Whether you’re already working with an agency partner and will start a review soon or are in the beginning stages of researching the benefits of working with a PR agency partner, here are five questions you can use to guide your process and make sure you find the right fit for your company.
- Do we have a good story? It’s not about what you do. It’s about why you do it. What difference are you making in the world, in your industry? PR is about storytelling. Packaging your ‘why’ into compelling stories for the media is how PR can create brand awareness and establish you as a thought leader. Without it, PR can’t be effective. So, what’s your story?
- Do we have a first, best, new advantage? Are you in a crowded marketplace essentially doing what all the other companies out there are doing? Then you might need to think about a strategy that is going to help you differentiate your company from your competitors. If you’re offering something completely new or it’s an entirely different business model, PR can help you introduce this to the market and take the lead.
- What’s our budget for PR? This is important. Starting a PR programme can’t be an afterthought. It’s best to research the pricing for working with an agency partner before you reach out to an agency to discuss working together. Know what your limit is and what budget you’re prepared to commit to spending. You want to avoid a situation where you find a great chemistry match, but can’t afford the monthly fees.
- How will a PR agency team work with our internal team? Know ahead of time who will be the day-to-day, point-of-contact the agency team will work with and determine what kind of access you’ll give them to different departments and team members to source information or train media spokespeople. If you have no one willing to speak with the press, this could pose a big challenge for your PR programme.
- What are we trying to accomplish with PR? What are the goals you’re hoping PR can help you achieve? For example, is it: Building brand awareness? Increasing visibility with key audiences? Establishing you as a thought leader? What are the metrics you’ll use to measure PR success? Remember PR is a long-term strategy that requires patience. It’s also a give/take relationship, it requires commitment and engagement from internal stakeholders to give a PR partner the information they’ll need to build a thriving PR programme.
Taking the time to answer these questions will help you determine if you’re ready to bring a PR agency partner onboard or re-evaluate an existing relationship so you can make sure PR is supporting your current business needs. When you’re ready to get started, we’d love the opportunity to help create a b2b tech PR strategy for your business. Please contact TechComms, a b2b tech marketing and communications agency on + 44 (0) 203 322 8928.
