Welcome to Part 2 of the series. If you are one of the hundreds of businesses looking to gain local media attention for your company, products or services then you are probably facing the difficult decision of finding the right PR firm. What can make this decision difficult is that there are so many different kinds of PR firms out there. Firm can be national, firms can be local. Some retainer based, some project based. So how do you know which PR firm will be the best fit for your publicity objectives ?
In the previous part of the series, we shared the following 5 tips on how to choose the right PR firm: 1. Find a PR firm that specializes in your industry. 2. Choose a PR firm that specializes in your medium of choice 3. Request sample campaigns. 4. Find a pay-for-performance PR firm. 5. Speak to the PR firm’s clients.
Now let Marsha Friedman, founder of EMSI, a national and local publicity firm , share her final 5 tips on how to choose the RIGHT PR firm to get your message the media attention that you desire
6. Be confident in their ability to deliver . Before you sign your public relations contract , make sure that you are convinced that the PR firm will execute a dynamic and successful campaign . Make sure to ask lots of questions, request copies of sample campaigns and then do a comprehensive review of all of the materials. “I would suggest that before you make your final decision you talk to owners and definitely request a proposal”, says Marsha Friedman , “ask the important questions. Do they intend to use television, radio or print? How long the campaign will last? How will they track to the goals of the campaign? How long will it take to meet these goals? How the PR firm answers these questions will ultimately determine the level of confidence you have in their ability to service your campaign .
7. Don’t limit yourself to PR firms in your area. If you’re looking for regional or national exposure don’t limit your search to PR firms that are located within your state . “Many people believe that you need to have a firm located just down the street so that you can have regular face-to-face meetings with them, “says Marsha Friedman . “But this is not how it works. In my 20 years of gaining national and local media attention for my clients, I have only had a face-to-face meetings with a small number . The reason for this is that I don’t need to. All of a PR firm’s work can be done via phone and email which is a far more efficient, and time saving, way to work.” If your goal is to attain national media attention, find a PR firm that specializes pitching to the national media. A national media PR firm’s skill level and specialization is what is important, not where they are located. Looking for local media attention? The look locally! Marsha Friedman says “As they are immersed in the market you are after, their contacts and knowledge will be far more effective than that of a national PR firm.”
8. Meet your Campaign Manager. There is one person in particular who plays a vital role in driving the success of at the PR firm: your Campaign Manager. Before you make the decision on which PR firm you use, meet your Campaign Manager. Find out what their experience level is and how long they have been with the PR firm. “A great nugget of information is that many Campaign Managers are rookies fresh from college,” says Marsha Friedman . “Even more frightening is that many national and local PR firms hire interns to handle the client accounts that are not from one of their ‘big guns.’ ” If you don’t investigate the qualifications of your Campaign Manager, then how can you be confident that your campaign will be handled with professional care ?
9. Find a PR firm that believes in you . The best type of PR firm is one that not only understands your message but also has bags of excitement for your topic. Marsha Friedman says, “If you find a PR firm like this, their enthusiasm for your message will show in the work that they do. Their work on your campaign will be more creative and their communications to the media will be attention grabbing and clear.” In order for a PR firm to successfully work for you, they need to understand your passion and be able to translate it into something that will be of interest to the masses. If they miss your point completely, it can really be costly. “
10. Trust your instincts . Marsha Friedman says, “My final tip to choosing the right PR firm has everything to do with that almighty ‘gut feeling’. When you are in the process of deciding if a PR firm is a right fit for your needs it is inevitable that you will have strong views about their work and approach. Even if everything seems perfect, if your instincts tell you otherwise – listen to them! ” instincts tend to be accurate, so if the chemistry is off in any way, be weary of signing the contract . There is nothing worse then finding out your instincts were right when it is too late!
Well there you go! The final five tips on how to choose the right PR firm for you! If you would like to learn more about gaining national media exposure for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Marsha Friedman is here to help . Feel free to contact her directly at mfriedman@emsincorporated.com or visit her firm online at http://www.emsincorporated.com. As a PR expert Friedman has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without costly monthly retainers .
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.
- Marsha Friedman
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