Choosing the Right PR Partner

Finding the right PR partner for your company involves some sensible homework. Before rushing in you need to think about exactly what you want to achieve through PR. The potential PR partners that you approach will provide better, more accurate responses if you have a well constructed brief. Here are Chameleon's ten recommended steps to building the right PR partnership.

1. Decide what your objectives are and what you will get out of working alongside a consultancy.
2. Find out who your competitors use. No company will work on two competing accounts unless agreed with the clients and security of information is guaranteed.
3. Draw up a short list of potential PR partners by checking out their websites.
4. Ask colleagues, which companies they have had dealings with. All companies rely on how good their reputation is.
5. Take a look at the consultancy's client list. Would your products fit in the consultancy area of expertise?
6. Meet with potential PR partners to find out what they know about your company and whether they have first-hand knowledge of the market you are in.
7. Get the companies to draw up proposals against a specific brief including PR campaigns as well as dealing with crisis PR strategies.
8. Ask them how they would work with your existing marketing team.
9. Don't be fooled by sleek presentations. Only allow the people who will work on your account make the presentation, or at least you meet them prior to signing a contract. Unless a company can realistically meet the targets, then they are not worth the paper they are written on.
10. Make sure your objectives match the same ones as the consultancy you have chosen.

Back to 10 Step Guides >