After considering some primary issues of your public relations needs in tandem with a well thought-out marketing plan, you may now regard the options of either contracting with an outsourced firm or hiring a PR professional into your permanent staff. Naturally, either option has numerous benefits and specific concerns that will affect your overall relations efforts and operations.
1. An outsourced public relations firm or representation agency often provides complete-spectrum relations, publicity, and crisis management services, with vast resources, well-forged media contacts, and an extensive repertoire of excellent campaigns for notable clients. Its strengths reside in strategy, placement volume (otherwise known as saturation), and impeccable image management. Gene Casaleggio, Senior Partner of one of the nation's most respected Sports Agencies in the industry itself, The Sparta Group, speaks from over 20 years experience as a corporate decision maker, negotiating agent, and all around go-to-man for famous athletes such as Troy Glaus, Mike Cameron, and Nate McLouth. His take: "the hallmark of a great firm extends beyond image restructuring, top publicity, and adjunct services. It should be so extensive in its resources as to provide an aspect of 'life management': handling those issues that generally arise from business but affect your client personally. The firm should act in every capacity to ensure the smooth operations of its client, be that locating the right insurance broker or best attorneys--anyone the client can add to his team dependably." In this extensive effort of client management, the firm itself becomes a key relationship, allowing clients the freedom to focus on their primary goal: creating a better product and growing a bigger business. In short, such firms are experts in the industry of public relations itself, and you would benefit from that proficiency in the same measure as the other clients they represent. Certainly, some issues to address when interviewing potential firms are establishing whether detailed breakdowns of time spent working your account, quantified results of that work, and forecasts are available to you on a regular, time-infused basis. Also, stay actively involved with the firm and the PR process to make sure your account never gets lost in the shuffle of a representative with numerous clients in his portfolio.
2. By comparison, an internal public relations team or individual will have a thorough understanding of your business, service, quality standards, methods of operation, history, and specific future goals. Therein that individual can apply such specificity to whichever public relations tactics are suited to accomplish the over PR plan, incorporating the exactness of your particular industry and the spirit of its culture. After all, no one knows yours business better than those working on the inside. Also, you can monitor this individual's daily activities to ensure appropriate measures are employed in a timely fashion, in lieu of other, less effective efforts. Since you are your team's sole client, you merit its complete attention and focus, thus more time per business day is dedicated towards meeting your needs exclusively. Lastly, in-house public relations allows you to accurately determine in real time the efficacy of your efforts, break down specifically wherein budget monies are best invested, and refine the operation as needed to ensure the best return on investment. Be prepared that your team may have to start building new media and community relationships, and strong enough ideas to warrant their interest. For anyone less than a seasoned expert with considerable years working within the public relations industry nationally, this will take time to develop. Also, when or if a crisis should arise, you must be prepared to handle the public aftermath yourself: an area requiring delicate and highly diplomatic measures that is easily mismanaged if never performed before.
Ultimately, my best recommendation in selecting public relations representation is to consider all the aforementioned details, answer the appropriate questions regarding the size, scope, and needs of your corporation, and interview both potential firms and skilled individuals. You are then in the best position possible to approve a provider that perfectly suits your business.
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