By Wildfire
You’ve hired a PR agency. You’re ready to make headlines, win over investors, and maybe spark a little envy from your rivals. But how do you make sure you’re getting real bang for your buck? Or in PR terms, the most coverage for your cash?
PR isn’t like ordering a takeaway. You don’t just place your order and wait for a hearty serving of media mentions to arrive. The best results come when you and your agency are both plugged into your vision, your priorities, and your day-to-day reality.
Here’s how to make that happen.
1. Be crystal clear about your goals and don’t be shy about ambition
“Get some coverage” is not a plan. “Secure a national business profile before our Series B closes” is.
When you’re clear about your ‘why’, your agency can build the right story, target the right journalists, and pick the perfect moment.
Pro tip: Want to be seen as a market disruptor? Great. Your agency might pitch you as a challenger brand taking on stale industry giants – but they can’t shape that angle if you haven’t told them what kind of reputation you’re trying to build.
2. Overshare please
You might think your day-to-day details are boring. Trust us, they’re not. Great PR pros know how to find the nugget that will hook a journalist’s interest. A 2024 Cision report found that the biggest frustration journalistshave is lack of relevant information in pitches. Don’t make your agency guess. Give them the raw material and let them craft it.
Pro tip: A tiny sustainability tweak to your supply chain might sound routine, however with the right data, it could land you a story about your role in green tech innovation.
3. Move fast, or miss out
Journalists don’t wait. News cycles move in hours, not days. If you take a week to approve a quote, that opportunity is gone. Remember: the average journalist receiveshundreds of pitches a week and if you’re not first, you’re forgotten.
Pro tip: Say a breaking news story hits like a sudden policy change, new regulation, or industry trend that affects your customers. Your agency spots a chance for you to comment and position your startup as a credible voice. But if your approvals drag on for days, the story moves on without you.
4. Give real feedback and don’t sugar-coat it
Your agency can’t fix what they don’t know. If you hate the direction of a pitch or feel your tone of voice isn’t landing you have to say so. The sooner you give honest, constructive feedback, the faster they can course-correct.
Pro tip: Didn’t like that last thought leadership piece? Explain why. Was it too generic? Too safe? The more you share, the sharper the next piece will be.
5. Treat them like your co-founders (well, almost)
The best agency relationships are built on trust, honesty, and a shared appetite for boldness. The more you keep them plugged into your vision and your messiest ideas, the better the stories they’ll find and the bigger the impact they’ll make.
Pro tip: Make communication seamless. A shared Slack channel or Teams group can feel more immediate (and more human) than endless email threads. Bring them into conversations with different people across your business because you never know where the next great PR angle might come from.
A final word from us
Your PR agency can’t work magic in the dark. Keep the lights on, the ideas flowing, and the goals ambitious. Do that, and you’ll get every penny’s worth – and then some.
About Wildfire
They’re an award-winning PR agency partnering with technology companies worldwide to transform ambition into action. Their ‘Think Bold’ approach blends boundary-pushing creativity with data-driven insights, empowering clients to launch meaningful campaigns that deliver standout results.
If you would like to get in touch with Wildfire PR and claim a free consultation or PR audit, get in touch today or email ec@wildfirepr.com.