Are you not happy with your PR Firm? 3 Things a Start-Up Can do Today to Fix Their PR Firm Frustations

After collaborating with 567 companies, I’ve distilled their grievances into a concise list. The recurring theme? A glaring disconnect between promised “strategic approaches” and the reality of reactive, haphazard pitching.

In the modern start-up ecosystem, a robust Public Relations (PR) framework is indispensable for gaining traction. Yet, many find their PR firms’ “strategic planning” to be nothing more than a veneer for reactive, ad-hoc pitching, causing unwarranted disruptions. Here’s how to tackle these bottlenecks and steer your PR endeavors on a proactive course:

Demand a Proactive Blueprint:

• Spotlight on SME Topics: Have Subject Matter Expert (SME) topics delineated and a clear point of view (POV) established. This enables swift action when news unfolds, sans the back-and-forth.
• Narrate Compelling Tales: Unearth feature-level stories encompassing data insights, customer triumphs, the founder’s journey, and industry trends that portray your venture as a frontrunner.
• Anticipate Momentous Occasions: Mark the calendar with potential milestones, be they seasonal themes like “Back to School”, significant announcements, or notable events. Planning sans precise dates sets the stage for orchestrated PR endeavors.

Insist on Documented Strategies and Plans:

• Transparent Pitches: Insist on viewing the pitches, the POV, and the futuristic gameplan during onboarding. This transparency attests the PR firm’s readiness to spring into action.
• Documented Strategies: A well-articulated document elucidating the PR roadmap fosters clarity and serves as a reference point, ensuring alignment of expectations and deliverables.

Engage in Monthly Strategic Dialogues:

• Senior-Level Interactions: Mandate a monthly dialogue with a seasoned PR professional. This minimizes the 'bait and switch' syndrome and ensures strategic alignment.
• Constructive Feedback Loops: These sessions are a conduit for constructive feedback, keeping the PR firm abreast of your evolving expectations and the dynamic market landscape.

By adopting these strategies, start-ups can cut through the façade of “strategic planning” professed by PR firms, anchoring their PR operations in proactive planning and meaningful narratives, thus securing a competitive edge in the market narrative.