As a founder, you might find yourself at the point where you feel an extra boost from marketing and PR is in order to continue growing your company. But where do you begin, what should you expect, and are there ways to work with agencies more efficiently to reach your marketing and PR goals? Luckily, after years of working with numerous clients across the industry, we can help guide you on the best practices to implement when searching for your dream agency. 

Firstly, think of the different elements you are struggling with. Are you only looking for someone to help with public relations? Perhaps you are at the stage of your business where you would like to update your brand’s messaging and persona. In turn, a general redesign may be needed, which will also need to be reflected in your website’s look and feel. This means a mixture of PR, marketing and website design, with PR and marketing working hand-in-hand to shape your brand. Once you have evaluated what your company needs and recognise the mix of services and consultancy you are looking for, you can start researching companies that align with your requirements. 

Next, if your company is in a niche market, such as FinTech or commodities, consider researching agencies that specialise in your industry, in addition to offering the services you need. If they already understand your market and the audience you are catering to, you will have already won half the battle. Consider if geography is an important criterion in choosing your agency. Most agencies today work globally, but time zones may be an important factor for you. If it is not, you will have a bigger pool of agencies to choose from.

By this step, you should have a shortlist of agencies and consultancies you believe will be able to help you by providing the services and expertise you need. At this point, you can begin contacting them and requesting a short introductory call to discuss your needs and to better understand what they can provide. To get the most accurate answers and relevant proposals from them, below are some things you should consider preparing before your intro call:

• The main problems you are hoping they can help you solve
• Your main goals, both short and long-term
• The services you think you might need
• Your ideal engagement style with the company (e.g. how many hours you want to allocate to marketing and PR efforts, etc.)

Any agencies you engage with should be able to recommend the best mix of services to effectively support your goals and address your challenges. 

You’ve had your calls, and you’re stuck between a few agencies – how do you choose the right option? As the agencies may have similar proposals, price is always a factor to consider when making this decision, but you should also focus on the expertise they provide in your market and for your company’s development stage.

A golden rule to follow in this process is to always be honest. Don’t be afraid to tell the agencies you are talking to if you don’t like something in a proposal, if you think something should change, or if you need another chat before making up your mind. Most of them will respond positively to this and be happy to help.

Some other things you should ask before choosing an agency from your top picks:

• How long does onboarding take and what does it consist of?
• Do they have a particular process when working with a new company? What is it?
• Are they flexible with month-by-month deliverables?

Some of these tips should help you find a company that can genuinely help you and tailor its services to your needs. And if you liked this, our next blog in this series will explore how to make the most of your agency.

Ready to take the next step in your PR and marketing? Contact us to have a short intro call.