Choosing a PR agency is a decision worth some homework. For doctors and wellness experts, the right agency understands the healthcare and wellness world, fits the way you work, and is clear about what you can expect. Your goals as a medical expert should line up with the understanding and capabilities of the firm you hire.
The six questions below will help you compare agencies and find the right fit. If you are still weighing whether PR belongs in your marketing plan, our overview of why doctors need public relations is a good place to start.
Ask About Their Experience With Doctors and Wellness Experts
Experience matters. Look for an agency that knows the issues and trends in healthcare and health conditions, and the journalists who write about them. Ask them to tell you about their work for other doctors and wellness experts, including the specific results they have achieved.
A good agency should be glad to share case studies, client success stories, or examples of clients in the news. Seeing that work helps you feel confident you are in good hands.
Ask How They Generate Publicity
A well-organized process makes the working relationship easier, from notifying you of interview requests to sending you the links to published articles in which you are quoted. Ask how they handle each step. Will they pass along interview opportunities by email, text, phone, or a combination? Tell them what works best for you, and see how they respond.
Also ask about their relationships with reporters who cover health, fitness, beauty and mental health. You want an agency that knows the press you hope to reach and is known by it. For more on how those relationships work in practice, see our guide to PR and media relations for doctors.
Ask What Activity You Can Expect
Set clear expectations from the start. Ask how many media interview requests or opportunities you might receive in a week or a month. A reputable agency should be able to give you realistic projections based on its work with similar doctor and wellness clients.
Hearing this up front keeps you and the agency on the same page about deliverables and outcomes.
Ask What Will Be Expected of You
Find out before you sign how the work will fit into your day. As a busy professional, you need to know what is required of you to make the most of the effort. Useful questions include:
- How much time each week will I need to set aside to respond to media requests?
- What is the typical turnaround time for a request?
- How many questions, and what kinds of questions, do journalists usually ask?
This is also a chance to get a fuller sense of the firm. Is it rigid and limited in what it offers, or can it tailor its approach to your needs and goals?
Ask About Meetings and Reporting
Learn how the agency measures success, how often it meets with clients, and what kinds of reports it provides. Agreeing on metrics and a reporting structure is key to judging how well a PR program is working.
Ask for References
Don’t be shy about this. Speaking with people who have worked with an agency is perfectly normal, and skipping it would be a mistake. When you call a past client, you might ask about:
- the agency’s strengths and weaknesses
- how long they worked together
- the results the agency achieved
- the overall experience of working with the team
A quick conversation can tell you a lot about an agency’s performance, style, personality and work ethic. With these answers in hand, you can choose an agency that understands your needs, shares your goals, and has the expertise to represent your practice well.
Reach out to us at 203-968-6625 or via email at info@mcprpublicrelations.com for more information.