8 signs your company needs a PR consulting agency right now

Sherlock Communications > Latest Posts > 101 tips: marketing and public relations > 8 signs your company needs a PR consulting agency right now

All companies have similar objectives: captivate their target audience, establish their brand, meet the needs of their customers and try to expand more and more. The final dish may be the same, but not every recipe is effective. Whether you’re looking to improve your sales or mitigate a crisis, you will need the input of specialists. And a public relations consulting agency may be the solution.

A PR consulting agency’s role is to anticipate, analyse and interpret public opinion, while evaluating attitudes and decisions which may affect the company, for better or for worse.

Moving from theory to practice calls for a plan, and a strategy. How can we be sure whether a company needs a public relations consulting agency at this crucial moment? By paying attention to specific signs.

Inability to attract new clients

Do you feel that your company is stagnating, or has plateaued, with no further growth in sight? If so, improving the image you display to the outside world is required to attract new clients.

Revitalising your brand, improving your reputation and strengthening credibility are some of the challenges that a public relations consulting firm can help you to face.

Lack of creativity in your communications

It is not only necessary to know what you want, but also to know how to communicate it. Creativity and precision in your message act as multipliers in any commercial strategy.

Experts from a public relations agency will be responsible for  analysing your company’s data, determining goals and implementing attractive and efficient means of communication.

Possible actions include organising events, summoning journalists and communicators to discover the benefits of the brand, and distributing newsletters with content to publish in the press.

Wanting to know your customers' needs

It is often said that the customer is always right. But to figure out what the customer wants, you need to get to know them. The closer your relationship with your users, the easier it will be to meet their demands, and prevent the competition from getting the upper hand.

By carrying out a market analysis, your public relations company will focus on the brand’s customers – firstly by listening to them, then by informing them, and finally by trying to persuade them and earn their loyalty.

In this sense, establishing channels of dialogue – emails, chats, surveys – is key to assessing your customers’ opinions and needs, thus building ties.

No place in the online world

In today’s communications-led age, current and potential customers usually start their search online. Your brand needs to achieve visibility in the spaces where its audience is most active.

If they don’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Public relations agencies are in charge of assembling and promoting optimised content, and using SEO techniques to position brands so they can gain ground in the virtual world.

Losing sight of you competitors

If demand for your products or services is varied, your company must seek to differentiate itself from its competitors.

To do so, it can be useful for agencies to carry out a media monitoring or clipping service to gauge the brand’s presence in its specific market. This exercise will also serve to evaluate the competition, and focus your mass communication strategy.

You need your brand to reach the media

Promoting your company’s services is a main objective. Public relations agencies act as mediators between brands and the media, either by securing advertising space or generating promotional content.

Getting journalists, influencers, traditional media and niche blogs to disseminate the benefits of your brand will serve to consolidate it in the market, and reach more and more people.

Dealing with a crisis

If you feel that your customers are turning away from your company, that your brand image has been damaged for whatever reason, or that you are going through a crisis which is affecting your sales levels, it pays to turn to the services of a public relations consultancy.

Our experts will create a communication strategy to get you back on track, strengthening your brand and overcoming bad publicity.

Falling behind on new trends

  • Technology often moves faster than companies can react. Don’t get left out of the market! Be aware of new trends, and how to take advantage of them.A public relations firm will not only take care of creating links with traditional media, but can also build a specific campaign for social networks, which can boost your message exponentially.If any of these symptoms match what is happening right now with your company, incorporating the services of a public relations consultancy is the way to go.

    Sherlock Communications is a Latin American PR consulting agency, ideally suited to provide the support and expertise which your brand needs to execute your global communications and business strategy.

    We offer a wide range of public relations services, from consulting and strategic planning to media and influencer relations, from SEO to social media. Our well-designed and engaging campaigns always deliver solid results, based on data analysis, reporting and account provision.

    If you would like to learn more about our services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Written by: Mariano Verrina