How to know if your PR pitch is all smoke and mirrors

While I have no doubt my fellow PR professionals are competent in delivering PR, sometimes I think the thrill of pitching for a client with a great brand or product gets in the way of delivering the best strategy for the client, that is, they get caught up in pitching the best ideas and fail to deliver the basics on time, on budget and accurately.

We hear it all the time at Elevate from potential new clients, who have sat through the pitch process with a rival agency and signed the dotted line, only to seek advice from us months later when their campaign just isn’t working.

The common let down? Lack of results.

The pitch complete with all the bells and whistles can really draw in a new client and excite them for the possibilities that lie ahead. Who wouldn’t love the sound of a unique stunt activation on the beach, a partnership with a major sporting event or a celebrity endorsement on social media? That’s exactly what you as a business manager want to hear!

But it’s our job as professionals in the industry, to develop the best approach for your brand and manage your expectations on the outcomes. We can pitch anything, but we can’t always pull it off! What if it turns out the council doesn’t permit activations on the beach? What if the sporting event has committed all of its sponsorship dollars already? And what if the celebrity asks for a fee the client just can’t afford?

Smoke and mirrors may win your business, but it’s the strategic direction, persistence and realistic objectives that retain you as a client.

Here’s some questions to ask your PR agency when you’re going through your next PR tender round:

1. What experience do you have in our industry? PR mechanics transition easily across industries so it’s not necessary the agency has worked in your industry, but it might come down to this if it’s between two agencies you like. 

2. What experience do you have with the suggestions you have proposed? You need to see some thought behind the ideas. Have they worked with that celebrity before? Who will manage the activation?

3. How much is this going to cost? Ballpark figures are OK but does it include flights, accommodation, advertising costs, gst, etc? You want to be assured the agency has considered any additional costs on top of the retainer or project fee.

4. What results can we expect to see? You need to know the pitch hits your target market, has a call to action, increases brand awareness and drives sales or traffic – it needs a meaningful purpose to your brand. PR can never guarantee media coverage, event attendance or sales spikes, so be wary of any promises you receive. What we can control (and what you should expect) is correct messaging throughout all collateral and an effort to reach your key target market through appropriate channels.

5. What happens if something goes wrong? How do you manage that? You’re looking for an agency that will be transparent and have plan B and C already thought of – because, let’s face it, things can and do go wrong. How the agency manages the problem is what matters most.

Bells and whistles can be great concepts when there is thought behind the approach – that’s what makes it strategic. Bells and whistles to wow a client without solid answers to the questions above, well that’s just smoke and mirrors.