Tech for PR blog lists some good points for PR agencies pitching for new clients. These tips come straight from the PR agency selector in the client’s office and include:

1. Use spell check/grammar check – First impressions are key. Paying attention to spelling and basic grammar indicates that you can write well.
2. Correct names – This goes to attention to detail. Spelling my name and my company’s name correctly tells me that you care about me as a potential client.
3. Deliver what you promise – I have a tight budget and demanding deliverables. Be truthful about what you can or cannot do with the budget I have. If you promise me the moon or my budget, I’ll hold you to that. My expectations have been set.
4. Staff appropriately – I think the biggest concern I have about PR agencies is the number of accounts an account person manages/staffs. This goes back to being realistic. Smaller accounts require less people who can devote more hours on the account. If you can’t support this, don’t pitch the business.
5. Simple measurements – It’s key to provide recommendations on how to consistently and simply measure PR. This will provide a foundation on how to track this back to my organization’s marketing programs.

Additions from my little experience so far:

1. Getting the client brief right – nothing is so embarrassing as coming up with a plan and the client saying this is not in sync with my requirements.
2. Quoting a reasonable fee- Seek out who else are involve in the pitch and quote a sum lower than the rest. Often the fee quote can be the deciding factor in many companies and one time projects.
3. Personal relationships are influential – whether we like it or not – yes in big companies too.
4. A big name in the agency works wonders – I have seen clients going to a particular agency just because of one name, even if that particular name wouldn’t be involved in handling the account anytime.

Tech Tags: pr public+relations india

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