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Benefits of Engaging the Services of an Outside PR Agency

Business

Benefits of Engaging the Services of an Outside PR Agency

Most if not almost all organizations will require some form of public relations. So, the question remains: Should you hire a PR agency or rely on your own staff?

PR agencies do not make the appropriate choice for every business. Startups and entrepreneurs normally are better off whereby they develop media relations and craft company messages on their own during the earlier stages of conducting business. Nevertheless, companies that are able to afford the retaining of a PR agency may very well enjoy substantial benefits.

It is essential that a business selects an agency that comes with services which can meet the business’s goals and requirements. Not every agency makes for a good match to every business. Selecting the optimal agency entails that their specialties are examined, their previous and current clients are assessed, and the capabilities of their key staff ascertained. An organization must have the capacity to trust their agency with confidential business plans and information.

Here, we assess various reasons why companies should engage the services of a PR agency as opposed to utilizing the skills of their internal PR staff.

Objectivity

A PR agency can quickly become an extension to the company, while offering an independent perspective. Offering a neutral perspective serves as a value that may extend well beyond media relations. A PR agency can potentially offer objective analysis together with the provision of additional oversights that the business may never be able to ascertain.

Expertise

Expertise is a requirement in terms of the provision of successful PR, but finding someone who comes with that expertise in PR and also in your individual industry can prove to be very difficult. An agency that has a background within your vertical will help save both time and expense in terms of training a generalist in PR. The agency will be in possession of knowledge pertaining to industry-wide matter that affect your brand, as opposed to knowledge surrounding your products and services alone.

Contacts

When a reputable firm contacts the media on behalf of your company, it can bring with it instant credibility. Internal hires will likely need some time to develop such media relationships. Agencies, on the other hand, typically are well connected with many other industry professionals, inclusive of conference directors, their current and their former clients, and potentially many more. An agency will be able to facilitate introductions made between your own personnel and valuable contacts, which could possibly lead to new business partners and more customers.

Added opportunity

A partnership with an agency can lead to fruitful opportunities. Industry publication editors may get in touch with the agency with the desire off filling some editorial space and finding experts to interview. Event directors frequently contact agencies aiming to fill panel sessions and conference speaker slots. Typically, agencies have worked with many businesses over the years and they understand the tactics that tend to work well.

Disadvantages

There are some drawbacks of working with a PR agency.

A major consideration is cost. Internal staff might be able to successfully undertake PR for a lot less financial investment. Additionally, a PR agency may only have a superficial comprehension of the unique problems pertaining to a client. They may not be fully committed to that single client. Or, they might require a lengthy period for preparation.

High-level company executives still must dedicate time to directing an exterior agency. Over the longer term, it will be the business, not the PR agency, that has to establish relationships with the media. And for small or medium sized organizations to successfully accomplish this, it’s the responsibility of the CEO to establish these relationships personally.

For startups and smaller firms, hiring a freelance specialist in PR could prove to be an economical pursuit. Though agencies will likely have professionals that come with a diversity of skills, the solo PR specialist can also afford a deep level of experience and many contacts within an industry. They can prove to be a good choice in terms of achieving fast turn-around, one-off tasks. Boutique PR firms and freelancers may be a particularly cost-effective solution for numerous PR requirements.

Bottom Line

A PR agency can provide several key advantages, inclusive of contacts, expertise, and also an objective perspective. However, they are not necessarily appropriate for every business, particularly startups.

When making a decision as to hiring an external agency or handling PR internally, executives should weigh the pros against the cons, while considering their business objectives and their PR strategy.

For an expert PR agency, get in touch with Fineman PR in the San Francisco area.

I am the founder of Startup Today. I am the main writer and have put in many hours of work into creating this blog. If you want to find out more about me then lets get in contact.

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