Five Reasons For Hiring (or Joining!) a Smaller PR Firm

Greg Wilson joins Curley Company.

After five terrific years as a solo PR practitioner, I took the shingle off the nail, began packing my briefcase and will once again head into Downtown DC to ply my trade. This is the next chapter in my career of 20+ years in strategic communication, crisis PR, lobbying and public affairs.

Some have asked what took me so long to get back into the agency game … the answer is simple: I’m stubborn and was waiting for my dear friend and colleague Jennifer Curley to ask me to join her firm — Curley Company.  And earlier this month, she did just that. So here I come!

Serendipitously, this post by Tam Henderson popped up on PR Daily. It outlines the best reasons to hire a small PR shop like Curley Company:

1. The obvious: cash flow.
Why pay through the nose for all that plush agency overhead? Hand-engraved business cards do not column inches make, nor is a posh ZIP code a journalist’s friend. If PR for you means being wined and dined, then by all means, go for it. If, however, you run a tight ship, downsizing to a one-man band or boutique agency will get you more bang for your buck. Plus, you can afford a hell of a lot more of that bang while you’re at it. More time equals better results.

2. The honeymoon period.
Are you suffering from an itchy case of “pitch and switch”? A common affliction: A client is charmed by senior management, only to find itself relegated later to a separate team (often with vastly different experience). Suddenly you’re no longer the best thing since sliced bread, and you’re paying high-end fees for a box-fresh college graduate to handle your account. Independent PR pros are often seasoned professionals doing 100 percent of the legwork, from developing the idea to grabbing the headline—seamless implementation delivered with real-world aplomb.

3. Blood, sweat, and tears.
Freelancers are only as good as their last project. Media relations is their meal ticket. As they are 100 percent accountable for every outcome, there is nowhere to hide. Most will fight tooth, nail, and bone to get your name where it counts, and without a 9-to-5 mentality, they’re always looking for new opportunities to get an edge over the competition. The PR world is fickle. Reputation is everything.

4. Lightning-fast reaction times
Death by committee. Groupthink. Treacle like hierarchical decision-making. These and other things are reasons why a smaller PR resource can outperform a bigger one. PR is opportunistic. It’s about keeping your eyes, ears, and nose to the ground, spotting opportunities and jumping on them to maximize the chances of positive exposure for your brand. Freelancers have an always-on mentality. You’ll get lightning reactions and, yes, we’ll probably answer the phone at midnight.

5. Make a friend
The plethora of small PR companies means you have more choice than ever to find someone who matches not only your company’s objectives but also your personal ones. Trust and good relationships are crucial, so here is your opportunity to find someone you enjoy working with. The more positive the relationship, the more motivated the team and the more fruitful the collaboration—ergo, the better for your business. This is obvious, but it’s often overlooked.

Next time you’re reviewing your PR, ask yourself whether you enjoy working with your agency. Did you inherit the relationship, or did it come as part of a package? Is the agency delivering on its promises and offering value for money?

Go wild: Support independents, and find out why cutting back your PR could enhance your business.