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Uriah Av-Ron works for Oasis PR and is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. You can contact him at uriah@oasis-pr.com.

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Marketers: Fire Your PR Agency!

Written on
Jun 2, 2008 
Author
Uriah Av-Ron  |
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Marketers: Fire Your PR Agency!

ADOTAS EXCLUSIVE — I recently heard a presentation by noted Internet technology blogger Michael Arrington where an entrepreneur asks him when in a company’s life cycle should he hire a PR agency, and Arrington replies, without missing a beat, “never.”

Though Arrington went on to say that there are good PR firms, there is truth in what Arrington says.

A client mentioned Arrington’s comments, and I told her that I agree 100% with what he said.

As a publicist, the reason that I agree with these comments is the same reason that I have always distrusted consultants – they will never know the clients business as well as the client does. This is why I told my client that if she could find an internal person that has the skill sets that I do, then she should hire that person.

But before the PRSA hires Tony Soprano to take care of me, let me say that I don’t think that there isn’t a role for PR agencies. But all too often, when PR agencies are understaffed (or not well staffed), they don’t deliver the quality of service to add real value to the clients’ needs.

So here are my reasons why a client should hire a PR agency instead of firing them (or at least the things I try and make sure I provide all of my clients):

1.    Objectivity without drinking the corporate KoolAid – I’m a publicist that works exclusively with technology start-ups and their entrepreneurs. When people work 80 or 100 hours per week on ‘their baby,’ it is easy to begin believing that their company is the story. As a publicist, I want clients that are passionate about their businesses and business models, but I believe it’s my role to put the company’s role in their industry in perspective in order to help secure press coverage and to fairly manage press expectations. I am excited and passionate about each and every one of my clients, but most start-ups aren’t Wall Street Journal material on day one. And most companies gain sales leads not by coverage in A-list media, but through a steady stream of coverage in the publications that cover their market niche.

2.    Being passionate about the client’s business – This isn’t something that is limited to PR – all people hired should be passionate about the business for which they’re being hired for. But sometimes, people hire the candidate (or agency) with the greater experience. In PR, what matters more than the quality of the rolodex, is the desire of the person (or agency’s desire to get you the coverage you need). I have won back business from clients after losing to people with much greater industry experience. They lacked the conviction (or desire) to deliver.

3.    The ability to create a story that will interest reporters – This probably is the most important role of the publicist. And for the publicist to succeed, they need access and information from the client. Good publicists are good story tellers, but they need the client to provide them with the anecdotes to make the story come alive.

Before you fire your PR agency, see how they score on the list above.

END NOTE: One of Michael Arrington’s comments against hiring a PR agency was the $15,000 retainer most charge. So if you believe your agency isn’t delivering, are you paying them what they’re worth? There is a reason that Nobu doesn’t sell Happy Meals.





Reader Comments.

Indeed, companies have dismissed PR agencies and for good reasons. But companies cannot afford to dismiss PR.

All those involved in business communications truly need to be aware of trends and especially, the advantages of the new media and technologies imbedded in what most call Web 2.0. This involves practices such as wikis, mashups, blogs, and the ultimate, podcasting. The PR agencies who understand those benefits and have the skills to apply them for the good of their clients will survive and prosper. Those who ignore the worthy aspects of the new media will struggle.

Certainly, creating a smart communications program has always been the goal of a PR agency. However, limiting that program to a single medium denies the client of the vast and effective media available on-line.

For PR agencies, the strength of the printed word may always be at the core. However graphics, pictures, audio and video media are delivered essentially for only the cost of production and are far more engaging than using a single medium. Simply, the agency that develops and offers a suite of communication media will be more competitive than that which doesn’t.

Currently, there are agencies who have recognized the power of Web 2.0 and if those agencies have done their job well traditionally, they are in the best position to do their job well into the future.

Dave Burckhard
National Podcasting System

Posted by David Burckhard | 1:36 pm on June 2, 2008.

Um, can you introduce me to some of these companies that pay $15,000 a month retainers? I’m having trouble finding companies that will pay $1500 for a project.

I think the assumption that lots of companies are employing communication professionals to help them craft corporate messages is a little out there. The problem with most public relations, and even publicity programs, is that they are directed not by professionals, but amateurs who think that communication education ended with senior English in high school.

There are, according to Dow Jones, 5000 technology startups in the US at any given time. Less than 20 percent employ PR practitioners regularly. The annual PR expenditure for those companies ranges from $3000 to $30,000 a year. And the output of that investment is what clogs the mailboxes of journalists and bloggers alike.

Posted by Lou Covey | 7:00 pm on June 2, 2008.

Good point about paying what an agency is worth. Or stated different, is the company willing to pay for PR based on the returned value to the company. For smart companies the answer is yes.

From an agency perspective, it’s tough to get passionate — and this is important — about a client that wants $15K worth of effort and results on a $7K budget. If you want passion, you’ll need to make a real commitement, both in money and time.

Posted by Brian | 12:25 am on June 18, 2008.

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