ARE YOU READY FOR PR? WHAT EVERY COMPANY SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE ENGAGING WITH AN AGENCY.

• Author: Heath, Joshua
• Position: SILICON SLOPES

There comes a time in the life cycle of every company when it's necessary to start telling its story to a broader audience. Whether the company has a product that is ready to ship, software that is ready to be released out of beta, or funding that needs to be announced, most companies will at some point find themselves seeking a public relations firm to help build their brand.

Having spent more than a decade helping brands of various shapes and sizes build and execute PR plans, I've learned that not every company is ready for PR. Not being ready doesn't mean that you can't or won't be--it merely means you need to honestly consider a few things before signing an expensive contract with an agency.

Here are a few things to consider before you begin selecting an agency:

1. Do you have clear, measurable objectives in place? Before you can successfully choose a PR partner, it's vital that you first understand what you want them to accomplish. For instance, if lead generation is more important than general brand awareness, everything from the types of stories you need to tell to your target audience to the media outlets you should be working with will change. If you're not sure what their objectives should be, feel free to ask. It's not uncommon for me to workshop objectives with a client before building out their PR plan.

2. Do you have a robust news pipeline?

   There's a big difference between needing to announce a single round of funding or a solo product launch and needing a long-term partner to help build your brand. In my experience, a company's audience can sniff out manufactured news generated by an agency pretty quickly, as it comes across as inauthentic. Most successful longterm partnerships require a regular news pipeline (e.g., customer success stories, partnerships, product launches or...