First of all, before choosing a PR consultant or an agency you should define your goals and objectives and consider how you want the public relations to help you. The choice of an independent PR consultant, a small PR firm or a large PR agency depends on the size of your project, your budget and the terms your PR campaign is to be done.
· An independent consultant is one person, sometimes with a support staff. They work for different clients and make various projects at the same time. Their advantage is that they are flexible, independent and able for a long-term cooperation.
· Consultancy is an organization that provides public relations services for other companies. It can offer different communications services and work together with the internal PR staff.
Thus, having decided whom to hire, you have to find out the following information.
About the consultant/consultancy:
· Are they members of CIPR?
· Their professional background.
· Their experience in similar activity.
· Who their clients were (or are).
· Their price.
· Their methods of working on the program, etc.
About the project:
· Specify what you want to be done and when, define your objectives and deadlines;
· Where they will be based, in your office or elsewhere;
· Define whether they will work solo or cooperate with your team.
A PR consultant or consultancy will need some information from you. The objectives, problems, and solutions you expect to view, etc. The list below includes the information you may be asked for.
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Organization Communications |
Markets Audiences/Publics Resources |
About the fees
The PR consultants or consultancies' charge may be from $30 per hour up to $3000 per day. They may charge for the project or for some piece of work. You may also arrange a contract with the PR consultant. Covering of such expenses as telephone calls, internet access, fax, travel expenses should be discussed in the contract.
Possessing the knowledge and information about your future PR consultant and defining the objectives, goals, terms, deadlines, etc. will make your relations within the organization and outside more efficient and congruous.