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What to look for in PR rep?

floraandfaunafloraandfauna subscriber Posts: 3
edited January 2008 in Public Relations
I`m looking to hire someone to help with PR on a freelance basis, perhaps 10-15 hours a month to start. I am in the L.A. area, and would like someone who understands small business and won`t charge me a small fortune.
Honestly, I`m not sure where to look or what to look for. Any recommendations?
thanks,
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Comments

  • stonesledgestonesledge subscriber Posts: 608 Silver Level Member
    Make certain that they can produce, check references and call past clients to learn about their results and experience with that company. Make sure you have detailed reports of what they have done and balance them against the results to see if you are getting a good ROI.
     
    Erin
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  • PRProPRPro subscriber Posts: 25
    Hi Christine,
     
    As an additional note to the great input above...After you do your research, you`ll also want to see how your personality works with the PR person you choose. As a small business owner, it`s usually a good idea to think of this person as an extension of your team.
     
    Melanie
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  • PRProPRPro subscriber Posts: 25
    As a small business owner starting out with a limited budget, you can probably get more publicity for your new products and/or services on your own. Why? You have more passion for your business than anyone else, and this passion comes across when you talk to the media.
     
    Check our "7 Steps to PR" on this site for help. Then, when your business grows and you need to focus on core business responsibilities, you`ll have a better idea of what to look for in a PR person or firm.
     
    Hope this helps!
    Melanie
     
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  • floraandfaunafloraandfauna subscriber Posts: 3
    Thanks everyone for your responses, I have a lot of research to do!
    Taking on a business and doing every little thing yourself is rewarding yet exhausting. I suppose I`ve gotten to the point where I would like to hire someone to do something, and PR seems like the best investment (and the place where I am the least skilled).
    thanks again,
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  • Victor363Victor363 subscriber Posts: 2
    Hi Christine,
    Finding someone good at PR is not going to be an easy task. Unlike marketing, Public relations is an art.
    I don`t know what your motives are here, but if your end goal is to make more money from your website, than you are going to actually have to deal with your website.  I took a look at it, and while the design is good, your online marketing and sales leaves some to be desired.  Do some keyword research, find out what people are searching for online and than create landing pages for your products that answer those desires. Also, try to match the keywords you use in your product descriptions so that they exactly match what people are searching for. This will improve your conversion rate and your relevance to Google.
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  • MistressofMarketingMistressofMarketing subscriber Posts: 2
    I`d like to echo what Melanie said about personality. The person you hire has to mesh with your vision and your company. Also, particularly in freelance, communication is crucial. You don`t want to hire someone for a big project and later find out that you both had different ideas of what success looked like for it! If they aren`t on the ball in returning emails and keeping in touch, I`d say find someone else!
    Good luck!
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  • cdbartworkcdbartwork subscriber Posts: 11
    Christine:
     
    I agree with what Erin said, check references and call past clients. Get a detailed listing of what this person will do for you, ask how many hours they will put in which is dedicated to you only. Ask for a spreadsheet twice a month of activity and good luck!
     
    Arrange payments at the end of the month. This is all information learned after a very disastrous experience with a PR person
     
    Colleen
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  • saravanansaravanan subscriber Posts: 389 Silver Level Member
    PR agencies come in all shapes and sizes, and they don’t come cheap! It is definitely not a case of one size fits all when it comes to PR firms. So, finding the right PR firm to match your expectations, fit your culture and, most importantly, accomplish the PR objectives that will move your business forward, can be quite a task.
    Copper Slag Manufacturer in India
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  • arjun123arjun123 subscriber Posts: 114 Silver Level Member
    A good PR company is worth its weight in gold, so do your due diligence when it 
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