How to Create a PR Brief that Doesn't Suck
Many have written one.
Some have even succeeded.
Most suck.
Writing a PR brief that clearly outlines your company’s goals and expectations isn’t as hard as it looks, yet many companies often make things more complicated than they need to be. From over-simplifying the process, to making it far more convoluted, or missing pertinent information altogether, the end result is often a document that only confuses your agency partner and doesn’t get you the results you want.
Creating the perfect PR brief is a fine-tuned science. Think of it like you would a job description.
At the very least it should provide information about your company--who you are, what your core values are, which goals you hope to accomplish and what you are looking for in a PR agency.
Now comes the trickier part: outlining the objectives of your communications campaign/goals to get you what you really want – results!
Here are a few dos and don’ts for creating the perfect PR brief.
DON’T ….
Stick everything and the kitchen sink into your brief. Valuable campaigns are ones that have a clear goal in mind, whether it’s increasing brand visibility, increasing social engagement, or pushing media presence. Campaigns can take a holistic approach but remind yourself that quality over quantity of services is always best.
Leave the budget line open-ended. Even if you’re not sure what your final budget should be, you should still know what’s approximately available in the company coffers. Be as transparent as possible and don’t avoid this conversation or leave it to the agency to decide. This will almost always result in pricing that is misaligned to your expectations or gives you major sticker shock.
TIP: If you’re budget conscious and serious about PR, an agency will almost always give you a better long-term rate for a retainer vs a short-term project (anything under 4 months).
Beat around the bush or use tons of jargon that you think will show agencies you “get it” – make your priorities clear and concise, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification throughout the process.
Provide a timeline that isn’t realistic. You want the best ideas, and those take time. Make sure you give yourself and your agency partner a realistic deadline for submissions, presentation period and for you to review everything thoroughly and ask questions.
DO
Provide a full, up-to-date overview of your company that includes points of contact, spokespeople, brand positioning and core values, company strengths and weaknesses, key brand messages, current target audiences, an overview of top competitors, as well as brand differentiators that set you apart.
Share some of the things you have tried before (for example, e-blasts, influencer programs, news releases…). In your opinion, what has worked and what hasn’t?
Inspire creativity. PR agencies will do their best work for brands they are excited about.
Clearly list campaign parameters and proactively answer the following questions:
Is this a retainer or project?
If it’s a campaign, how long will it run?
What is your target audience?
Is this a local or national campaign?
What is your budget? Does that budget include expenses such as influencer fees, printing, packaging and shipping, or hard costs for events?
What are your goals/KPIs and how will they be measured?
If you are not sure, a question we always like to ask new clients is “what does a success look like to you?”
If you’re still not sure, try breaking it down. For example, are you looking to launch or build your brand’s visibility? Are you looking to innovate? Are you looking to educate? Are you looking to increase sales, drive website traffic or attract investors? …
And last but never least remember, as a brand you must do your homework too. Get to know the agencies who are pitching you, what they stand for, what their corporate culture is, what other clients they have and what their strengths and weakness are.
Finding the right agency fit is crucial to a great and long-lasting agency-client relationship.
Happy PR brief writing!