By Jessica Muzik - Bianchi Public Relations, Inc. | June 17 2019
No matter what you do the request for proposal (RFP) is a fact of life in the world of PR agencies and clients.
In fact, some 30 percent of all PR agency new business comes via the RFP. For many corporate and institutional clients, RFPs are necessary, as corporate purchasing guidelines often require them to ensure that the PR firm search process is comprehensive and exhaustive.
And that process can be exhausting, as well, as it can create a lot of extra work for both the client and the agency. PR agency owners are sometimes disappointed to find that the process is lacking or unfair … and learn that the potential payoff just isn’t worth the time, effort and intellectual property required to participate.  As a result, many of the best PR firms decline to participate in all but the very best RFP bids.
Bad process = bad results
Sometimes, a poorly planned RFP process involves the wrong PR firms, is imbalanced and puts a strain on both the client and the participating agencies – potentially leading to a poor client-agency fit.
By conducting a mutually respectful, transparent and fair RFP process and providing the necessary information to the agencies invited, the client will generate the best outcome and PR firm partner, as well as provide the foundation for a successful and satisfying relationship.
Good RFPs are respectful
In a good RFP process, the client respects that the agencies have certain rights — especially to the information that will help them make the important business decision of whether to bid or not.
According to the PR Council (www.prcouncil.net) – an industry trade group promoting excellence in the PR profession – the best public relations firm searches are fair and reasonable to all parties. They also show mutual respect for the time and creative investment required; employ a clear and transparent process; demonstrate the value they bring; enable participating agencies to begin to form relationships with the client; and are conducted with integrity.
If your company or organization is going to use an RFP to find a PR agency partner, here are the best practices you should embrace:
A few key databases that will help are:
Conducting this research – preferably done by the PR Department and not the Purchasing Department – will help ensure the right candidates are invited. Perhaps the most important factor in securing the best possible PR agency partner.
After all, if your RFP goes only to agencies that are not a good fit for your company, the entire process and effort could be wasted.
Best next steps for RFP users
After conducting this initial research, the PR Council recommends that the client select no more than eight agencies for their list of RFP recipients and suggest that the client then:
Finally, the client may want to consider hiring a specialized agency search consultant to help manage the RFP process. Such firms know the industry, have extensive experience in assisting clients with RFP development and have access to comprehensive agency databases – to help clients save time and get the best possible agency fit.
Hiring the wrong agency will be a great deal more expensive than paying a search consultant to help you find the right one.
In closing, the PR firm RFP process can yield some great benefits and long-term relationships, if conducted properly. So if you’re going to do it, do it right!
Jessica Muzik is Vice President – Account Service at Bianchi Public Relations, Inc., PRGN’s exclusive member in the Detroit area. For more PR wisdom from Jessica and the Bianchi team, visit their blog series here.
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