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Selecting a PR firm is a crucial decision. You are entrusting a team of professionals with your company’s story and vision for the future. Relying on the firm’s experience, skill and reputation, you must take a leap of faith to elevate your company or personal brand to the next level. From positioning yourself as a thought leader to elevating your organization into a household name, and countless objectives in between, a PR team can make or break your success.

This choice should not be taken lightly. But how do you know what to look for? As a founder or executive, your expertise likely lies in creating a brand or building a business, not in navigating the nuances of media strategy. This is where the right communications partner comes in.

Consider this scenario: a client hires a PR firm. Both sides are thrilled. The firm, because they have an opportunity to amplify a mission they believe in and do the work they love. And the client, because they have an opportunity to collaborate with experts who understand their vision and have the resources to bring it to life.

Now, it’s time for the first client-facing meeting. The client presents their new PR team with an idea—a thought leadership piece by their CEO that highlights his or her expertise at the intersection of AI and housing development. After drafting and refining the piece, the team of PR professionals suggests pitching it to technology and real estate outlets. The client gives the green light, excited by the prospect of seeing their name in print and reaching a new target audience.

But after a few rounds of outreach, the story doesn’t land. Even after broadening the target list, all seemingly relevant reporters pass. So, in the next client meeting, the PR team reports back: “Our efforts were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, this piece isn’t going to run. But, on the bright side, there will be plenty of opportunities in the near future to highlight your voice.”

Frustration immediately sets in. Did the client waste time and money for nothing? Why won’t these publications cover this piece? Is the PR team just being lazy? The PR team feels deflated, too—they set out to deliver value, but the effort fell flat.

A strong PR team would take an entirely different approach to this situation. They know that failure to place a story warrants a clear explanation. That begins with asking why.

• Is the story not timely in a crowded news cycle?
• Does it lack a meaningful message?
• Were the wrong outlets targeted?

Armed with these insights, the PR team would reconnect with their client, eager to revise their strategy and suggest alternate approaches for coverage. Maybe Substack or podcasts would be a better fit than legacy media outlets. Or, if the news cycle is overwhelmed with breaking news, it may be best to hold the piece until things quiet down. But if the cycle changes overnight, as it often does, maybe tweaking the story for relevance will catch a reporter’s attention.

This adaptability demonstrates the qualities that separate great PR partners from the rest: creativity, thoughtfulness and proactivity.

A creative, thoughtful and proactive team will look beyond the present moment to the future, understanding where their client is going and, more importantly, how to get them there. They will think critically about their client’s story and potential. Instead of depending on traditional notions of PR or easily succumbing to a volatile news cycle, they will rise to the challenge and reframe it as an opportunity for strategic execution.

Don’t settle for a team that offers empty promises. Understand the value you and your organization add to the world and find a team that not only recognizes it but can also deliver real results to amplify it.