How to promote your business

Finding the right agency

If you do decide to go with a PR agency, Samson recommends searching out two or three that suit your style then asking them to submit a quote.

 “We once went with someone simply because they were a friend of a friend,” she says. “That was a big mistake. We paid them $8,000 to launch a store but they were working in the wrong circles and we got absolutely nothing out of it. It was money wasted.”

It’s also important to understand exactly what you will be paying for.

“An hourly fee is not necessarily a flat fee,” says Richmond. “Many consultants also charge costs. For instance, when they make a five-minute phone call you pay for both the time it takes and the price of the call. That can all add up very quickly. So be sure to do your due diligence when searching out a consultant and get a final quote in writing.”

While larger companies might have more contacts and command more respect from some journalists, big is not always better.

 “If you're a client paying a $3,000 retainer while others are paying $15,000, you have to question whether your brand will get the attention it needs,” says Dionne Moskow of Polkadot PR. “Also, if your agency specialises in a particular industry, you need to know whether they have a direct competitor on their books. This can work well in certain industries – fashion, for example – but can be a big negative for others.”

Large or small, no agency can work miracles.

“Many SMEs seem to believe that, once they’ve signed with a PR agency, they can switch off and not worry about it,” continues Moskow. “This is not the case. Agencies need a lot of input from the client, particularly at the start of a campaign.”

PR also needs time – it takes a minimum of three months and sometimes six months or even longer to build a rapport with media relevant to your organisation, laying the foundations for a media programme that will bring success over the long term.

Even then there are no guarantees. Success is determined by a number of factors, many beyond the control of both you and your agency. For instance, your story could be pre-empted by the launch of a similar product or ousted by a major news event.

It’s also true that, unlike advertising, PR gives you very little control over your brand.

 “What you say isn’t always what you read,” says Peta Ellis of Red Carpet Projects.

 “Journalists don’t purposely misquote people, but they can be selective in what they use and how they present it. So don’t be surprised if occasionally something comes out that doesn’t exactly reflect what you were saying in an interview or, in the worst case scenario, is placed in a context that may be contrary to your expectations or desires.

”While, in most instances, media coverage will flow as you expect, there will also be times when you – and your agency if you have one – will be disappointed with the outcome. You might work hard to be included in a feature and then be left out. Or a journalist will interview you and the story won’t ever see the light of day. It’s important to set realistic levels of expectation, and to review disappointments with a view to learning from them."