Are you a startup? Are you wondering if you need a PR/Marketing agency?
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself that will save you both time and money. These questions address recurring mistakes I witnessed over and over again in my 30 years on the agency side.
Why do we want to hire an agency? What's the challenge we want an outside partner to help us with?
Why now? Is this the right time? Or is it too early?
Do we have the right strategy in place? Do we know who we are, why we exist, what makes us different, whom we want to reach?
Are we clear on what we want the agency to do on our behalf?
If not, do we need a strategic partner to help us to get there? Or might we have the resources in-house?
Do we have the right infrastructure and collaborative culture to make an external partner successful?
Are we fluent in comms and marketing? Do we speak the same language, are we aligned, or is there a risk things might get lost in translation?
Do we need an in-house solution instead? If so, how senior?
Might the solution be a contractor or a freelancer?
Do we know how much we can (or should) invest? What do we want to achieve with that investment? Do we have clear goals?
Every startup is different. There's no magic formula; there's no "one size fits all" solution. But answering these questions will help you map where you are, assess your needs and, find the best solution for you.
I can’t tell you how much I want to see agencies and brands working better together.
Schedule a consultation with me if you need any help.
Photo by Jules Bss on Unsplash