start? There are four easy ways to do this. Firstly, identify campaigns you really liked and find out which agency was responsible. Secondly, find out who your competitors have used and call them. Thirdly, type some keywords into google. Or fourthly, call the PRCA 's “Find A PR Agency” service and ask them to do the work for you (last plug, I promise).

Look for standards - The majority of agencies uphold high standards, but every year we get dozens of calls complaining about a minority of agencies who have either behaved unethically or are not delivering. 95% of these calls relate to agencies who aren't members of the PRCA, which leaves us -and very often the client - powerless to do anything about the situation. Look for agencies that have signed up to a Code of Conduct to give yourself peace of mind.

Do some speed dating
Provide up to eight agencies with a little background about what you are looking for and if possible what your budget is. At this stage you are just trying to narrow down your options. Ask these agencies to send you through credentials. These are examples of projects that they have done previously and they should have these ready to go.

Go on some dates
From the credentials stage narrow your focus down to the three most promising candidates. Tell them more about what you are looking for and provide them with your budget. At this stage the consultancies will outline how they will approach the challenge you have set. They will come up with creative ideas and, if you haven't outlined how you will measure them against your objectives, appropriate metrics.

Do you have chemistry?
By this stage you should have a clear idea of which of the agencies is likely to do the best job. You will also have a feel for how you get on with each. Objectively, whether or not you like them shouldn't matter. In reality, if you don't get on, it probably means that your corporate cultures aren't aligned and they'll struggle to become an extension of your business.
 

So, now you're ready to get married. As the meerkat would say, “simples!”

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