PR consultants are either specialists or generalists.
Which one is better for you? Specialists will probably have fantastic contacts in your trade media and a deeper knowledge of how your industry works. But in my experience, this is not a deal-breaker when it comes to comms.
The rules of PR
The rules of PR are usually the same, regardless of the industry. Have a good story or angle, write good copy, engage well with the right journalists (at the right time) and provide strong imagery and supporting content. Don’t lie, and don’t try to sell a story that’s irrelevant or weak. PR is not all about relationships. That can sometimes help start a pitch, but a journalist is not going to cover your story just because they know your PR.
Any good PR will take time to learn your business, your brand and your industry. The start of all my client onboarding is a ‘getting to know you’ session – learning all about the business, discussing key trends and issues, sharing all personnel bios, compiling all images – and then all media outlets and contacts are researched, if not already known.
As a generalist who has worked in PR for over 20 years, I have represented food and drink companies, charities and sports brands, education and training businesses, home and DIY clients, insurers and retailers. Having worked my way up through agencies in the ‘noughties’, I am more than happy to talk to journalists operating in the consumer, business or specialist trade media. I understand the way they all operate and can therefore advise clients on the best approach to generating the right kind of coverage.
Research your PR first
There are ways that you can ensure you work with a PR that ‘gets you’. First point of call, whether you’re looking at an agency or independent, have a look around their social content and their website. This should give a steer into the kind of work they do. My website has a ‘services’ section which breaks down some of my work into different areas: education PR, B2B PR, entrepreneur PR, home and leisure PR and food and drink PR. Look at the client roster (past and present, if possible). If your PR is promoting other businesses in your sector, there is a chance there will be competition, although I would assume that most will ensure that their clients don’t clash.
If you’re a startup you might want to look for a PR professional that has a track record in promoting entrepreneurs and business journey stories, and if you’re a larger business looking to sell, there are PRs that have excellent contacts in the city and business press. A food PR can have clients working in completely different areas of food and drink, but a good generalist will still understand all the food trade consumer media journalists well enough to approach them and then build up a rapport with them.
Objectives
It all comes down to objectives. What are your business objectives? How is marketing supporting those objectives and what are the aims of the PR within the overall marketing programme? That will define your audience and messaging, which the PR should compile and help create.
After that, the overall PR strategy can be put together, before the final tactics decided. It takes a little time at the start but it’s worth it. Then the real fun begins!
