As businesses and organizations realize the power of strategic public relations, they are increasingly seeking the help of a PR agency or contractor. We thought it would be good to share our perspective on what to look for when selecting a PR partner.

Below, we have compiled a list of things to keep in mind when going through the process of selecting a firm. Consider the following:

1)     Determine your objectives and clearly outline them to prospective PR partners. It’s important to be well-grounded and clear about your business and communication objectives, goals, target audience, timeline, budget and how you will measure success. With the proper information, prospective agencies will be able to come up with meaningful proposals that align with your expectations for your consideration.

2)     Request a scope of work that is realistic and within your budget. To ensure that a project yields the desired results, it’s important to disclose your PR budget whenever possible. This will allow your potential PR partner to develop a plan that maps to your organization’s communication goals and resources.

3)     People and chemistry matter. Get to know the agency and team that will be working with you. Take the time to meet or talk with the people who will work on your account. This will enable you to get a better feel for the team members’ personalities, their work ethic and if they will be a good match. Robert Dilenschneider, author of “The AMA Handbook of Public Relations,” explains, “After all, you are likely to be working with this team for a long time, and it will be more fun, not to mention effective, if you like and respect one another.”

4)     Check references. Don’t be afraid to ask for agency references and actually call them. Heather Logrippo, of Expose Yourself Public Relations in Boston shares her experience, “PR agencies are sometimes referred to as ‘slick salespeople’ — the results don’t match the promises made when firms are trying to win the business. You can tell the true value of a company and the results they drive by speaking with their current clients.”

5)      Share the outcome. Let the PR firm know in a timely manner whether you are hiring them or not. Agencies typically put a lot of unbillable time and effort into developing a PR proposal and presentation specific to a prospect’s unique goals, market opportunity and competitive landscape. Be respectful and take the time to inform the agencies competing for your business of your final decision. Even if you are not hiring a particular firm, the people who put time and energy into a response deserve the courtesy of knowing the outcome — and maybe even the rationale for it.

Please check out our book “Strategic Public Relations: 10 Principles to Harness the Power of PR” for more  information about how to select your PR team. Jennifer Gehrt and Colleen Moffitt have devoted an entire chapter to the topic.

Clearly it takes time to interview agencies and solicit proposals, but selecting the right partner is likely to be critical to your company’s ongoing success.