FAQ

Q

How will a public relations agency help my business?

A

Public relations agencies help clients with a lot of different tasks and projects. Traditionally, when people think about PR firms, they think about an agency that works directly with members of the media to place stories and publicize a brand, product or person.

This is definitely a function of a PR agency, but PR is much more than simply media relations, particularly now. PR agencies often consult with clients on social media activities, events, award submissions, speaking engagements, content creation (including blog writing, infographics, white papers or industry trend reports) and much more.

Q

How much does it cost to hire a PR agency?

A

Typically, a PR campaign can cost anywhere from $3,000 per month to upwards of $25,000 per month. Some agencies might charge by the hour which could be anywhere from $150 to $350 per hour or more depending on who you are working with and their experience.

Q

What type of experience or expertise do your team members have?

A

We have a diverse group of team members with different skill sets, experience levels and areas of expertise, ranging from several years in the industry to more than 30 servicing clients and working on PR campaigns.

All of our team members are trained in how to effectively run a PR campaign using our nine-point PR ROI Framework.

Q

What types of campaigns or strategies can you provide?

A

We customize campaigns to meet the needs of our clients. Our strategy is centered around the goals of our clients and is tailored to the clients’ specific targets and budget.

We can collaborate with clients in the following three ways:

• Through full-service public relations campaigns (which includes media relations, ghostwriting and editing, LinkedIn marketing, infographic creation and more)
• Via PR consulting (scaleable campaigns that boost awareness for clients)
• As PR trainers for in-house teams and brands looking to enhance their organizations’ marketability at a more affordable rate

Q

How quickly can I expect results from hiring a PR agency?

A

“PR is a marathon, not a sprint,” says our co-founder Bob. The truth is that PR is a long game of building relationships, jumping on opportunities that position you and your brand as experts and building credibility in your industry. Successful PR campaigns can take some time. We encourage brands to engage for at least 6 – 12 months to start seeing the fruits of their labor.

Q

Can you tailor campaigns to specific audiences or demographics?

A

We can tailor every PR campaign to the specific audiences our client is aiming to reach, including by target industries, regions, demographics, age groups and more.

Typically, our B2B clients look to focus their efforts around a few industry vertical groups, which are more focused on peoples’ careers and company types.

It is worth noting that a public relations campaign is focused on broader brand awareness and is not, by definition, going to be as laser-targeted as, say, a Google or LinkedIn ad campaign. However, the beauty of a PR campaign is that it creates third-party validation that extends far beyond the life of any advertising campaign and is something that can (and should) be repurposed and nurtured for months, even years.

Q

What are the benefits of working with a PR agency compared to doing it in-house?

A

A full-service PR agency can handle all of your needs from strategy to output, ghostwriting to editing written content and everything in between. An agency can be costly, but when they’re effective agencies offer economies of scale you simply can’t find across a patchwork of freelancers. Agencies have the experts with years of experience working with media, influencers and various content channels and navigating the course of the media landscape.

But here’s the dirty little secret: Anyone can do PR. As long as you have processes that work, persistence, and strategy, you can put together a solid PR campaign and run for the hills. You’ll need excellent writers, media experience (understanding editorial guidelines and so on), great brainstorming sessions and tough skin. In-house campaigns are much more cost effective than hiring an agency or a freelancer. If you’ve got the bandwidth and time, why not?

Q

Are there any guarantees for success with hiring a public relations agency?

A

Nothing in PR is guaranteed. It has been said you pay for ads and pray for PR. You don’t necessarily need to pray—but you do need to hire a strong PR firm who can help you craft powerful stories to reach the right media contacts, influencers, and audience types : )