When you first start your business, you are so busy getting together everything from inventory to permits, that the last thing you think of is branding and marketing for your company.
While that might not be your top concern in the beginning, before long, you will be wanting to get your brand out there in front of your target audience and out of the garage or kitchen the idea was born in. That is where having a reputable PR agency comes in handy. Below, you will find a list of things you should know to get you before you hire a PR firm to handle your branding and marketing needs.
1. Chemistry is Extremely Important
A good of thumb to follow when it comes to hiring a PR firm is that the agency should feel like an extension of your company. Don’t forget that you will be trusting this firm with sensitive information pertaining to your business, so it’s extremely important that the chemistry is there between the two. You want to be assured that the agency has the same beliefs and core values you envision for your business, if not, then the arrangement is doomed from the beginning.
2. Are You Ready?
One of the key things to consider before beginning your search for a reputable PR firm is whether you are indeed ready for PR. The cold hard truth is, just because you’re ready for the world to know about your brand, doesn’t many your business is ready for the world to know about your brand. Things like whether you are repositioning or rebranding and what brand you are trying to create are important things to consider before you are PR ready.
3. Your Budget Depends on You
Just because the bakery down the street is spending hundreds of dollars on PR a month, doesn’t mean that’s the right amount for your marketing needs. Unfortunately, there is no magic involved in figure out the budget for your PR. You can talk to the agency you are considering, and they should be able to help you determine what you need to get you started, and still stay within your budget constraints.
4. Location is not Important
At one time, everything you did was about the location, but in today’s modern world, where everything can be done with the swipe of a screen on the internet, location isn’t near as important as it once was. This also means that the PR firm you hire doesn’t have to be local either. If you are starting say a babysitting business, then maybe you need a local PR agency, but otherwise, most agencies are virtual now, so you don’t have to worry.
5. The Measurement of Success
This is one of the most important things for you to consider when looking to hire a reputable PR agency. Ask the agency this important question: How do you measure success? If the answer isn’t analytics, then cross that company off your list and move onto the next.
6. Payment Options
In most cases, you will be charged an hourly fee for the overall services, the PR firm is providing to you. What you want to know from the beginning is how those hours are going to be used. You want to know how those hours are going to be tracked and how they will be used, so there are no surprises when the bill comes at the end of the month.
These are just a few of the top tips out there to help you find the right PR firm to suit your needs and to get the word out there about your business. Following these tips will help you reach your target audience in no time at all.
