Hi grm123,
Well, I think you have your work cut out for yourself! First, the
basics: defining your needs so you'll know what to look for. PR
companies have different specialities, such as entertainment, the
computer fields, the food industry or apparel - you'll want to try and
get a good match between your interests and theirs. I don't think
finding a PR firm which specializes in small businesses is as
important as finding a good match, people you like who make a good fit
with your business. In other words, size doesn't matter as much as
quality. I've copied and pasted key points from some interesting
websites below, but please click on the links and browse around the
websites - most have alot of useful information.
>>>>>> "How do I find a good public relations firm in Canada?"
"The Canadian Public Relations Society is an excellent source for
public relations. It has a member base of over 1700 in Canada, and you
can contact members through their website: http://www.cprs.ca. It also
offers a resource library, publication listing, articles, and lots of
information on the society."
http://www.canadaone.com/ezine/expert/expert_qa.html?id=68
"The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit
professional society:
* dedicated solely to the profession called public relations.
* dedicated to serving Canadians through the establishment and
maintenance of high professional, educational and ethical standards in
public relations."
http://www.cprs.ca/AboutCPRS/e_about.htm
CPRS Code of Professional Standards:
http://www.cprs.ca/AboutCPRS/e_code.htm
CPRS Accredited Members:
http://www.cprs.ca/Accreditation/e_APRs.htm
Les activités de la SRQ
http://www.srq.qc.ca/
The Counselors Academy's Guide to Selecting a Public Relations Firm or Consultant:
Step One - Define your organization's needs
Step Two - Identify a PR Firm or Individual Counselor
Step Three - Review Credentials and Capabilities
Step Four - Meet with the Short List
Step Five - The Proposal and Presentation
http://www.prsa-counselors.org/docs/how_to_select_and_work_with_a_pr_firm.html
The CEO's PR Shopping Guide:
"Now proceed to interview them and make your choice based on:
* Chemistry. A relationship with a PR company will most likely work
out if you "click" with the key people you?ll be working with. Did you
like each other? Did they seem to have a passionate interest in you
and your problem? You?re going to be trusting them with sensitive
information and depending on their competence and determination to
help you. Were they objective ? and candid?
* Thinking. Did they take the trouble to learn something about your
business, your industry, your competitors, or your problems? Did they
ask smart questions? Did they make suggestions that were smart and
creative, but also practical?
* Track record, as measured by client testimonials. PR professionals
are usually good talkers and presenters; the question is? can they
deliver? Find out who their clients are and what they?ve accomplished
for them. Ask for references and talk to those references honestly.
Would they hire the firm again? No firm is perfect; what were their
weaknesses?"
http://www.prcanada.ca/IN-THE-LIFE/EXPECT.HTM
>>>>>> "How do I know they are good."
The way is to ask to see a "list of accounts" - you'll be able to tell
what kind of clients they've been able to attract. Also, ask for a
list of organizations that they are members of and whether or not they
are accredited by the CPRS.
CPRS Award of Excellence Winners:
http://www.cprs.ca/Awards/e_recipients.htm
>>>>>> "How do I know what is a reasonable price to pay them."
The CEO's PR Shopping Guide:
Five situations in which you should hire a very small PR company or freelancer:
* "Your budget is very small (eg. under $5,000 for a basic publicity
project). Small agencies and freelancers have very low overheads,
often operating from a small home office. Many of them are very
competent writers, publicists and special events coordinators and can
deliver a decent project for relatively low hourly fees (let?s say
under $100 an hour)."
http://www.prcanada.ca/IN-THE-LIFE/EXPECT.HTM
The Counselors Academy's Guide to Selecting a Public Relations Firm or Consultant:
Fee Arrangements:
"Public relations firms charge for their time in much the same way as
do most attorneys, accountants and other professional consultants
retained to help businesses run more productively. Your public
relations firm's hourly rates will have a high and low range depending
on who works on your organization's account and you should be informed
by your public relations firm of its range.
There are several options in billing for services, and based on its
initial perception of your organization's needs, your public relations
firm or counselor will recommend one of them:
a) Hourly fee against monthly or yearly budget
..."For instance, if your organization's annual public relations
budget (for external counsel or support) is $ 60,000, then you should
expect to allot approximately $ 5,000 per month..."
b) Project Fees
"Public relations services for a one-time project (such as the opening
ceremonies for a new building) may be provided for a specific set fee
which has been determined by the prospective client and which may
include both services and expenses...
c) Retainer Fee
"This arrangement works well for organizations which have their own
communication capabilities but need counseling for complex
communication questions and issues, or periodic help with specialized
tasks such as speech writing..."
