If you’re currently weighing your marketing mix options and are considering a marketing firm to conduct your PR and social media campaigns to increase your visibility, there are specific questions to ask your future agency. Here’s a list of the top 5 questions to ask before signing on the dotted line.

1. How quickly will your account team be executing your campaign?
Find out on what day of the campaign the team will actually begin speaking with the media about your brand and products, developing your social media presence, etc. A reputable agency will spend the first 30-60 days creating a strategy and laying out a plan before picking up the phone to speak with an editor about your product. 

2. What is the experience level of the account team?
You’ll want to work with professionals who understand how to strategize and plan for success from a big-picture perspective, as well as tackle the everyday tasks that are necessary to create results. They need to be able to effectively craft messages to get the mainstream media’s attention and to engage your social media audience.

3. How many people will actively be working on your account?
While you probably don’t want to have only one person at your agency who is dedicated to your account, you should also be wary of the opposite – having the entire agency interacting with the media on your behalf. A team of two to four professionals can become experts on your brand and have intelligent conversations with the media on a daily basis, while also keeping the bigger picture – overall strategy and campaign results – in mind.

4. How often will you be updated on the status of your account – media exposure, improvement in search term rankings, increase in Twitter/Facebook/Linked In followers or YouTube subscribers, heavy referral link activity, etc?
You’ll want to make sure your marketing and sales team is able to align their efforts with current PR activities. Some agencies provide clients with detailed and structured reports on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis, depending on their preferences. Make sure that you are able to hold your agency accountable for their results; if they don’t provide regular updates, how will you know what you are getting for your money?

5. What is the length of your contract?
While this is an obvious question to ask, it is important to consider contract length. Some agencies will only accept new clients who agree to a six- or 12-month contract. Find a firm that will hit the ground running from the outset, approaching your campaign as though they are running a marathon. PR isn’t a sprint and you want to have consistent results in the long-term.

While every client has different PR needs, it’s important that you do your due diligence when selecting a PR firm.