3 Things to Know Before You Invest In Public Relations
- jessie545
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
For many businesses, investing in PR services is a significant step. It’s an investment of resources that signals a commitment to your business growth. That makes it more critical than ever to have the foundational pieces in place to ensure that the placements you get translate to business wins. So, before you begin reaching out to potential PR partners, here are three things to have in place to make sure you get the most out of your engagement.
Time and team
It can be easy to underestimate the time and energy required to give quality interviews, contribute op-eds, or submit written interview questions when a PR agency is booking consistent media placements for you. You must evaluate your availability in advance and the required support personnel you have in place to make sure that the booking and interview process flows smoothly. Whether it’s your compelling story or in-demand services, when the media is excited to get you in front of their audience, you don’t want to miss the moment due to bad planning.
Established messaging
Having a clear picture of what you’re going to promote, be it a book, a service, a product, or your expertise, is an excellent indicator that you’re ready for a publicity partner. While having eyes on your business is one thing, knowing what you want to say to whom ensures that your PR team can create a focused strategy with the intention of the results you want to see. Do you know the results you want, but aren’t quite sure of the best message to achieve them? A publicist can help you fine-tune that messaging to get you where you need to go.
Active socials and email
While many people in this day and age can build a business without using social media or email as a primary source of marketing, you absolutely need to have an active presence to get the most out of your PR engagement. Your appearance on the local morning show or as a guest on the podcast will only take you so far. You must do your part as a guest and share your media appearances on your active socials and with your email subscribers. This increases the appearance’s reach and elevates your authority with your own audience.
I know when you hear you need to have an active social media presence, you may become overwhelmed, thinking you need to be active on every platform. Let me ease your worries—one or two is a great start, and you can grow as you feel comfortable.
Trust the process
When you hire a new partner for your business, it’s going to take time to build rapport and find your rhythm. Many PR agencies offer a trial commitment as part of their retainer, allowing you to assess whether the relationship is right for your organization. I would encourage you to remember that if you’re unsatisfied at the end of an agency trial, it doesn’t necessarily mean that PR isn’t a good fit for you. Rather, it means that you need to find the right PR partner.
Trust the process; PR is a long game, and it’s essential to have the right partner on your team. Even if you don’t find them the first time around, that doesn’t mean they’re not out there.
The truth is that even the best PR team can book you consistently, but you will miss your moment if you don’t have the pieces in place to manage them correctly. Maybe you don’t have everything listed here ready to go, and that’s okay. Let your PR team know, and they will assist you. Together, you can ensure you get the most media wins possible and get the most out of every media win once secured.
