How do you choose a PR agency that will support your business?

Over the past 10 years, I have witnessed hundreds of different procurements and sales meetings from the sidelines, somewhere companies have been able to engage a strategic partner to support business success, others where they have recruited a handyman whose real value remains questionable. The difference between the first and the second outcome is always created by one overarching trait: how the process of engaging an agency is thought through and expectations are fixed.

Choosing a PR agency is more than finding someone to write press releases or send talking points to journalists. It’s about a long-term strategic partner who needs to be able to understand your business objectives, both long and short-term, and support them with their day-to-day activities. But how do you get to the kind of agency that will deliver results?

Map your marketing & PR needs

It should start with objectives. Before sitting down at the table with any agency, it is worth asking yourself two critical questions: “What results do I want to achieve by working with a PR agency?“ and “What does success look like for me?”. These are seemingly simple questions, but finding the correct answers can often be the difference between a company backed by an agency that will make a difference and someone just doing something to get something done.

Once the initial objectives are clear and the bigger vision is in place, it’s also worth considering what type of PR firm can help achieve the goals.

Map the market

The bigger the market, the more choices. The Estonian PR market is relatively small, but some agencies can offer diverse services.

There are those primarily known for their strong strategic approach and those more focused on traditional media relations or digital marketing. By understanding your needs, you can choose someone who can deliver what you really need.

The team’s size is also crucial in making the right choice. While an agency doesn’t need to have 10, 20 or 30 people, the size of the team is a key indicator of the range of skills and experience that will contribute to success. It is worth looking at companies’ websites to see if anyone has experience in a similar sector to your business and case studies of successful projects.

“It is worth understanding that PR is not universal. Strategies that work for a B2C-oriented retail brand may not work for a B2B-oriented technology company.”

It is worth understanding that PR is not universal. Strategies that work for a B2C-oriented retail brand may not work for a B2B-oriented technology company. Just as PR itself is not universal, neither are agencies. That’s why it’s important to find potential partners who understand the challenges and trends in your business sector and who have a network of journalists covering that sector.

Test the competence & ask for references

Once you’ve found agencies that, at least as described, could help your business meet its strategic objectives, it’s time to move on to the next step and start validating potential partners. To get a good overview of the agencies, send them an introductory email and see if they would be interested in bidding. Then, give your potential partners the same task and see how they do.

The latter could coincide with your strategic business objectives and test the capabilities you need from the agency daily. Be sure to also ask for references, as similar experience is generally the best teacher. During the validation phase, getting real insight into the team’s competencies and capabilities is essential.

As a company, sending experienced partners or team leaders to a sales meeting is of little use, but your own day-to-day partner will be an inexperienced young person who is still learning. It is important to include a clause in the initial invitation to tender that the same team that will later advise the company will be represented at the sales meeting.

Meet in person

As good as no offer is, the chemistry between the agency and the company must always be an essential consideration in the final selection. A good way to test the fit at a human level is to invite agencies one by one to submit a given assignment and, in the process, ensure that a good fit exists. Since the agency should ideally become part of your team, it is obvious that this team will perform much better if all its members share similar perceptions, values and attitudes. 

“Agencies today no longer do “PR”. They help you position your business in the market, anticipate risks and support sales.”

In 2025, a PR agency should be more than just a hand-holding device for a communications manager. Agencies today no longer do “PR”. They help you position your business in the market, anticipate risks and support sales. So make wise choices and spend more rather than less time choosing an agency, because onboarding is inevitably a costly exercise.