Checklist for Choosing a PR Agency or Consultant

Industry-related

1. What general business/industry experience do they have?

2. Do they have experience in your field?
How much? - depth vs breadth

3. Do they understand your business?
How much time are you prepared to spend educating them about it?

4. How well do they know your competitors?

5. Is there any conflict of interest?
Different companies hold different views about this - what are you comfortable with?

Benchmarks

6. Overview of their track record

7. What are their greatest achievements?

8. Biggest client names they have worked for/had work approved by?

9. Recommendations from clients?
Can you talk freely to existing clients?

10. Recommendations from journalists/editors?

11. Accreditation with industry bodies IPR & PRCA have codes of conduct etc

12. Insurances - professional indemnity etc.

PR related

13. Are they strategic thinkers?
Do they plan to chase any & every opportunity?
Will they target media coverage carefully & spend your investment in PR wisely?

14. Have they really listened?

15. Is their proposed solution tailor-made or off-the-shelf?

Size Matters!

16. Agency size relative to size of your account?
Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond etc?

17. Will the person you see be handling your account/writing your work?

The Pitch & the People

18. Does their pitch hit the mark?
Rarely does a pitch get fully implemented; its like a showcase of the creativity they can bring to bear & feedback of how well they understand you

19. Do you think you will enjoy working with these people?
Maybe request sample press releases & case studies to check writing style?

20. Do their attitudes, beliefs & values match or complement you own organisation's?

Proposed Services & Budget

21. Media Monitoring
Do they recommend measurement & analysis of their own work?

22. Which media monitoring companies do they recommend & why?

23. Features research database - ask for details

24. How do costs compare?
What level of service will that include?
Make sure you compare like for like.
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