Finding the right public relations consultant to support your work - whether you are part of a large comms team or a mighty team of one - isn't easy. Here are a few questions I'd ask if I were in your shoes:
How long have you been in public relations?
Experience isn't a recipe for perfection - far from it. But, with this question, you want to understand if they have been in the game long enough to have seen some things. Like any other craft, professionals get better and more intuitive about PR the more they practice. The longer the career, the more diverse experiences they have managed, and the better they will be able to seize opportunities and anticipate and respond to any issues.
What's been your proudest PR win?
Don't ask for the "biggest" win because a huge number of impressions is meaningless if there is no change in understanding or behavior. PR pros know to track not just impressions but also other metrics of ROI, like a bump in sales or web traffic or advocacy outreach after a PR campaign. We all have a favorite project that made a big impact and this is a great way to get to know your consultant's style.
We want to (WHATEVER). What tactics do you usually recommend in that case?
This is a tricky question, but not a trick question. Strong PR consultants know that every situation is different and there is no one-size-fits-all tactical approach. They will want to get to know your organization, your constituents, your goals and mission, your challenges, your unique perspectives, etc, before building a strategic plan. So, you're looking for them to ask a lot of follow-up questions once you ask this.
What's your approach to crisis communications?
Even if you are not hiring a consultant specifically for crisis or issues management, your consultant should build messaging and frameworks to assist in a crisis. Plans and workflows reduce the likelihood that a small issue will grow and in the event of a larger crisis event, having a trusted consultant who has helped build your overall strategy can be a real asset.
How will you define success in this relationship?
PR goals ladder up to organizational goals. If your PR consultant is appropriately scoped, the work they do should be directly impacting organizational goals.
I hope these sample questions help next time you are looking for a PR consultant to support work in your organization!
Comments