9 tips to get more from your PR resources

For many businesses, a PR consultant or an agency commitment is a large investment, and one that’s increasingly under pressure to deliver against business and communications goals.

How, then, can you make your relationship as efficient and fruitful as possible?

Here are nine tips:

1. Commit the time. Maybe you thought having a PR firm would actually save you time, but it’s not that simple. A colleague told me about a boutique PR duo who included a two-way time commitment in their client contracts. They would agree to spend the requisite hours only if the client did the same. Partly as a result, they were able to draw great things out of the client and translate them into powerful visibility. The lesson: Your team is only as good as the information and access it’s given.

2. Communicate your goals and expectations. Everyone knows to do this, but beware of “expectations creep.” Your firm should make clear and written goals the priority, but it’s important to update or clarify them when priorities or expectations change.