By Abbie S. Fink, Vice President/General Manager at HMA Public Relations, our PRGN partner in Phoenix, AZ
There’s nothing I like more (said very sarcastically) than reading an article on why hiring a public relations firm isn’t worth the expense. It’s not that I disagree with the theory; there may be lots of reasons not to hire out your PR needs. Small or no budget, you have a PR pro on your staff or the timing of the project, for instance. But when the rationale is that “I can do it better myself,” that’s where I take issue with the theory.
Sure, you are going to know your business better than any PR person ever will. Certainly, you will be more enthusiastic and more passionate about your business than someone at the agency. And we definitely want you to be, otherwise, there likely isn’t much for the PR person to do. But, we PR professionals know our business and we are passionate and enthusiastic about what we do, too. Combine our passion with yours and we should see success.
Success measures need to be set and agreed upon before entering into a relationship with a PR firm. What does a win look like for the client; is it realistic given the timing and the budget allocation? Does the agency have a track record of success with similar projects?
There are reasons why doctors don’t operate on family and why attorneys don’t represent themselves. They may know more, but that doesn’t mean they should do it themselves.
What do you think is the most important reason for hiring a PR agency? Leave a comment below or tweet @AbbieF
This blog was originally posted on hmapr.com.
About HMA PR: Since 1980, HMA Public Relations has been a regional leader in the marketing communications industry. They offer clients in-depth, personally crafted campaigns carefully designed to reach benchmarked milestones and goals. As a founding member of the Public Relations Global Network, they have the global reach and capabilities of firms from around the world.
13 thoughts on “Is hiring a PR firm worth it?”
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Thanks for your post, Abbie. The proof is in the pudding with hiring a PR agency. If your agency is delivering amazing results, then the extra expense is most likely worth it. Chances are that increased PR is helping your businesses bottom line, too.
I just know every time I say “I can do it myself” I was better off hiring someone to do it.
Thanks for sharing this great blog Abbie! I fully believe that once a PR agency gets a chance to show their worth to a client, they realise how invaluable it is to have a PR pro on their team.
True — and oftentimes our value takes awhile to be realized. When they want results NOW, it is usually a bad fit.
Great points Abbie. Professional PR counsel helps businesses achieve their goals. We’ve seen PR and earned media have dramatically positive results on other marketing and communications efforts – in the end a relatively small spend for the benefits yielded.
And if you have the patience to let us do what we’re good at doing, you’ll see the results. We can do some amazing things.
Abbie – couldn’t agree more. Hire a professional to do a professional job. PR isn’t a hobby, it’s a career that requires training, judgment and skills that are perfected over many years in the business. Cheers, David
You’re not — definitely not a hobby. Skills, expertise, strategy…the list goes on and on.
Hi Abbie,
Thanks for your post and for reminding people about the benefits/importance of hiring a PR agency when the time’s right. We PR professionals love our jobs and are ready to roll up our sleeves on behalf of our clients at a moment’s notice – rain or shine 🙂
Regards,
David
When it is a good fit, both client and agency will realize good results.
Thank you for this great topic, Abby! I believe one of the things we can offer our clients is perspective; we are able to see what’s newsworthy and what’s not. We also bring expertise in messaging, we know how to write a good pitch and of course we bring our media contacts to the table. But I often feel that one of the best services we as PR professionals can offer our clients is honest, candid feedback. And thanks for also talking about the passion for what we do – I know at LCI we always celebrate client wins with genuine excitement because we truly care about our clients and we love what we do!
Abbie, I love the analogies of the doctor and attorney. It really puts it into perspective for those saying nay to PR agencies. Passion doesn’t equal expertise.
PR and other communication firms are still in business because there is a need for them. The DIY approach can work for some, but you have to know a lot about communications and marketing. I like your quote: “Combine our passion with yours, and we should see success.” I think outsourcing to a communications firm is an extremely beneficial investment a company can make.