“Should I handle my public relations in-house or hire an agency?” This is an age-old question among CMOs and marketing decision-makers. While there may be some valid reasons to leverage an in-house PR team, most of the time, choosing a PR agency is the right choice.
Here are three reasons why hiring an agency to do your PR is better for your company in the long run.
The most obvious differentiator between a PR agency and in-house PR is the number of people. Although not all of them will be on every account, the PR pros within an agency work together and are constantly communicating. When inbound media requests come through, they’re often communicated throughout the agency so multiple teams can capitalize on the opportunity. Similarly, if someone needs to land a story, they not only have the reporter relationships they’ve built, but they also have access to coworkers’ relationships.
Having access to the right tools is crucial in implementing a successful PR strategy. Agencies know what’s necessary for the task at hand and which tools are the best to measure PR success. For example, when building out a media list full of targeted reporters, a paid subscription to Muck Rack is incredibly helpful. If you want to track where your competitors are mentioned in the media or your client’s share of voice, Signal AI is necessary. Do you want to start an influencer marketing program? BuzzSumo can help with that.
Having subscriptions to all these tools helps you accurately measure the ROI of your PR campaigns.
In-house PR professionals often have a streamlined view of the company because they work there every day, while PR agencies come in with fresh, outside perspectives. For example, agencies may recognize an area or issue in your company that could turn into a crisis and proactively develop a crisis communications plan. PR agencies can also recommend pursuing other services, like analyst relations or influencer marketing, that would be beneficial for achieving the goals of the overarching PR campaign.
Additionally, when you work with a PR agency, you’re likely to have access to insight across all levels – from senior-level PR pros to new teammates with fresh skills – all working to achieve client goals.
It’s important to remember a PR agency is an extension of your team. They’re working in the best interests of your company, but they come with more people, more resources and outside perspectives that an in-house team may not have access to. Ready to make the jump into hiring an agency? We’re here to help.