Every company faces a unique set of communications challenges.B2Cs and B2Bs, nonprofits and members of the Fortune 100, healthcare providers and green tech developers – they all have different goals to meet and different audiences to target with different types of content.This fact of PR life is something that public relations and marketing agencies understand better than most.Whereas in-house corporate communicators only have to focus on monitoring trends and pitching influencers within one sector (maybe a few), agencies have to accomplish this on behalf of multiple brands across many different industries.“Agencies have to wear a lot of hats and work in many spaces simultaneously,” says Brian Lubocki, an account director at PR Newswire who specializes in agency consulting. “That’s why they’re always looking to streamline their workflow and find more efficient tools that save them time and allow them to focus on their clients’ campaigns.”If your agency doesn’t have the proper processes in place, it can be incredibly challenging and time-consuming to thoroughly research media lists, tailor pitches, and provide other vital services for every client.Here are three best practices to delight your clients in a consistent and efficient manner.Institute a thorough onboarding process.The first step you must complete before starting to work on a new client’s communications strategy is fully understanding that client’s needs.Because some clients may not be aware of the full extent of their communications goals, smart agencies have an onboarding guide and specific questions they use to get to the core of what their clients need.“As most agencies know, all clients want ‘greater exposure and pick-up,’” says Brian. “However, it’s difficult to demonstrate success without first identifying specific goals and defining success in qualitative and quantitative terms.”According to Brian, important questions to ask at the beginning are:

• What kind of impression numbers are you expecting?
• What are key publications and blogs to your business?
• Who are the influencers in your industry?
• What other industries are you hoping to reach and affect?

“Of course, agencies will help their clients answer these questions,” adds Brian.Agencies should supplement the information they glean from a client’s answers with their own independent research of the organization’s industry and relevant niche markets.In our latest case study, strategic relations firm Feintuch Communications shares how they were recently called on to support a U.S.-based manufacturer’s expansion into international markets. Their client had an explicit goal of targeting earned media in Europe to generate leads and brand awareness.Feintuch researched the client’s target markets and partnered with PR Newswire to scour multiple sources and build media lists for manufacturing, aerospace, automotive and medical verticals, as well as business writers covering this space across all of Europe.Providing a high level of service like this to your clients during and after onboarding will help you build better-informed and healthier relationships that solidify your agency’s reputation. Establishing a great first impression is essential for bringing in future referrals.  

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