Getting the best results from your PR strategy isn’t just about hiring the right agency; it’s also about how you manage the relationship once your agency come on board.
At Osborn Communications, we often say that the most successful campaigns are those built on a foundation of partnership. While we hold the media expertise, storytelling skills and journalist connections, our clients hold the deep-seated knowledge about their business and industry.
When it comes to getting great results, neither can operate effectively without the other. So here are five ways you can help to ensure your chosen PR agency delivers the best results – and the maximum impact – for your business.
#1. Make the time for regular check-ins
It’s tempting to think that once a strategy is set, you can simply leave your agency to it. But the media landscape moves incredibly fast, and so does your business.
We recommend setting aside a dedicated time, ideally twice a month, for a brief online catch-up. These sessions aren’t just for checking in on outstanding tasks – they’re also a valuable opportunity to discuss new projects, potential news angles and emerging media opportunities.
The more your agency knows about the things happening in your business, whether it’s a new hire, the successful completion of a project, a happy customer or regulatory shifts in your sector, the more they can respond to opportunities in real-time. Some of the best news stories come from the bits of information a client thought was ‘boring’.
#2. Have a media-friendly library of images
A story without a picture is often a story that doesn’t get told. Whether it’s your local newspaper website or a niche trade publication, every editor needs high-quality visuals to illustrate a campaign.
We’ve often encountered last-minute scrambles for a photographer, which can end up delaying a press release by days or even weeks, by which time the news might already be stale.
That’s why we always recommend having a ‘bank’ of PR-friendly images on hand to illustrate different types of news story. These should include things like headshots of your management team and senior staff, external and internal pictures of your premises, pictures of your products being used, and ideally a team shot if possible.
Images should be landscape-orientated rather than portrait-orientated, and ideally 300dpi. These days, a Smartphone is perfectly capable of taking these pictures, but the composition still matters – so we generally advise clients to have these pictures taken professionally.
#3. Streamline your internal sign-off process
PR agencies understand that internal processes can be complex. The information you put out publicly can have a huge impact on how your business is perceived, so it’s important to get everything correct – and sometimes that means multiple stakeholders need to approve PR content.
But if your internal process requires six different people to sign off a quote, it’s important to have robust systems in place to ensure this is done in a timely way. Having to wait days or even weeks for one more person to approve something can delay a newsworthy press release, as well as setting your PR agency back on the work they’re delivering for you.
We advise reviewing your internal workflows to understand who really needs to see a press release before it goes out, and if you’re featuring a third party or a client in a case study, it’s also important they have a clear idea of how the content will be used. Having a timely and efficient approval process ensures your business is the one being featured, rather than your competitor.
#4. Be available and accessible when it counts
Media interviews are some of the most valuable opportunities in PR, but they’re also increasingly rare. When a journalist asks to speak with you, they’re often working to very tight deadlines, sometimes within a few hours.
So if they, or your agency, can’t reach you for comment, not only will you miss the chance to gain a credible media mention – you’ll also have let the journalist down and potentially affect your chances of getting future coverage in that title.
Accessibility is crucial, and if a journalist needs a follow-up comment or a quick clarification to meet a deadline, they need to be able to reach your agency, and your agency needs to be able to reach you. Make sure your PR team has a direct line to a designated spokesperson who understands the value of a quick response.
#5. Trust your PR agency’s expertise
One of the most common mistakes a business can make is being too prescriptive with their PR agency. You wouldn’t walk into a GP surgery and tell your doctor what’s wrong with you and which medicine to prescribe; you go to them for their professional diagnosis.
The same applies to PR. Your agency understands the news agenda and knows which stories will gain traction and which will fall flat. If they suggest a different angle for a story, or advise against a certain approach, it’s based on years of experience with what editors actually want. That’s especially true for Osborn, with two of our staff being former journalists.
Ideally, your PR agency should work with you to develop a strategy that informs all your comms activities. So while there’ll sometimes be specific things you need them to do, make sure you get their guidance on your business goals and how best to achieve them through the media.
If you’d like support with creating a PR strategy, identifying news angles or gaining more media exposure for your business, Osborn Communications can help. Drop us a line to book a chat.