| PR plays a key function in a successful | | | | quantify their value. |
| business. And for PR to be productive you | | | | |
| will need to trust more than friendship or | | | | 6. |
| basic instincts in choosing an "ideal" PR | | | | |
| company. Since public relations are about | | | | Study the proposals presented by them on your |
| communication and steering the company | | | | project and use your in depth knowledge of |
| towards realistic targets, you must consider | | | | your business and the market to determine to |
| a number or crucial and tangible issues. | | | | what extent this will work. |
| | | | |
| Be clear that PR cannot be handled just by | | | | 7. |
| the firm it is a partnership between you and | | | | |
| the PR experts. It is your inputs that will | | | | A dedicated PR firm will not hesitate to |
| provide the PR firm with direction. You must | | | | disagree with you on any aspects of your plan |
| on your side provide complete and updated | | | | they are not in agreement with. They know the |
| information, be available to advice on or | | | | ins and outs of their business and know what |
| check material put together by the firm and | | | | works and what does not. |
| spend time with the PR team on ideation. Only | | | | |
| when the grounding is laid clearly will PR be | | | | 8. |
| successful. | | | | |
| | | | The firm must not just have a series of |
| 1. | | | | meetings there should be constant interaction |
| | | | as well as reviews of work undertaken and |
| The company must have worked for a business | | | | subsequent results. |
| such as yours before or have at their | | | | |
| fingertips the strategies they will employ to | | | | 9. |
| meet your PR objectives. | | | | |
| | | | The contract must be clear and transparent |
| 2. | | | | with no hidden clauses. The PR firm must have |
| | | | a system where it clearly understands and |
| The PR firm must have updated its systems to | | | | then delineates in a contract its |
| include all the latest in media and | | | | responsibilities. |
| communications. | | | | |
| | | | 10. |
| 3. | | | | |
| | | | Be sure to check their testimonials and |
| The company must understand your business | | | | credentials. Go through their case studies to |
| thoroughly and know in no uncertain terms how | | | | determine their efficacy and do some research |
| much strategic versus tactical support they | | | | to find out their standing in the market. |
| can provide. | | | | |
| | | | The most apt definition of a PR relationship |
| 4. | | | | is that of the Counselors Academy of the |
| | | | Public Relations Society of America. It says, |
| Determine whether the staff deployed for your | | | | " a successful relationship between client |
| project has both experience as well as | | | | and public relations firm or counselor has as |
| expertise. Find out about their successes and | | | | a fundamental: a match of capabilities and |
| failures. | | | | needs, a 100% agreement on objectives, |
| | | | constant and instant accessibility, full |
| 5. | | | | information sharing, interaction at all |
| | | | levels, regular updates as well as progress |
| Ascertain whether they can comfortably reach | | | | review, and a clear contractual agreement. |
| out to your target market and if they cab | | | | |