PR agencies in Massachusetts range from small firms run by individuals to large firms with many departments. A public relations firm introduces your business to the public and conveys your company's message. It's a good idea to consider hiring a PR firm, even if you think you can do your own PR.

With years of experience and contacts, a PR firm will have the resources and connections to provide good public relations in Massachusetts. They can polish your image and come up with ideas you hadn't thought of, as well as free up your time for other tasks. A few reasons for a business to set up public relations in MA are:

1. Public relations messages bring attention to a new company, product or service.

2. PR agencies in MA can help to handle damage control or provide crisis management when things go wrong.

3. Massachusetts public relations firms keep customers aware of changes and news in your company, keeping your company name fresh in their minds.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find sources for public relations in MA

Get started by comparing Massachusetts public relations firms to find the one that's right for you. A good place to start is by contacting PR firms that you read about in industry journals. An online directory of PR agencies can also help.

I recommend: The DMOZ open directory lists project PR agencies in Massachusetts. O'Dwyer Company, Inc. is a good source for listings of MA public relations firms as well as public relations news and information. CounselorConnect provides a searchable directory of members of the Public Relations Society of America. To find listings of public relations firms in Massachusetts, just choose the state name on the search page.

Locate PR agencies in Massachusetts that are suited to your business' size and industry

Find the right agency for your needs. PR firms often specialize in specific industries, small or large businesses.

I recommend: BackBay Communications and Hart-Boillot are PR agencies in Boston. BackBay specializes in the financial and professional services sectors. Hart-Boillot works with firms in business-to-business technology and life sciences. Located in nearby Sharon, MA, public relations firm Tiziani Whitmyre has experience working with small business start ups in a range of industries.

Look for Massachusetts PR agencies that work with technology

Today's public relations efforts must integrate with technology. Modern PR methods, nicknamed 'PR 2.0,' includes search engine optimization, social networking and blogs, webinars, digital products, online press kits, RSS feeds, webinars and podcasts.

I recommend: Most PR agencies in Boston and across Massachusetts work with web technology. Greenough Communications includes a digital communications group that offers video site, webcasts and other digital products. They also do blogs and search engine optimization. True to its name, SEO-PR specializes in search engine optimization and increasing website traffic. SHIFT communications coined the phrase "PR 2.0" and is a leader in using modern PR methods.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask to see clippings of the MA public relations firms' previous work and check references from clients.