As we head into summer, it’s a time in the agency world that typically signals an uptick in new business outreach and meetings. Agencies use a new business meeting as an opportunity to explore possibilities, understand long-term objectives, and identify public relations needs. They’re as much about discovering compatibility as they are about generating excitement.
In these meetings, a good agency will spend the majority of the time listening, gathering background information, and getting to know the brand. Towards the end of the call, our team likes to ask four key questions to gauge whether we can foster a long-lasting PR relationship that brings value and success to everyone involved.
These aren’t gotcha questions, there are no right or wrong answers. The questions help us to understand the brand’s expectations from a partnership and what their past experiences with PR agencies have been like, and to get an idea of their long-term goals, ensuring we are the best fit for the brand. Below are 4 key questions we like to ask in that initial introductory meeting.
1. “Why Are You Interested in PR Now?”
This question is our path to determining the root of the urgency, helping us gain insight into the motivation behind taking action. PR is a long-term commitment that requires consistency, so we’re listening for insights into the brand or nonprofit’s general PR goals, time frames, internal pressures, etc.
Answers that tell us a potential client is ready for PR:
We’ve heard our fair share of red flag answers to this question, such as “We need more sales” and “We want to boost positive product reviews this quarter.” These answers show a lack of understanding about PR and the value it provides.
However, more often than not, we hear compelling answers that tell us a potential client understands PR and is ready for it, such as “We’re experiencing solid YoY growth,” or “We have a highly engaged following and need help telling our story and sharing our product benefits to new audiences in the outdoor segment.”
This type of answer is music to our ears as we can glean a fair amount of information from it. First, it highlights a solid understanding of PR and indicates positive momentum within the company. Next, it demonstrates that the brand has prioritized establishing its owned channels, thereby building a cohesive brand identity, voice, community, and collection of assets—all essential elements to address before engaging with a PR agency. Finally, it indicates that the brand has conducted research on us before reaching out, understanding the markets in which we specialize.
2. “Have You Worked with a PR Agency in the Past?”
This question gets to the heart of how we need to tailor our onboarding process to align with the brand’s PR experience. Is this a clean slate that requires a focus on education and expectation setting during the onboarding phase? Or, does this potential new relationship come with some lingering baggage from a past relationship? We’re looking to gather information on what’s worked in the past, what hasn’t, what’s been tried, and what’s been left on the table.
An answer that tells us what they expect from a partnership:
A few years ago, we met with a prominent consumer brand in the broader outdoor space. Their industry-leading products were highly sought after, their business was growing, and they worked with a respected PR agency in the outdoor industry. By all accounts, things were moving in the right direction.
When we asked them, “How has your experience been working with your current PR agency?” their answer was a masterclass in professionalism. They paused and answered, “We have enjoyed working with our current PR agency. They’re great people and are good at what they do. However, their efforts and expertise mostly focus on product coverage within our endemic space. We’re looking for a long-term agency partner that can help us increase our brand storytelling and expand our reach with new audiences.”
This answer underlined a deep respect for their past PR agency while providing specific core competencies that they needed from a new partner.
3. “What Does PR Success Look Like for You in the Next 6–12 Months?”
Success can be subjective. It is important to align expectations out of the gate so we can design a customized PR plan that meets the brand’s specific needs. This question is a great way to gauge if the brand’s definition of PR success is achievable and measurable. Like a train getting up to full speed, generating PR success from scratch takes time.
In an ideal world, we’re looking for a clear vision of what a brand expects out of its PR investment. This does not mean strategy and tactics. Instead, we’re looking for a clear outcome that we can use as a starting point to build a PR strategy around.
A detailed answer that helped guide strategy:
A legacy brand in the camping space approached us with a clear vision: “We have a new product launching in 12 months. This will be our first big product launch in quite some time. Our core customer base is strong, and we aim to make a significant media push with this product launch in the core outdoor space, engaging with prominent outlets such as GearJunkie, Backpacker, and Section Hiker.”
This detailed response provided well-defined goals, a rough timeline, and clear coverage expectations. This enabled us to develop a strategic framework for reverse-engineering desired outcomes, ultimately constructing an impactful 12-month PR strategy.
4. “Can You Describe Three Dream Pieces of Coverage?”
This question helps us determine how to build a PR strategy that prioritizes the right type of coverage in the appropriate media channels. It’s an excellent measure of a brand’s understanding of the media landscape and its expectations of success.
If a brand claims their #1 goal is being interviewed on the Joe Rogan Podcast, but can’t explain why other than reach, then there is an educational conversation that needs to happen.
An answer to point us in the right direction from Day 1:
Recently, a founder-led brand reached out looking to increase its media exposure in the active lifestyle space. The founder was enthusiastic, motivated, and self-aware. “We understand that we have a long way to go in PR, as most people don’t know who we are. However, I’m hoping to work with a PR agency to promote my story and increase visibility for our products within the endurance space. I’d LOVE to be in Runner’s World, especially their Holiday Gift Guide. Additionally, being interviewed by Inc. is a personal dream of mine, and I believe our brand could benefit from influencer coverage for social proof.”
These are three clear coverage goals, and we now have a clear understanding of priorities to start focusing on from day 1. In this scenario, we continued to work through those priorities and developed a strategy that targeted the right mix of coverage.
Not every new business meeting succeeds in establishing clear expectations. Sometimes we quickly realize that our agency may not be the right fit for a particular brand, which is why these meetings are so valuable in the initial assessment of a potential partnership. For our agency, these four questions help cut through the noise and provide enough information to formulate a general understanding of the requirements that facilitate a successful long-term partnership. A good PR partnership is a two-way street that starts with clear communication and a shared vision of success.
Ready to learn more about how we help brands achieve their goals? Let us know!