PR companies vary enormously. Many large agencies provide a PR service for a wide variety of clients but this often results in minimal success as they have to “learn the business” of the new company and then gain useful press contacts.

You should choose a PR company that specialises in your particular sphere. From day one they will understand the basics of your company’s business and will certainly have the press and media contacts available immediately. In other words, they are not learning on your time or with your money.

A large PR company may sound like the perfect answer for your prestigious company but the person whom you interview may not be your account manager and once you have signed the contract you could find your account being serviced by a junior member of staff.

A smaller company may have a much closer working relationship, understanding your visions and providing a greater understanding of what type of promotion your company is seeking.

Another point to consider is that a large PR company has plush, centrally located offices, opulent cars and heavy business lunches which you are paying for indirectly.

A smaller company, as long as they have worked with editors and journalists and have editorial proof of past successes, may well be the best bet.

• What is PR?
• What can PR do for me?
• What should I look for in a PR company?
• How do press releases work?
• PR is free
• Signing the PR contract
• National Network System