How to Develop the Perfect Partnership
Posted On - 24/01/2022
If you’re looking for a PR agency, you’re looking for the perfect fit for you and your business but it works both ways. For a truly successful PR campaign, the relationship between client and agency has to be right. In fact, it’s a bit like finding the perfect partner.
A few weeks ago we sat down and considered the qualities that make a great client. Here’s what we found.
1. They’re into you
Ideal clients understand that developing an effective PR campaign involves trusting their agency and trusting the process. We don’t want our clients to see us as an afterthought. PR shouldn’t be something you fit in when you have time. It’s something you are willing to work with us on, respond to ideas we send you, give timely feedback on our work and devote time to building our relationship.
2. They introduce you to their friends and family
Ok not their friends and family per se, but they see us as members of their team and give us a 360-view of the business. Clients who make the most out of their PR agency know that allowing their agency to work in collaboration with different departments will enable them to look at challenges from different angles which will open up new opportunities for press coverage and spark more creative ideas.
3: They appreciate you
It’s so important to realise that PR and marketing are skills, not just something you put your most junior member of staff onto in the hope that a few social media posts will get some traction.
Having a reliable marketing person who understands the aims and objectives of the business, knows what it is they want to communicate and has a solid understanding of the discipline and getting them to work closely with your PR agency is the best way to move forward.
4: They have realistic expectations
Have you ever engaged the services of a PR agency and expected spectacular results within a month and been disappointed? We’ve got bad news for you… It’s not them, it’s you!
You need to be realistic. Firstly, discuss your expectations with your agency before agreeing the goals which will define your strategy moving forward. One of the reasons why we don’t work with anyone for less than six months is because great results in PR take time. We can pitch a story which generates interest and engages with the media but it’s only the journalist or the editor of a title that can decide when they’re going to run a story and that can depend on several different factors. We can influence your messaging, create great content and get it to the right media, but we can’t influence when they run it. The only way to guarantee coverage is to pay for advertising and that’s a whole other conversation!
5: Investment in the relationship
When do you start talking about money in a relationship? If the relationship we’re referring to is with your PR agency, then financial compatibility is a biggie. As well as dedicating time to engaging with your PR agency, you need to be prepared to dedicate resources to ensure that you have the tools needed to implement a successful, effective campaign. PR and marketing are so important and can be extremely effective but if you don’t have the budget to invest in a big PR campaign, or social media strategy or advertising campaign, think about where your money will be best spent and invest properly in that.
