Freelance PR: Helping you choose the right public relations consultant

I know, as a freelance PR consultant, that when it comes to public relations, it pays to work with an experienced professional. Someone who has seen it, done it and got the T-shirt.

When you’re starting a new business or launching a new product or trying to raise your profile, a PR pro is worth their weight in gold if you want to get coverage in a national newspaper such as The Times or secure an interview on BBC News. And professional PR support is absolutely essential if you or your business face some kind of crisis.

But the question I always get asked is: what is the difference between a freelance PR consultant and a PR agency? And which one should I choose?

The difference between a freelance PR consultant and a PR agency

A public relations agency is a team of PR pros, including account managers, who may specialise in one particular sector such as beauty or property.

On the other hand, a freelance PR consultant is more likely to be a public relations solopreneur, like me. I’m a results-led senior PR pro who’s worked for more than 25 years in the business and has consistently achieved outstanding results along the way across a whole range of sectors.

The benefits of a freelance public relations consultant

The personal relationship you build with a PR freelancer is second to none. I quickly understand who you are and what your business is all about and then I put a targeted and strategic PR action plan in place that gets results – fast! I’m the person who handles every part of the campaign and I’m the person you’ll always talk to.

With a PR agency, you may start off talking with the MD or account director but very quickly your point of contact may be a junior member of the team with very little experience – or even worse, the intern! I’ve seen this happen a lot. And when clients leave their big PR agency and come and work with me instead, it’s always because they’ve had a disappointing experience around results, costs and accountability.

Freelance PRs can be more reactive too. Perhaps something on social media needs addressing quickly or a journalist requires a quote. As your freelance PR pro, I can respond fast. Whereas an agency may have a layer of account managers to work through to get something done.

And then of course there’s the cost. No decent PR freelance professional is cheap. But chances are an agency will be significantly more expensive than a freelance PR as they have overheads and staff to pay. With a freelance PR professional, you’re paying for my expertise, contacts and results. Not a nice swanky office somewhere in Soho.

What skills should a freelance PR consultant have?

A freelance PR pro with all the experience of a big PR agency is the best hire you can make.

A freelance public relations consultant must have:

• Outstanding media relations: I’m a freelance PR consultant with almost three decades in the media. During that time, I’ve got to know the leading editors, journalists and TV producers and have covered everything from finance to food and property to private jets.
• Great storytelling abilities: Being a successful freelance PR involves much more than writing a news release and emailing it to hundreds, known in the industry as the ‘spray and pray’ technique. I pitch newsworthy ideas and articles with interesting, timely hooks to relevant journalists. They’re picked up and published because I know the type of stories they’re looking for.
• A cool head in a crisis: Sometimes things go wrong and crisis PR is called for. As a PR freelancer, I can be easily contacted and can respond quickly. I’m a safe pair of hands when you need it.
• A portfolio of success stories: I have years of experience and can ‘walk the walk’. The coverage I have achieved for my clients has boosted sales, raised profiles, enhanced credibility, and attracted talent and investors.

Freelance PR case studies

Sober coach Sandra Parker, founder and director of Just the Tonic, came to me after she had been disappointed with the PR activity of a previous agency. They had linked her services (predictably) to ‘Dry January’ and ‘Sober October’ and simply provided press comments on her behalf to journalists.

I got to work immediately, sharing Sandra’s personal story as someone who had worked as a high-flying executive in the City yet struggled to control her alcohol intake. To reach Just the Tonic’s demographic, I targeted business-focused publications, niche media outlets covering sectors such as corporate, finance and legal, as well as the mainstream press. As a result, I secured coverage in the likes of The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Financial Times and on the BBC, spanning TV, radio and online. I have now had my contract renewed by Sandra for a fourth time.

At PR Superstar, I offer results-driven freelance public relations services across a wide range of different sectors.