Before you consider hiring a public relations agency, identify what you want public relations to do for your company. Is your goal to increase sales? Improve the quality of your written and printed materials? Build investor interest? Launch a new product? Find out about agencies that have experience in your field and in the services you need. Ask colleagues for recommendations. Look at press releases issued by other companies in related fields to see who represents them. Once you have identified a few agencies that seem appropriate, have a look at their Web sites or ask for general information about their services including a client list.
				Determine in advance how much you want to spend on PR, and try to identify agencies that can work effectively with clients in your budget range. Many smaller companies find that they do not get the level of attention they want from big agencies that typically work with larger clients. Review agency materials, and contact the best candidates to discuss your communications goals in more detail. Outline your challenges and ask for a written proposal that includes an analysis of your situation, program recommendations, biographies for all members of the team, and an estimate of costs. Look for a proposal that is insightful, clear and concise. If an agency cannot communicate well in a proposal, it probably cannot do so for clients. You may be able to choose an agency based on the quality of the written proposal. But you should always try to meet with the team in person before making a final decision. Ask for a meeting where the agency team can discuss their services and program recommendations in more detail. Make sure you will meet the same people who would work on your account. As a final step in the process, arrange to speak to some of the agency’s clients. Ask those references about the agency’s strengths and weaknesses, including levels of creativity, responsiveness and ability to deliver value. Try to speak to clients who have been with the agency for more than a year or two, and ask for an assessment of the individual team members who work with them. After you hire an agency, work quickly to get them up to speed. Flood them with information and give them the insights they need to be successful. It’s a good idea to review the agency performance at least once a quarter, preferably in person, to refine the program as necessary and keep things on track.