This company knows how to engage a PR agency

Here's how to approach a PR firm and create a long-lasting, beneficial partnership.

Many companies would benefit from a real-life example of how to properly engage a PR firm.

Most companies try to approach hiring a PR agency (or any creative or professional services firm) the same way they buy office supplies: in bulk. This technique gets a company a commodity PR agency. And then the company wonders why the relationship is cold, the ideas aren't creative, and the results are flat.

Try comparing the client-agency matchmaking process to dating or courting. If you show respect and be yourself, you'll likely find a better partner. If you try to find dates via questionnaires and applications, you probably won't find the best match.

Take note of how this company did it. This technique will earn the PR agency's respect and provide a better outcome for everyone involved.

Good morning:

My name is [first and last name]. I'm the PR and communications manager at [product name with website link], a [short product description] for [target audience].

We're looking for a potential PR partner in the US, especially for the Florida, California, and Texas markets, and Axia caught our attention.

We finished our work on new brand positioning and better defined our target audience, and now we're planning the budget for the next 6 months.

Our process to select an agency won't follow the traditional path. We prefer to get to know potential partners, their points of view, what they've done, and how their commercial proposal fits our reality, instead of running a pitch or formal RFP.

I'd like to arrange a slot to speak on Skype or Hangouts, so I can tell you more about our new brand positioning, values, and target. This will give you an idea of our PR plan in the US. We're trying to differentiate [company name] as an innovative [product type], which [product features], and align our PR strategy with that.

Once we do that, we'd love to hear your proposal and thoughts on:

- How to introduce [product] to the US media and consumers, and how to create brand awareness
- Editorial calendar and trends
- News releases and featured articles
- Media
- Pitches
- Awards
- Influencers
- Events

Please let me know when we can talk more about it.

Many thanks.

The only thing we would suggest is that the company make an initial telephone introduction before sending a cold email. That said, this approach is so much better than other techniques companies use to identify a strategic PR partner.Clients love Jason’s passion, candor and commitment as well as the team he has formed at Axia Public Relations. He's advised some of America’s most admired brands, including American Airlines, Dave & Buster’s, Hilton, HP, Pizza Hut and Verizon. He is an Emmy Award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner, speaker, author and entrepreneur and earned his certification in inbound marketing. He founded the PR firm in July 2002. Learn more about Jason.