"Regardless of the fee arrangement selected, it is important to know
how a public relations firm or counselor accounts for their time, and
they should outline for you the type of written monthly activity
reports they provide their clients. Information provided by a firm or
counselor during fee discussions should also include such billing
policy details as:
- minimum time segment charged (hour, half hour, quarter hour, etc.);
- maximum amount of chargeable time per day;
- policy on billing travel time;
- commission/markup percentages, if any;
- interest charge percentage, if any, on balances over 30 days past due."
http://www.prsa-counselors.org/docs/how_to_select_and_work_with_a_pr_firm.html
Rate Guidelines: Advertising, Copywriting & PR:
http://www.writersmarket.com/content/howmuch1.asp
>>>>>> "What are some good PR firms in Canada that will work with "a
small business?
Accredited Members
There are 493 members of CPRS who have attained accreditation with the
professional society.
http://www.cprs.ca/Accreditation/e_APRs.htm
BIG BOOK
Big Book has quite a long list of Canadian Public Relations Companies
(choose "Public Relations" and hit "Go" or browse by "Public
Relations" category).. For example, here are two possibilities:
1) Al Czarnecki, APR, President
"A small firm with a strong editorial focus and personalized service.
We help you build credibility, relevance and support. Visit
topstory.ca for practical tops and to see our approach."
2) Janet MacMillan, APR, Principal
"MT&L Public Affairs works with regional, national and international
clients in such areas as public affairs, marketing communications,
issues and crisis management, and community, media and stakeholder
relations. We have particular expertise in health care, technology,
natural resources and education."
http://directories.marketingmag.ca/bigBookSearch.do?task=displaySearch
Set the search for "Public Relations" and choose your category:
"This list is an annual compilation of advertising agencies in Canada,
along with key contacts, types of services, as well as client lists
and total billings where agencies are willing to provide them."
Target the agencies or clients you're looking for by using any
combination of search criteria. Search by company, location, contact,
client name, client category, agency services provided, number of
employees and/or gross revenue."
http://directories.marketingmag.ca/mktProfileSearch.do?task=displaySearch
Two in Quebec:
Cote Larouche Communication Marketing
http://directories.marketingmag.ca/mktProfileSearch.do?searchID=1097881526427&pager.offset=0&task=displayDetail&masterInsOrdCat=35448
Triomphe Marketing & Communication
http://directories.marketingmag.ca/mktProfileSearch.do?searchID=1097881526427&pager.offset=0&task=displayDetail&masterInsOrdCat=35499
INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVERTISING (ICA)
Free Agency Search:
" As an advertiser you can choose to search for agency information on
your own and not involve the ICA further. "
http://www.agencysearch.ca/search/SearchformPage.ASP
Seek Advice From Agency Search:
"You can consult with the ICA on best search practices and conduct
your own search. Major advertisers have benefited from the ICA
experience and advice, with ?one-on-one counseling? and/or these
guidelines."
http://www.agencysearch.ca/search/BestPractices.ASP
Agency Search Service:
"You can ask the ICA to conduct a free confidential agency search on
your behalf. In the last 18 months the ICA's Agency Search has
conducted over 50 agency searches, billing in excess of $200 million,
for 50 satisfied advertisers."
http://www.agencysearch.ca/search/SearchService.ASP
>>>>>> Additional Links of Interest
"PRMadeEasy.com is the web's first do-it-yourself public relations
firm. Designed for anyone who wants to manage their reputation without
paying the service fees charged by public relations firms,
PRMadeEasy.com is a one-stop shop."
http://prmadeeasy.com/aboutUs.asp
Public relations vs. marketing:
http://directories.marketingmag.ca/bigBookSearch.do
Top 10 Public Relations Agencies (tallied by 2001 gross revenues not by PR itself)
http://www.ad-freaks.com/top10mc.htm
Top 10 lessons of public relations
http://www.netpreneur.org/resources/PRTopTen.html
I hope this helps you to sort out the PR maze and get off to a good
start. If you have any questions, please post a clarification request
*before* closing/rating my answer and I'll be happy to reply.
Thank you,
hummer
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