Resources & Articles - RE-Leesburg.com

Welcome to Part 2 of the series. If you are one of the thousands of businesses looking to gain local exposure for your book then you are probably facing the difficult decision of finding the right public relations firm. What can make this decision difficult is that there are so many different kinds of PR firms out there. Firm can be national, firms can be local. Other firms can have a costly monthly retainer while some work on a pay-for performance basis. So how do you know which public relations firm will be the best fit for your PR goals ?

In the previous part of the series, we shared the following 5 tips on choose the perfect public relations firm: 1. Find a public relations firm that specializes in your industry. 2. Choose a public relations firm that specializes in your medium of choice 3. Request sample campaigns. 4. Find a pay-for-performance public relations firm. 5. Speak to the public relations firm's clients.

Now let Marsha Friedman, CEO of Event Management Services Inc (EMSI), a national PR firm , share her final 5 tips on how to choose the RIGHT public relations firm to get your message the media exposure that you desire

6. Be confident in their ability to deliver . Before you agree to work with a PR firm, make sure that you are convinced that the public relations firm will create, and execute, a successful campaign . Don't forget to ask lots of questions, request copies of sample campaigns and then do a comprehensive review of all of the materials. "I would suggest that before you make your final decision you talk to owners and definitely request a proposal", says Marsha , "ask the important questions. Will they be using television, radio or print to get media exposure for you? How long the campaign will last? What are the goals of the campaign? When will these goals be met? How the public relations firm answers these questions will ultimately determine the level of confidence you have in their ability to service your account.

7. Don't limit yourself to public relations firms in your area. If you're looking for regional or national exposure don't limit your search to public relations firms that are located within your vicinity. "Lots of clients think that the firm needs to be right around the corner so it is easily accessible for weekly meetings , "says Marsha . "But this is not how it works. In my 20 years of gaining national media attention for my clients, I have only had a face-to-face meetings with a small number . The reason for this is that it is not essential . All of a public relations firm's work can be done via electronic mediums which is a far more efficient, and time saving, way to work." If your goal is to attain national media attention, find a public relations firm that specializes pitching to the national media. A national media public relations firm's experience level is what is important, not where they are located. If your goal is to gain local media attention, this is when it is a good idea to look for a local firm. Marsha says "As they are immersed in the market you are after, their contacts and knowledge will be far more effective than that of a national public relations firm."

8. Meet your Campaign Manager. There is one person in particular who plays a vital role in driving the success of at the public relations firm: your Campaign Manager. When deciding if you are going to go with a PR firm it is vital to meet your Campaign Manager. . Find out what their experience level is and how long they have been with the public relations firm. "A great nugget of information is that many Campaign Managers are rookies straight out of college," says Marsha . "Even more frightening is that many national and local public relations firms hire interns to handle the client accounts that are not from one of their 'big guns.' " If you don't investigate the qualifications of your Campaign Manager, then how can you be confident that your campaign will be handled by a professional?

9. Find a public relations firm that believes in your message. The best type of public relations firm is one that not only understands your message but also has bags of excitement for your topic. Marsha says, "If you find a public relations firm like this, their enthusiasm for your message will show in how they handle your campaign . The pitches and press releases will be more creative and their communications to the media will be attention grabbing and clear." In order for a public relations firm to successfully work for you, they need to understand your passion and be able to translate it into something that will be of interest to the masses. If they miss your point completely, it can really be costly. "

10. Trust your gut. Marsha says, "My final tip to choosing the right public relations firm has everything to do with your instincts '. When you are in the process of deciding if a public relations firm is a right fit for your needs it is inevitable that you will have strong views about their work and approach. Even if everything seems perfect, if your instincts tell you otherwise - listen to them! " Gut feelings tend to be accurate, so if something seems a little off in any way, be weary of working with them . There is nothing worse then finding out your instincts were right when it is too late!

Well there you go! The final five tips on how to choose the right public relations firm for you! If you would like to learn more about gaining media attention for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Marsha would love to help. Feel free to contact her directly at mfriedman@emsincorporated.com or visit her firm online at http://www.emsincorporated.com. As a public relations expert Friedman has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without budget busting monthly retainers.