Hurrah! You’ve made the leap and hired a PR agency – a solid step towards raising your public profile, increasing brand awareness and boosting sales. Now what?

Well, the journey has only just begun.

Success in marketing and PR relies on positive, productive relationships, the cornerstone of public relations. And the relationship you have with your PR expert is crucial.

Here, we show you how to get the most out of your PR agency.

Keep them up to speed.

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Can we repeat that enough?

As obvious as this may seem, communication is taken for granted. This means that when things get hectic, communication falls down the list of priorities. And it is then swiftly lost.

Many companies bring a PR agency on board enthusiastically and provide a tidal wave of information at the start. Then, they proceed to slack when it comes to ongoing communication.

Avoiding this is simple. View your PR agency as part of your team. Hold regular meetings and keep them in the loop about company news (new products, successes, failures).

If your PR strategy is to succeed, then your PR agency needs to know you inside and out.

Allow access.

PR professionals have a talent for making a name for their clients. But they can’t do this if they work in a silo.

Without access to the movers and shakers in your company, your PR agency only sees part of the picture. This leads to missed opportunities to get your name in stories that resonate among the public.

From Day 1, give your PR agency access to your company news, products, forecasts, thought leaders, marketers…anything and anyone that will help them do their job of boosting your public profile.

Give them enough time.

Time is a luxury. But in PR, it is also a necessity.

Every PR pro has tales of spinning stories on the fly. Last-minute action, though, is hardly an ideal scenario.

It takes time to get content written, to craft and share a perfect message and, of course, to liaise with journalists, bloggers, influencers and the like. So, give your PR agency the heads up.

Listen and provide feedback.

You’ve hired a PR expert because they know the lay of the land. Establishing PR goals, actioning a PR strategy, networking with key industry names and communicating with the public are their bread and butter.

Listen and trust their advice.

And remember that you’re nurturing an open, productive relationship, so provide feedback. What’s working for you and what isn’t? Constructive feedback will help ensure that the money and time you spend on PR are worthwhile.

The key takeaway

Your PR agency occupies an exceptional position: they’re both an insider and an outsider. So, don’t miss out on their unique perspective. It could bring insight, clarity and a way forward when you need it most – and, importantly, when you don’t even realise you need it.

As a StoryBrand-certified PR agency, we set and action PR goals for our clients daily. Get in touch to craft your PR vision today and turn it into reality tomorrow!