Choosing the right public relations (PR) Firm - 5 Useful Tips

If there is one area that has become too saturated in these days is the field of Public Relations. It seems that the public relations firms are cropping up faster than weeds, and the selection process through the mud to choose a company's public relations as a process can be daunting and overwhelming, to say the least.

This article offers 5 tips that will hopefully make the trip to choose a PR firm or publicist a bit 'more simple and streamlined, so you can get the most bang for the dollar public relations, and in fact a return on your investment.

Five tips for choosing the right PR firm For You

1. Size - Are you looking for a big company PR company, a mid-sized firm or a small studio or boutique?

The question that arises is not a black and white. The answer to this question must be determined by several factors. Your budget, as the focus of the company and staff are asked to hand, you wish that your public relations outreach to be, and your desire for a working group on your behalf or for one or two ambitious publicists who working on your account. Large companies public relations agencies generally pay between $ 10,000 and $ 20,000 per month for their basic services, check valves, so budget is a huge factor here. For a company like Microsoft or Johnson and Johnson this is a drop in the ocean. But for a small or medium sized company that kind of tax is far out of reach. The advantages of a great national and sometimes international is the broad reach your mark can be achieved, a great team working on your account, a large pool of other customers who are with this undertaking, and those of your company can possibly network with and benefit. These large companies generally have a ton of experience on their side. Many of these large public relations firms are 20, 30 or 50 years old. The downside of these great companies apart from the monthly fee is the amount of heavy bureaucracy and red tape involved in day to day functions of society, and unfortunately this can often lead to smaller customers who fall through the cracks. Another less to work with large public relations companies is the lack of a personal touch and attention, which is fine for established companies, but not as good for start ups, small and medium sized businesses that require more nutrition, the development brand more and more free services such as writing marketing assistance and basic.

Smaller companies tend to offer public relations firm that can vary from monthly $ 7000.00 all the way up to about $ 2,500.00 depending on the amount of overhead company, their level of experience and expertise, their special relationship niche audience, their contacts and how long they plan to devote to your account. Most PR firms out there tend to fall into the category of medium-sized, and small boutiques are also very effective in doing their work.

2. Ignore the Hype and Portfolio Watch a public relations firm working!

I can not stress enough. In looking through some websites of colleagues recently I was shocked to see that some of these sites have flashy graphics, catchy promotional copy on their services, and glossy images, but NOT examples of their media placements, case studies of marketing, writing samples ... nada! Where is their job? Do not fall for public relations firms that are all flash and no substance. Still, I always look to see if their website is full of examples of past projects, past examples of media placements and other examples of work created by society. Look at the work that appears on their website and when you talk to a representative of the public relations firms asking them to develop their body of work. Some major issues:

What are you most proud media placements? How was it that got your media placement company? What is your greatest strength business? Can you tell me some of your media contacts? Can you give me some case studies of marketing? Some case studies of public relations? What sets your company apart?

3. Make a game: To evaluate the values, vision and creativitiy

The sentence above is pretty self-explanatory, but I will say. This publicist or PR group will be your Brand Ambassador. You want someone whose values ​​reflect your values. You also want to be sure that your publicist understands, appreciates and shares his vision for your company or organization. If a public relations firm wants to pitch your own brand of beauty as an elite, untouchable, a prestigious name and want your beauty product to talk to every woman-as shown in its beauty can be accessible to all women, then publicist can have a vision that is not in line with your things and probably going to be very tense perplexed. A good trick is, when talking to a potential publicist to ask him or her as they see your product, they think that the public / demo is and how they envision the placement of the product to the media and consumers potentiial. Do not expect them to go into too much detail before you really learn the product line, but should give you a basic tone which is in line with your vision. Otherwise, go ahead.

4. You are in it for the website traffic, internships magazines, television appearances? What do you want? Be specific!

Do not be shy about what you want. Why are you looking for public relations in the first place? Really sit and think. And do not be shy about your needs. Your main objective to build a strong line as a result of driving targeted quality traffic to your website and convert visitors into sales? Your main goal, that someone can write excellent copy for your business such as press releases, articles, step by sending a copy to the media, etc.? Your main goal to become something of a personality and an expert in your field and build a resume as someone who makes appearances on television news programs on the advice to promote themselves as a brand and an expert? Understand what your goals and choose a public relations firm that is strong in your area of ​​interest.

5. Location, location, location

In the era of e-mail, fax, long distance telephone plans and air travel inexpenseive the position of public relations firm did not matter to you ... Or could. Want a lot of face time with your publicist or do not care if the publicist is Timbuck but as long as I can get the job done, and get the cover printing company? Level of comfort with all the position is different and there is no right or wrong. If you are looking for entertainment public relations you can set your sights on a public relations firm that is in Los Angeles or New York. If you are an Internet company coming and you can find value in a San Francisco-based PR. Fashion, New York might be the way to go for you, unless the clothing line is a range of swimsuits, in which case a Miami PR firm might be the right fit. Trying to attract the Latin market, once again, Miami could be the key for you.

Or, you can simply look for a public relations firm with a rolodex of contacts in a particular city or industry, regardless of their location in bricks and mortar ....