Public Relations or PR refers to the art and business of persuasion, to be concise. It goes beyond the traditional perception limited to press releases and is based on adding value for the audience, building stronger relationships, engaging with the audience, and presenting a strong brand narrative.
PR can be understood as a strategic communications process adopted to convince your targeted sphere about the potential of your brand, products, and services, promote positive messages, and relay your story. Not to mention, effective PR requires a stellar team sweating it out in the backdrop.
Read on to find out the 5 key qualities you should be looking for in a public relations agency that sets them apart from the crowd.
Honesty
Good PR is about telling the client what they need to hear, and not what they want to hear. This is because the audience is not here to always see your brand in the positive mirage that you try to build around it. All information about your product and brand, all the activities of its founders and CEOs, as well as the feedback of your team and customers is available publicly for an honest evaluation.
Therefore, a good PR agency will be completely transparent about what they feel about your brand or product, and what are the areas of improvement. Instead of sugar-coating everything to suit your temperament, a stellar PR agency works on your weaknesses while showcasing your strengths before the world with complete honesty.
Flexibility
Public relations is a tricky field, especially considering the evolving media scenario and the ups and downs of a brand’s journey. Even the best clients might end up changing plans at the last moment, or unforeseen situations might spring up out of the blue.
A good PR agency will be flexible enough to jump into action no matter what comes in the way, while still handling difficult situations gracefully. Expert PR professionals are always ready for the dip, even if everything is going smoothly so far. Our Los Angeles PR firm is an expert in handling media crises for brands, and this is because of our inherent flexibility and ability to deliver under pressure.
Eye for Details
Good PR is way beyond a glorified launch and is about sustainable brand building throughout the business lifecycle. The brand is sure to evolve with time, and so are its communication needs. While every development might not be critical from a PR point of view, a good agency will be able to draw from the details and bring out stories from a point of view that no one could have thought of.
Public relations is about creating messages and campaigns that do more than just sell. The idea is to celebrate the client inclusively, focusing on such details that will add value to the audience reading or viewing the story. A good PR agency, therefore, stands out because of its eye for detail.
Innovative
Proactivity is a key component when it comes to effective PR, and this is reflected in terms of the inventiveness that the agency shows in ideation and crisis response. A good PR agency is not just always prepared and alert, but also has a ton of creative ideas to optimize workflows, re-managing schedules, and create enough room for brainstorming.
To do this effectively, the PR agency must effectively remain on top of everything that’s happening and continually harness information for coming up with fresh stories each time. The end goal of the PR agency is to put their client’s business on the right path to success, and all their activities, innovative takes, and fresh ideas must be centered around this bigger picture.
Strong Communications
Relationships and communications are everything PR is about. At the end of the day, a stellar PR agency stands out of the crowd because of its ability to form lasting connections with clients, media channels, and the audience. This is built on the pillars of strong rapport and communications, quality conversations, and personal relationships.
A good PR agency portrays the qualities of responsiveness, approachability, and articulation. At the end of the day, the audience views all your ideas in the form of a written or visual piece. This makes the PR agency responsible for finely crafted press releases and impressive narratives powered by succinct communications.
Here’s what a stellar PR Agency can do for you
The public relations scene is constantly evolving, and so is the power, value, and means of business communication. The responsibilities of a PR agency, therefore, are quite dynamic. However, the core qualities that make an agency stellar are still down to the very basics.
Awareness, clarity, and creativity are the strongest pillars of success for good PR. “Good PR almost always gets ink because a good story has been well-told to the right people”, and this clause itself illuminates the qualities one must look for in a PR agency. PR activities are more about creating meaning and value, and nothing about seeking attention. These are the principles a stellar PR agency must rely on.
Review 5 Key Qualities of a Stellar Public Relations Agency.