PR Agencies in New York

Guide to PR Agencies in New York

Select the right New York public relations firm to fit your business
By Michael Berman

The New York metropolitan area, which covers areas of New York State, New Jersey and Connecticut, is home to hundreds of public relations agencies. In fact, NY PR firms are among the largest in the world.

But size doesn't mean everything, which means there are several criteria that good New York PR agencies should meet before they get your business.

1. The NY PR firm you hire should be able to "speak your language," showing an intimate knowledge of your type of business.
2. They should be educated on your business and that of your competitors.
3. New York public relations firms must provide instant accessibility to the people working on your account.
4. The PR firms in New York you're considering must not sit back and relax after a major placement.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Rate your New York public relations firm Check on the types of clients handled by NY PR firms and how they compare to other PR firms in New York. There are several publications that rank PR firms in New York , giving you not only the volume of business, but a glimpse of their client list.

I recommend:  A couple of the major ones include O'Dwyerpr, PR.com, and PRWeek, which lists award winners in all major categories.

Check their client list Most PR firms in New York specialize in they industries they cover so they can be knowledgeable when discussing your business. Visit the websites of the firms you're interested in to see if they specialize in your business.

I recommend:  Some of the better-known PR agencies in New York are Edelman, Giles Communications, Ruder Finn and Text 100 International.

Determine how well the agency performs The objective of using New York PR agencies is to get the word out on its clients. See how the New York PR agencies are spreading the word to newspapers and magazines.

I recommend:  Check the PR Newswire or Business Wire. The name of the agency and a contact person are usually found at the end of each article. The most prolific are usually the hardest-working New York PR firms.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Call four or five NY public relations firms, and ask them to submit written proposals. More than likely one of them will fit in with your company's needs and personality.
• Make the New York PR firm a part of your company. Making them seem like second-class citizens can create an adversarial relationship.
• Deal with an agency that will assign your account to a specific account representative, who will be your contact person and will deal with other members of his team at the agency. This results in less confusion and fewer headaches.
• Visit the offices of the agencies you choose to see how they operate before you hire them.
• Don't expect to see immediate results when an agency starts working on your account. It takes time to cultivate an audience.
• Keep your agency search team small.
• Make sure the agency you choose knows everything about your company so it can advise you on a campaign targeted toward your company.