Choosing the Right PR Agency

When you have been in business as long as we have, it’s not surprising when we hear the same questions over and over again from prospective clients. If you are reading this blog, you can probably relate to many of the people we now have the privilege to call clients, who initially had no idea what to look for in a PR agency when they first approached us.

• What exactly makes a good PR agency?
• What should I look for in a PR agency?
• What can PR do for me and my business?
• Do I really even need PR services for my business?
• Why should I hire you?

Sound familiar? If it does, maybe this will help. First off, when searching for an agency you can build a long-standing trusted partnership with, look for one that demonstrates strong ethics and shares your values. Next, there are a few practical steps you can take to help narrow your list. Look for an agency that has experience in longevity, your industry, and in the service areas you need. Take a look at who their clients are, how long they’ve been with the agency, and be sure to check out the results they’ve delivered their clients – are they good? Finally, get to the know the people you’ll be interacting with to learn about their personality, character, skills and individual professional experience. These are all important steps to take as you do your due diligence, but there is also an easy way to help you quickly choose which agencies should make the final cut.

One way in which top performing agencies and practitioners distinguish themselves is through accreditation. Our national industry association, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), offers an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). Earning an APR is something PR practitioners do to demonstrate their personal and professional commitment to upholding the industry’s highest quality standards. With only about 5,000 APRs worldwide – most agencies do not have an APR on staff. ComGroup has two.

Coincidently, April is celebrated in the PR industry as APR Month. Our local PRSA chapter recently featured our resident APRs in its monthly newsletter, promoting the APR program. Click the following hyperlinks to learn more about what inspired ComGroup’s Executive Vice President & Director of Client Services Lisa Van Hook and Public Relations Director Carson Horn to seek their accreditations – or connect with us today to answer any burning questions you might have about how to choose not just a good agency - but the ‘right’ agency for your public relations needs.