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Monthly Newsletter: The MVPR Spectrum
MVPR Spectrum: Hiring A PR Agency
Feb 9 2004
Hello -
Welcome to the MVPR Spectrum, an electronic newsletter published by Mt. Vernon PR & Communications. MVPR Spectrum features topics of interest to communications professionals and others in corporate and association management.
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In this issue:
** Hiring a PR Agency: The RFPRI Process
** Media Alerts vs. News Releases
** The American-British British-American Dictionary
Check out the MVPR resources page and click on the links to some of the Web sites we have found helpful. While you are there, you can view our Crisis Communications white paper and sign up for our white paper alert service (http://www.mtvernonpr.com/resources_wp.asp). If there are topics you'd be interested in seeing here, please contact us at info@mtvernonpr.com and give us your suggestions. If you did not receive the previous issues of MVPR Spectrum they are available at this link: http://www.mtvernonpr.com/newsletter.asp
Best Regards,
Rosanne Desmone
Principal, Mt. Vernon PR & Communications
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MVPR Spectrum
Volume 2, Number 1
January/February 2004
The MVPR Spectrum is published by Mt. Vernon PR & Communications to provide our friends and clients with information on public relations and communications topics that we trust will be useful and/or interesting.
** HIRING A PR AGENCY
No matter what the reason, almost every one of us will need to hire a PR agency. If you haven’t done it before, it can be a daunting task. The information below provides some tips on getting through the process with a minimum amount of angst.
[Note: Please note that, although I am talking about agencies in the following, this is a process that also is recommended for finding freelance help.]
The RFPRI Process: A tool for focusing your efforts
When you find yourself in need of PR help, how do you go about locating the professional assistance that will be right for your organization? Where do you start? How do you identify and communicate your needs? On what should you base your choice? This can be a nerve-wracking experience unless you approach it in an organized manner.
I like to start by developing what I call an RFPRI… Request for Public Relations Information. This process helps you identify and focus on your needs and goals and communicate your needs to the agencies you will interview. We know that PR is quantifiable, so it should follow that we ought to be able to clearly state exactly what we hope to get from the PR pros we hire. The RFPRI differs from an RFP in many ways, but it differs specifically in that it is not seeking a solution or detailed plan in response. There really is no way any reputable PR professional could provide that with the minimal information you are providing.
Steps to developing the RFPRI include:
1) Determine your PR/communication objectives. State them as measurable objectives, and decide which of them you have internal resources to handle. If you’re a one-person shop, your role might end up being the internal contact and agency manager. If you have a staff, which of their skills match up with your needs? From what’s left, you’ll know what kind of help you need from the agency – strategy development, creation of a plan, identifying and carrying out tactics, etc. Don’t be so specific (e.g., write news releases, conduct media tours) that there’s no room for the agency to be creative. Let them tell you what they think you need to get the job done.
2. Identify a short list of agencies. Now that you know what you need and what you want from an agency, how can you find the right three, four, or five agencies to interview? (Don’t get carried away… three to five agencies are enough for this list.) Try to find both large and small firms to interview. I’m sure a lot of possibilities come to mind… agencies you’ve used or worked with before, references from friends in the industry, Internet research. Here are a few other options:
- Research your competition to see who’s doing their PR; you don’t want to invite any of those agencies to respond.
- Research companies (not competitors) whose PR efforts you respect and see who’s handling their PR; you might want to ask one of these firms to respond.
- Call some of the trade-magazine editors and ask them to name what they think are the top three PR firms in the industry segment. (I’ve used this option quite successfully.)
3) Provide background and a statement of needs. Include all relevant information about your company. I have used notebooks, .pdf files via email, or CDs to do this, including corporate information and copies of prior news coverage, and names of the competition. State the specific tasks that you identified in step one and let the agency know who you are trying to reach (target customer; local/national/global markets). Let them know if you want an ongoing relationship or if this is a project-specific engagement and give them an idea of your project or first-year budget. It’s unfair to ask an agency to respond with no knowledge of your organization or your budget. If you make the task too difficult, they might decide not to respond.
NOTE: Before sharing any of this information, get them to sign a non-disclosure form. You have to give them information in order to get the best response, but never do that without a non-disclosure. No reputable agency will refuse to sign.
4) Request information about the agency, its clients and its capabilities. This is the agency’s opportunity to present its credentials… who they are and what they’ve done. This probably will include bios of the staff who will make up “your” account team, previous successes the agency has had with organizations/challenges similar to yours, references, specific tools they have at their disposal to assist you. Ask them how they communicate information and results to their clients and how they measure success.
5) Schedule an interview/presentation time. It’s tempting, when you’re overcome by a growing task list or you have a “favorite” agency already, to resist taking the time for personal interviews. Not only will you get a better sense of the agency at an interview, however, you’ll meet the team, be able to ask questions, and get a sense of the all-important chemistry factor. Truth be told, I’d rather work with an agency with whom the chemistry is right than a hot-shot firm where the vibes aren’t good.
** MEDIA ALERTS VS NEWS RELEASES
What is a media alert and why would you use one? I learned about media alerts or media advisories years ago as a reporter, and I have worked with lots of PR folks who either never heard of them or never use them. There are probably chapters written about this somewhere, but here’s my quick rundown on media alerts…
1. Think of a media alert or advisory as a media “invitation” to an event or a photo opportunity.
2. You can use media alerts alone or in addition to news releases. If you use both, send the alert a little later than the release.
3. The format is simple:
For immediate release (If it’s an event, you want them to publicize it)
“Media Alert “
Headline
What: [brief description]
Who: [players]
When: [date, day, time]
Where: [location details]
Background: [be brief, or link to news release]
For more information:
These can be a bit more attention getting than a release for an event, and they are great for dealing with assignment editors, who simply want to cut straight to the specifics.
** THE AMERICAN-BRITISH BRITISH-AMERICAN DICTIONARY
“England and America are two countries separated by the same language.”
- George Bernard Shaw
I could have used this resource doing PR for companies with offices in the US and Britain… although we have become more familiar with British English, this dictionary could come in handy. You can get there from the link below (or from the MVPR resources page):
http://www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/
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Mt. Vernon PR & Communications (MVPR) provides a full range of public relations and marketing communications services to companies and associations on the move, in a hurry, and determined to stay on top. We specialize in creating and enhancing your visibility and credibility in the marketplace, using your unique capabilities and expertise as the building blocks. For more information about Mt. Vernon PR & Communications, please visit our web site at www.mtvernonpr.com
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