Notes

The Ultimate Guide to Hiring a PR Agency in 2021
Between writing blogs, drafting advertisements, and setting up new workflows for emails, it's tough to make time for brand awareness and management of media. That's where a professional public relations (PR) agency can help.




Ahead of time, according to Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), "Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics." In the modern age marketing and PR are inextricably linked and cross-pollinate, making it necessary to cooperate.



You may have concerns about how your marketing team and a company's PR team can collaborate like "What will a PR firm do? " or "What services can a PR agency provide? "


Below, you'll learn everything you should learn about hiring the right PR agency.


The PR company handles the reputation of your company through owned, earned, as well as paid communication. In general, PR firms are responsible for distributing press messages. The main goals of a PR company is branding awareness and managing reputation.


While the tasks of public relations and marketing can overlap, the two have different functions. Allie Decker, a writer on the HubSpot's pillar team wrote about public relations and marketing on this blog. She writes "The main goal of PR is to boost the reputation of your brand. On the other hand, the main goal of marketing is to drive sales."


Marketing and PR can complement each other by aligning their objectives. For instance, people could discover your brand via PR strategies, for instance natural social media profiles, and then convert into sales thanks to your marketing tactics such as Facebook advertisements. Through the collaboration between marketing and PR on messaging strategies and reputation building, you'll be able to build your brand's image and drive more sales.

Public Relations Services



Reputation management


Crisis management


Media relations


Social media


Speech writing


Press releases


Event planning


Outreach


Market research


Media training


Internal copywriting






1. Reputation management





Reputation management is one of the most essential services that public relations firms offer. Tactics might include email newsletters or messages regarding website copy or blog posts, managing social media in response to reviews and engaging with your followers.


For example, Taco Bell uses social media to enhance its image. In the following example, Taco Bell responds to a customer on Twitter by sending an authentic, captivating tweet, making the company's brand relatable while also increasing its brand's reputation.


2.Media relations


One strategy to improve your reputation and get your reputation out there is to use the media. PR firms can manage the relationship between the media and your company. Techniques include writing pitches to editors and influencers to earn mentions in news articles about industry and increase media coverage.


For brand-garden , if you have a company that is sustainable in its operations and a PR agency is involved, it could propose you to one of the Organic Bunny blog for an interview about the benefits of sustainable products for beauty.


3.Press releases


Your business may need create a press release to announce new launches, products campaign, initiatives, or events. This strategy is in tandem with media relations. For example, if you work for a shoe company that wants to start a movement on Twitter to #walkmore. A PR company can draft the press release to announce this campaign, hoping to gain media coverage.


4.Market research


The primary aspect to creating connections and communication with your audiences is understanding them. This is why a company that handles PR would most likely use marketing research to help. They might employ surveys, feedback forms or focus groups to learn about your audience. For instance, if you own a firm that produces protein, PR firms could send surveys to find out how many people purchase your protein, what flavors they prefer, and their preferences for the company that makes protein.


Types of Public Relations Firms






General strategic communication


Press release


Crisis management


Internal communication


Community management


Non-profit public relations


Public affairs, public relations



How to Hire a PR Firm/Agency



Make your targets clear


Create a budget


Research PR firms


You can make a list on paper of questions to inquire about


Make meetings


Set expectations


Incorporate your PR firm



1. Set your goals


When you've chosen to engage a PR company then your next concern could be, "How do I even start? "



Before you begin, think about your goals. Find answers to questions like "What do I want to accomplish by working with a PR agency?" as well as "How can a PR agency help my company?" When you first begin working with a PR agency, you'll probably create goals that are SMART. These goals are precise, tangible, achievable, pertinent, and time-bound.




Once you've identified the scope of what you want to achieve and objectives, the next step is to consider which type of PR agency can help you reach those goals (see types of PR companies above). For instance, if you're business has been the victim of a social media crisis such as Komen (described above) it may be beneficial to hire a crisis intervention firm. However it is possible to work with a non-profit foundation for charity like and the Red Cross, you might work with a nonprofit public relations firm.



2. Plan a budget


Before you start researching the PR agency you want to collaborate with, you must create an budget. You should consider how much you're prepared to put into public relations activities. You'll be able to answer questions like "Will this come out of our marketing budget?" as well as "What percent of our budget can we contribute to PR? "


3. Research PR firms


With your targets and budget at hand, begin analyzing the most appropriate PR firm to collaborate with. Learn about their history, reputation reviews, prices in addition to social media, client testimonials, etc.






4. Make a list of questions to be asked


After conducting a thorough study of the different PR agencies, develop a shortlist of whom to call. Prior to contacting an agency, take the questions you want to ask.


The things you'll want know are:



Price


Experience/expertise


Former clients


Previous success


Reviews/testimonials



5. Are there meetings?


Armed with the answers to your questions Your next step is to have meetings with different PR agencies. Look through your list queries and gather all the information you need to make a choice. When you are meeting with people We suggest that you pay attention to who you're most comfortable with. It's always easier to work with those who can adapt and can have an intelligent exchange of ideas. After your meetings, look over your proposals, from price to strategy.


6. Set expectations


After you've selected the PR company you'd like work with, ensure you've clarified your goals and objectives specific. Set up a clearly defined line of communication, and also setting the expectations. Consult with your PR firm about your SMART goals . Also, define how you'll measure achievement.


7. Incorporate your PR firm


The final step to hiring the PR company is to begin the process of onboarding with them. Choose who your main contact person is and discuss your communication goals. Consider asking questions like "How often will we touch base?" Or "How will we track the results of our work together? "


Questions to Ask a PR Firm, Agency, or Rep


1. " Do you specialize in a certain industry?"


2. " How will you get us media coverage?"


3. " How do you measure success?"


4. " How do you plan to work with our marketing team?"


5. " What do the first few months look like?"


6. " What's your pricing structure?"

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