PR Agencies in Washington, DC Basics

Learning about DC public relations firms and what they can do for you

There's no point in having a product to sell if no one knows about it, so tell the world, or at least the U.S., with some help from a public relations company in Washington, DC. The DC market, which includes the city and surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia, is ethnically diverse and relatively affluent. National politics and tourism keep it constantly in the public eye.

So, basically, if you focus on this market, whether your business is local to DC or not, you're bound to reach a lot of people nationwide and even worldwide at the same time. Before you start developing PR campaigns, you need to know PR agencies in Washington, DC, basics, such as these three pointers:

1. Find at least two DC PR firms that target your chosen demographic so you can try to negotiate price.

2. Interview each PR firm to make sure it offers what you're looking for.

3. Research how to put together a successful DC-based PR campaign so you can have better discussions with your agency.

 

Find at least two PR agencies in DC that target your desired demographic

The first rule of looking for a DC public relations firm is to not automatically go with the first one you find. If you only speak to one agency you won't be able to compare prices, look at different company objectives or get a feel for the different attitudes that come with different agencies.
Try: You can find dozens of DC agencies, listed from A to Z, by looking at SalesVantage's compilation. Each listing has both the agency name and the phone number. If you want more details, J.R. O'Dwyer can provide them for you. It ranks 20 DC area firms from high to low by net fees and number of employees. Just click on any company name to get a full page of information.

Interview each PR agency based in Washington, DC, to make sure it offers what you're looking for

Once you've talked briefly to a few Washington, DC, PR firms and weeded out the ones that are truly bad fits, it's time for some more in-depth questions. You'll want to know what each agency has done for similar clients and more specifics on how it can help you get the most publicity bang for your buck.
Try: Read the Public Relations Society of America's free information on selecting the right PR firm. It also offers tips on hiring a freelancer if you find that an agency is cost prohibitive. Cool Fire Technology also has some great information on hiring an agency, including a list of questions you can ask yourself to determine the details you need to discuss in that in-depth interview.

Work with your PR agency in DC to put together a successful publicity campaign

Public relations agencies in Washington, DC, can be a huge help to you, but you still have to come up with at least a vague idea of what you want to do on your own; be it an event, a print campaign, an online campaign or anything else. This will take some research and some heavy brainstorming on your part before you ask for your agency's input.
Try: Consider buying Nielsen Business Media's MediaWeek market profile for Washington, DC. It gives you demographic data as well as a comprehensive analysis of all the local media markets. It's available for download right after you purchase it. Also consider taking PR Leads Service's online introductory seminar. It includes lots of information for beginners, including tips on working with your agency on a day-to-day basis and advice on becoming a favored client.

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