Should You Do Your Own PR or Hire an Agency? Let's Discuss.
“Where should I start with PR?” and “Am I ready for PR?” are two questions we get asked a lot.
As two PR consultants who have worked at agencies, in-house for brands, and have run our own boutique firms, we can tell you firsthand that hiring an agency or consultant when your business is ready, can be a total game changer. That said, it’s a significant, long term investment that not every small business is ready for.
In today’s digital world, there are more opportunities than ever before to tell your own story and build your brand through social media, content, influencer partnerships, and earned media. We understand doing it on your own can be overwhelming, and you may not know where to start, but that is exactly why we created All You Need Method – to empower you with the tools and strategies you need to build a lasting brand.
To assess the level of PR support you need at this stage in your business, use our PR Roadmap below as a guide. Read through each level and consider which one you identify with right now to determine the level of PR support you need – and if your business is ready for outside help.
Level One: Build Your Foundation
You are considering starting a business or making your side hustle official
You already own a small business but are still figuring out your goals
You have bought a domain name, set up a website, started social media handles, but are not sure what to do next
You are not quite sure how to explain what sets you apart from the competition
You have a logo but you aren’t sure that your fonts, colors, and photography are clearly representing your brand vision
You have an idea of your target audience but it’s more of a hunch
You have a general understanding of PR but are not sure exactly how it can help your business
Before you bring on external PR help, take the time to map out the basics: your founding story, what your company/brand stands for (values, vision, mission), your target audience, and what makes your brand unique and separates it from the competition. You should have all of this in order before you begin to create your own PR plan or begin media outreach. We cover all of this and much more in our online course The Brand Starter Kit.
Level Two: Tell Your Own Story
You are getting clear on your business goals
Your business is growing organically, and you want to take it to the next level OR your business model has changed recently and you need a refresh to get back on track
You have basic messaging in place but are not always consistent in how you describe your business
You feel uncertain about sharing your founding story on your website and social media channels
You aren’t sure if you are describing your business clearly, or it doesn’t seem to be resonating with your target audience
You get stuck on creating content and aren’t sure what to post other than your product or service
You have a small social media following but are looking to reach more customers and increase brand awareness
Most of your customers find you through friends, family, or word of mouth
You have probably gotten here by your own business sense and instincts. Now it’s time to think about how to tell your brand story in a unique and compelling way through your website and content in order to build a leading brand and capture the attention of editors, influencers, and your ideal customers.
Spend time refining your brand foundation using our online course The Brand Starter Kit. Conduct a brand audit and consider any adjustments you need to make to your messaging, brand aesthetic, website, and social media content in order to tell your story consistently and effectively. You may need to invest in a graphic designer or website developer.
As you’re making updates to your messaging, positioning, branding, website, and content strategy, you may need expert guidance to keep you on the right track. Join the waitlist for our 1:1 consulting program, launching soon, which we designed to work alongside you as part of your team.
Level Three: Begin Outreach
Your business is growing and you want to speed up the momentum OR your business momentum has hit a standstill and you need to re-evaluate
You have product news, a launch, or a key business milestone coming up in the next 3-6 months
You have a relevant, timely, and interesting story that will differentiate you and your business from the competition
You are ready to scale your business
You are ready to build a personal brand to support your business goals
You are gearing up for fundraising
If you are at this stage, then you are ready to consider developing a plan for outreach and consistent brand storytelling. Taking the time to identify exactly what you need help with - growing your following, building a personal brand, securing press, or a specific business goal or launch - is important.
Let’s look at different options for support:
DIY PR - If you aren’t ready to invest in outside support, you can learn the strategies and tools you need to do your own media outreach. Our DIY PR Workshop “How to Craft a Brand Story That Stands Out to Media” teaches you the fundamentals of building a brand story and reaching out to editors.
Consultant – When you hire a consultant, they are bringing years of expertise, guidance, and strategy to your business. PR consultants are usually independent professionals who offer specialized expertise in a particular area of public relations. They may focus on media relations, social media strategy, content creation, or crisis communication, for example. If you have a limited budget, PR consultants are often more flexible than agencies and may work with smaller businesses or individual clients on a project basis. Some consultants may also work as an extension of your team before you are ready to hire a full time employee.
If you are interested in consulting, we’d love to support you through our 1:1 consulting program, launching soon, or through our custom projects. Reach out to us here for details.
Agency - When you hire an agency, you’re hiring a strategic partner to represent you and your brand. PR agencies are typically larger firms with multiple staff members who specialize in different areas of public relations. They have a broader range of services to offer, often work with larger businesses , and have a higher price point. A PR agency typically can offer “full-service” support meaning they have a dedicated team of individuals and experts who are assigned to work with you on everything from strategy, to managing PR samples, to sending out editor deliveries. Working with an agency usually requires a 6-month to year-long commitment.
Level Four: Develop and Maintain a Long-Term PR Strategy
You have raised seed funding and/or your business is scaling
You have an ongoing story to tell or you are regularly releasing new products or news
You have already secured media coverage or have a strong social media audience/following
You are leveraging data and insights to drive your decision-making
There are emerging competitors in your space and a sense of urgency to reinforce your leadership
If these bulleted points apply to your current status then we think you are at the point where you should hire an agency. The agency will help you create a strategy and plan for your business as well as handle the day-to-day management.
When selecting the agency, it is important to remember that this is a long-term investment and is not a small one either! Taking the time to find an agency partner that fits well with your business and one that you trust is crucial to how successful the partnership will be.
When bringing on an agency partner, bring on someone who specializes in your niche. There are agencies who specialize in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, food & beverage, consumer tech, hospitality, design, etc.
As we have mentioned before, we created All You Need Method to help small business owners, digital creators, and creative entrepreneurs learn how to build a leading brand. If your business is not at the level necessary for hiring an agency and you need support on how to get there, start with our DIY PR workshop “How to Craft a Brand Story That Stands Out to Media” and our online course, The Brand Starter Kit.
We look forward to working with you on building your dream business!
-Carla & Kathryn
