Hiring a PR agency is one of the most misunderstood decisions leadership teams make. Too often, companies move forward based on credentials, past coverage, or cost, without asking the questions that actually determine whether a partnership will succeed. The result isn’t just underperformance; it’s misalignment, wasted investment, and, in many cases, a broader loss of confidence in what PR can deliver. However, the most effective leaders approach this decision differently. They ask sharper questions, ones that reveal how an agency thinks, operates, and ultimately, whether it can deliver meaningful impact. If you’ve thought about issuing an RFP or cold-pitching local agencies to acquire more information, you’ve stumbled upon the right article.
Here are five questions you should ask that matter most.
The first question is simple: why do you want to hire a PR and marketing agency? If any of your reasons equate to wanting a New York Times feature or to have your social media video go “viral,” you’re chasing a unicorn. Coverage is not a strategy; it’s an outcome. Strong PR programs are built around clear objectives, whether that’s building credibility in a new market, supporting business development, shaping perception, managing risk, or positioning leadership as authoritative voices. Without that clarity, activity replaces strategy, and activity alone rarely drives results. If an agency doesn’t push you to define success beyond coverage, they’re likely operating tactically, not strategically.
If the CEO wants clout or the board feels PR will increase sales, disappointment is absolute. PR and marketing agencies are crucial for many; they provide solutions to common branding issues and understand how to navigate almost every challenge your company can face, but agencies are not magicians who can instantly increase ROI at the drop of a hat. We are problem solvers and creative thinkers who can tailor any strategy to meet your needs. There is a risk when leaders hire an agency without first defining whether the goal is credibility, awareness, messaging, crisis readiness, or business momentum. Think of your agency as an extension of your team, a partner-in-crime if you will, and you’ll see results far better than a one-off media placement.
Next up: what does success look like to you? Vanity metrics are easy to promise and easy to report. Impressions, volume of coverage, media lists all look impressive, but they don’t always translate into business impact. More sophisticated programs define success differently: Are you reaching the right audiences? Is perception shifting? Are you generating inbound interest? Are your executives being positioned as credible voices? The strongest agencies will challenge how you define success and align metrics to outcomes that matter to your business.
Another important question to learn upfront: who will be managing the account? In many agency pitches, senior leaders lead the conversation and then disappear once the partnership begins. This question is often overlooked yet remains one of the most critical factors in agency selection. Independent agencies are strong in this area. Due to size, agencies like ours take pride in having senior-level talent manage and counsel clients. Instead of entry-level coordinators running the show, we ensure every account has a balance of all expertise levels. As you interview agencies, make sure what you see is what you get. If the President or Vice President is part of the pitching process, they should also be part of the day-to-day operations. The reality is simple: If the people you meet are not the people doing the work, you’re not hiring the agency you think you are. Strong agencies build teams that are both strategic and executional and ensure continuity between the pitch and the day-to-day work.
When you’re searching for a PR firm, the question of earned media relations is sure to arise, and it’s a good opportunity to question how the team handles pitching and reporter relationships. There is a vast difference between reactive pitching and true strategic media engagement. Thoughtful PR encompasses thought leadership, timely commentary, and narrative-driven storytelling, not the ineffective “spray and pray” tactic many professionals use. Media relationships are important, but they’re only the tip of the iceberg. A talented PR strategist can identify topics and will personalize communications with reporters to ensure they differentiate from the thousands of other pitches in a journalist’s inbox.
Lastly, like with many industries, PR and marketing can sometimes take a turn. Perhaps your company is met with a crisis, or there is an industry-wide issue that forces the current strategies to pause and reset. It’s imperative to ask: What happens when things don’t go as planned? How an agency responds when things go off script will tell you everything about their professionalism and ability to pivot. Are they communicating clearly, recalibrating quickly, and sustaining momentum even during challenging stretches? If media is silent or rejects the current pitch strategy, what will they plan to do next? This question is imperative to ensure you are trusting the right partner with your brand’s value proposition.
If there’s just one takeaway from this information you grasp, I hope it’s this: Hiring a PR agency is not about activity. It’s about alignment. The right partner won’t just answer these questions; they’ll challenge how you think about them. They’ll push for clarity, define success in meaningful terms, and build a strategy that connects communication to business outcomes. In short, the effectiveness of a PR program isn’t determined by how much is done; it’s determined by how well it’s aligned, how clearly it’s executed, and how consistently it delivers. And that starts long before the work begins.
