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If you are one of the thousands of businesses looking to gain national 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 public relations firms out there. Some are local, some national. Some retainer based, some project based. So how do you know which public relations firm will be the best fit for your goals ? Here Marsha Friedman, founder of Event Management Services Incorporated, a local and national PR firm , will share her 10 tips on how to choose the RIGHT public relations firm to get your message the media attention that you desire.

1. Find a PR firm that specializes in your industry. "For example," says Friedman ," if you have a technical Business to Business then you should find a national public relations firm that specializes in B2B. If the public relations firm regularly works with companies that are in your industry, they will be familiar with how to write and pitch your message to the media." Also, they will be able to get your campaign underway pretty quickly . "If you choose a national or a local public relations firm who is unaccustomed to your industry, be prepared for them to spend some time researching your industry in order to get a full handle on your topic" adds Friedman . And guess who will be paying for the public relations firm's research time: you! "Most firms charge a costly monthly retainer, so the longer it takes for them to get started the more money that will be coming out of your bank account . Just to give you an idea the minimum is around $3,000 per month, the industry average is approximately $5,000 per month and the large public relations firms can charge anywhere from $20,000-30,000 per month."

2. Choose a PR firm that specializes in your medium of choice. If you are ready to hire a public relations firm, then chances are that you have given a bit of thought as to what medium you want to use. "By the time you start looking for a PR firm you will probably have a good idea if you want to use talk radio, television, newspapers or magazines to get exposure for your topic. It is useful to know that not all public relations firms work with all types of media," says Friedman . "A whopping 95% of firms specialize exclusively in newspaper and magazine exposure ." If you want to use the electronic media to spread your message to the masses it is in your best interest to search for a public relations firm that deals exclusively with these. "The best way to find out," says Marsha Friedman, "is to ask the public relations firm what media that they specialize in!simple as that!"

3. Ask the PR firm to supply sample campaigns. "Before choosing a PR firm, request to see some sample public relations campaigns that the firm completed for their clients," says Marsha Friedman. "This is a great way to find out how hard the PR firm works for their clients." It is also vital to know how long the campaign was. "For example, if they show you a public relations campaign that has one huge newspaper placement (such as USA Today or The New York Times) and the duration of the campaign was 2 years - be careful . "If it took 2 years to get one major newspaper , based on the minimum retainer level, you would have paid a massive $72,000 for that one newspaper or magazine hit." Sample public relations campaigns are a great indicator of the effectiveness, especially the cost effectiveness, of a public relations firm's work.

4. Find a pay-for-performance public relations firm! The costly monthly retainer can put a crunch on your finances, so it is good to know that there are other options out there. Friedman says, "There are a handful of public relations firms out there that get paid based on their the media attention the they actually obtain for their clients . My firm is one of these and my client's really love it. The reason is that they only pay for the media exposure that my public relations firm actually secures for them. So instead of paying a monthly fee, they pay for the results that my public relations firm obtains for them." By choosing a pay-for-performance firm you are truly making your public relations firm put their money where their mouth is!

5. Speak to the public relations firm's clients. When you are choosing a national public relations firm it is very important to ask to speak to some of their clients, past or present. When you get them on the phone, ask the public relations firm's clients what sort of radio, TV and print exposure they received and how long it took for the public relations firm to obtain it for them. Friedman adds, "Great questions to ask are; How well did the public relations firm's staff interact with them? Did they seem interested in the campaign? Were the press releases and pitches up to snuff? These answers will give you valuable insight as to how the public relations firm will handle your campaign."

6. Be confident in their skill in public relations . Before you agree to work with a public relations firm , make sure that you are convinced that the public relations firm will be able to deliver a successful campaign . Make sure 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 Friedman, "ask the important questions. Will they be using television, radio or print to get media exposure for you? How long the campaign will last? Do they have quantitative goals for the campaign? How long will it take to meet these goals? How the public relations firm answers these questions will ultimately determine the level of confidence you have in their ability to service your campaign .

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 area . "Many people believe that you need to have a firm located just down the street so that you can have regular face-to-face meetings with them, "says Friedman. "But this is not how it works. In my 20 years of gaining national and local 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 phone 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. Friedman says "As they are in the middle of 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. Knowing all about your Campaign Manager could make or break your decision to use a public relations firm. . 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 Friedman. "Even more frightening is that many national and local public relations firms hire interns to handle the client accounts that they do not deem a 'top priority'." If you don't investigate the qualifications of your Campaign Manager, then how can you be confident that your campaign will be handled with professional care ?

9. Find a public relations firm that believes in what you have to say . The best type of public relations firm is one that not only understands your message but also has bags of excitement for your topic. Friedman 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 instincts . Friedman 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! " instincts 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!

There you go ! The 10 tips on how to choose the right public relations firm for you! If you would like to learn more about gaining national media exposure for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Friedman is here 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 Marsha has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without budget busting monthly retainers.