How to Choose a Reliable Public Relations Company for business in 2021
Public relations companies provide a separate segment of services in marketing and information markets. The main task here is to form or strengthen the image of their clients. To achieve it, such companies use different technologies, methods, and tools. Not only firms but also individuals can become clients of public relations agencies.
Today, there are many different public relations firms on the market. Some of them may specialize in a particular industry, e.g. there are entertainment public relations companies or online public relations companies. If a company positions itself multidisciplinary, then it usually has/invites highly qualified specialists of the relevant industry to satisfy its clients.
What Do Public Relations Companies Do?
The largest public relations companies do not only deal with media relations. There's a number of other activities involved:
- Developing company's overall communications strategy;
- Assessing and analyzing the current situation;
- Building relationships both with the TA and the company's employees.
In addition to creating a strategy and its implementation, such companies provide recommendations, organize events, presentations, interact with the media/publishers, and even provide GR (Government Relations) services. In short, such agencies strive to improve everything related to public relations for companies.
Media public relations agency mainly deals with external and internal PR. External PR means building relationships outside of the organization (public, media). Internal PR, on the other hand, is about building strong relationships between the structures of the company, the team in charge, and investors.
Methods and Tools of Public Relations Firms
Companies with good public relations will definitely dominate the market. To make this happen, agencies use a wide range of tools and methods that meet the needs/preferences of customers. Such tools include TV channels, newspapers, online magazines, Internet portals, news sites, YouTube channels, blogs, forums, and radio channels.
As for the methods used by media public relations agencies, let's consider them in more detail.
Press Release
The main goal of a press release is to organize free advertising to make journalists interested in your business story, and, consequently, publish it.
SEO
This method is used by public relations companies to attract the target audience to your website and make customers find your services/products first in search engines.
PCP
PCP is also used to attract the attention of the TA and increase brand awareness by posting ads or news on third-party websites and blogs.
Video Marketing
An image can tell a lot, but a video will tell even more! All you need to do is create an attractive, high-quality video that will go viral.
Online Communities
Internet communities are also used by top companies in public relations as a tool to promote products and services. These include groups in social networks, dedicated forums, and related to your niche.
Promotional Products
Placing a logo on your product that your clients buy allows for unintentional advertising. After that, when walking down the street with the product, taking pictures with it, and posting photos on social media, your client will be unknowingly promoting your product.
Sponsoring events
Businesses can sponsor a variety of events (sports or charity), and the best public relations firms can arrange this.
Contests
Contests are another way to promote a brand that PR agencies use. They help with organizing, conceiving, and implementing contests.
What benefits does business receive from cooperation with a public relations agency?
By cooperating with a digital public relations agency, businesses can solve a number of tasks, which will result in attracting the TA's attention, increase credibility and sales. All this is accompanied by the following agency features:
- Experience and skills in resolving non-standard situations;
- Objectivity in analyzing problematic situations;
- Experience at both the regional and international level;
- The flexibility of public relations consulting firms;
- Competence and strong relations with the media;
- High business reputation level of both public relations agencies and their experts.
Is it worth hiring public relations agencies?
First of all, note that you as a business owner should not engage in things beyond your expertise. Unless you want to waste your energy and time, of course. Top public relations firms have a set of unique algorithms that help determine the vector of promotion. Moreover, they allow to:
- Scale resources;
- Outsource any task.
Contacting a public relations agency is especially relevant if you plan to expand. In this case, it's always more profitable to outsource the job to companies with strong public relations. This is how you will add specialists to your team who can effectively solve tasks and achieve goals.
How to choose a top public relations agency?
Facts and figures are what you should be guided by when choosing a digital public relations agency. Considering the fact that there are a lot of such organizations on the market, use our recommendations below and make your own list of public relations companies:
- Ask the contractor to prepare an effective PR plan for you to meet your goals and objectives;
- Research and analyze the agency's work by requesting its portfolio;
- Check the agency's background. Pay special attention to the niche markets it has worked in and for how long;
- Study customer reviews and feedback.
With that said, to find your public relations agency, you want to study the market and do research. This is how you will outline the best public relations companies that best fit your business goals.
What are the types of public relations companies?
You can choose from different types of agencies in the market:
- Classic agencies. Such agencies' work is based only in the PR field;
- Full-cycle agencies. Such agencies provide a wider range of services, not only in the PR field. For example, they can help you with advertising and marketing tasks;
- Specialized agencies. Such organizations provide their services in specific areas. For example, you can find top entertainment public relations firms;
- Multi-skilled agencies can provide reliable support and build the company’s image. Such an organization can be efficient in all business areas.
Which Questions Should You Ask a Public Relations Firms?
Before hiring a particular PR firm, ask it the following questions:
- How do they measure success?
- Pricing policy?
- What kind of experts will work on your project?
- Does the team have experience in your industry?
- What is the format for working with a business team?
- Can you contact previous company clients and ask about their experience?
The pricing for public relations firms depends on your goals and objectives, as well as what related services you need (copywriting, design, publishing costs, etc.). Ask if they charge a single fixed fee or hourly pay for their services. The average cost of the latter will cost from $3,000/month.
FAQ
What is the importance of public relations?
The main task of public relations firms is to form or strengthen the image of their client, build strong relations between the company and consumer. The latter, by the way, is a crucial component of any marketing strategy. This is how businesses become more profitable.
What does a public relations team do?
Largest public relations companies do not only deal with the press. The process also involves a number of other activities including the following activities:
- Developing the firm's overall communications strategy;
- Assessing and analyzing the current situation;
- Building relationships both with the audience and the company's employees.
What is the difference between corporate communications and public relations?
Media public relations agencies usually engage in external and internal PR. External PR is the building of relations outside of the organization (public, media). Internal PR is about the relationship between the structures of the company, the executive team, and investors.
