How to Choose the Right PR Agency for Your Business

In today’s hyperconnected world, getting your business to stand out can feel like shouting into the void – that’s where a PR strategy comes in. But let’s face it, managing your own PR can be a full-time job (on top of your actual full-time job) and making time to prioritise it isn’t always at the top of the agenda. 

Whether you’re trying to get the media talking, raise brand awareness, launch new products or handle a sticky situation with finesse, outsourcing your PR to the pros can be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed. 

Whilst many businesses have their own marketing teams, PR is a specialist skill that requires time and know-how to ensure that it’s done right. That’s why choosing to work with a PR agency can be the best idea for many businesses.

From start-ups to more established brands, most businesses can benefit from getting the ball rolling and starting to think about what they could achieve by working with a team of PR professionals.

Understand Your PR Needs

How to choose a PR agency can sometimes feel overwhelming. The first step to outsourcing PR? Figuring out what it is you actually need. Are you looking to boost your SEO with juicy backlinks from top-tier publications, or is your goal to secure expert profiles and put your team in the spotlight? Whatever the objective, having a solid strategy is non-negotiable – and that’s where a PR agency comes in. With a team of media-savvy experts, your PR agency will be able to position your brand in front of the media and take the pressure off you. 

For high-profile businesses, choosing an agency that has expertise in handling crisis comms is critical. When things go sideways, having a team on standby to draft media statements and handle press enquiries takes a huge load off your shoulders.

A PR agency will be well-equipped to quickly and diligently prepare any relevant press releases and statements, using their expert insight and understanding of your business to ensure that the correct messaging is conveyed to the media. 

If driving lots of relevant traffic to your website is the goal, you’ll want an agency that knows how to run creative campaigns that generate a buzz in the national media or specific trade or vertical trade (and secures relevant, high authority backlinks). Campaigns are a great way to use your internal data to craft irresistible headlines that will get you noticed by the right journalists. 

Working in a niche sector? Then you should think about choosing PR team who already know the journalists, publications, and platforms that matter in your field as they’ll know exactly where to place your stories for maximum impact.

And, if you’re in ecommerce, product placement is key. Whether it’s in round-ups, reviews, or even as a prop on a TV show, the right agency will get your products in front of the people who matter.

Research PR Agencies

So, how to find a PR agency. When it comes to finding the right PR agency, research is everything. With so many options out there it can be a little overwhelming but knowing what to look for can make the process a whole lot easier.

A good place to start is checking out the agency’s portfolio on their website and social media channels. Look at the brands they work with to see if they align with your business and dive into their case studies and client testimonials to get a real sense of their success. Of course they’ll only show the ‘best bits’ here, but this is your chance to see the type of coverage they’ve achieved and how they’ve helped their clients shine.

It’s also worth noting that PR agencies come in different shapes and sizes. Some specialise in media relations and brand building, while others focus on digital PR, crisis management, or are  more focussed on niche sectors. 

Whatever their focus is, make sure that the agency’s expertise matches your specific needs as you want it to feel like a natural fit. It’s important that the PR agency you work with is not just aligned professionally but that it’s a good culture fit too. 

A PR agency should feel like a natural extension of your team, so ensuring that they are people that you can see yourself getting along with is important too. 

Another important thing to think about is reputation and credibility. Check their website for any industry awards, recognitions, and whether their staff have recently spoken at major events within your sector – these are solid indicators that they’re truly experts who know what they’re doing. A strong PR agency should be great at doing their own PR too!

If you’re really serious, start your search with agencies that make into the PR Week Agency Business Report – it lists the best 150 in the UK.

Key Considerations When Choosing

Once you’ve found a PR agency that looks promising, the next step is to make sure they’re the right fit in terms of working style and communication and understanding what to ask a PR agency when you are in the early stages of choosing who to work with. 

Think about how closely you want to collaborate… Do you need an agency that feels like an extension of your in-house team, with weekly catch-ups and regular face-to-face meetings? Or, are you more comfortable with remote communication? Location can be a big factor here, especially if in-person meetings are important to you, so make sure that’s feasible. 

Also, consider how the agency’s expertise stacks up against others in the industry. Do they have a proven track record in your specific sector? Have they achieved measurable results for clients with similar goals to yours? Clear communication about expectations is key and something that you shouldn’t shy away from asking about as it will benefit both sides in the long run. Ask the experts how they track success, report progress, and measure impact.

Ultimately, you want an agency that not only understands your business but delivers real, quantifiable outcomes that in someway contribute to achieving your business goals.

Get in Touch with Tank

If you’re considering a PR agency and want to explore how the right partnership could elevate your business, why not reach out to our team of experts at Tank?

We’d love to chat and see how we can help bring your brand’s stories to life. Incidentally, we are in that PR Week 150 list that we mentioned!