A simple search for the top public relations agencies in Kenya presents endless options. And they all seem worth your time. Public Relations is a relatively newer industry compared to traditional industries like education, mining or farming. Public Relations as an industry dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, with roots in the global North. Though it’s been over a century, PR would be considered a relatively young industry.
Here in Africa and more specifically in Kenya, PR is an even younger industry and a misunderstood one. Many businesses do not know that they need Public Relations services, while others do not know what to expect from their consultants. Perhaps you’ve decided, it’s time to elevate your brand through public relations, what should you consider when picking a PR consultant in Kenya? In this article we break down:
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Different Types of PR Firms in Kenya
What sets one PR firm apart from another in Kenya is the type of services they offer. By definition, PR means managing the public’s perception about a brand. And the public could refer to a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
PR firms differentiate themselves by focusing on a specific type of PR. Some PR firms start out with a broad range of services and narrow down to what feels natural for them. Before choosing a PR agency in Kenya, you have to understand the different types of PR consulting options available.
Media PR Agency
This type of PR firms in Kenya focus on media relations as their core service. They may add on to the service list by incorporating complementary services, but they are mostly known for or good at media relations. Media relations entails building strong relationships with journalists, editors, producers and media houses in general.
A media PR agency will get you publicity by locking in interviews with print, broadcast or digital journalists. They may also help you build relations with media practitioners through meet and greets and other types of events.
A media PR agency tends to have very strong relationships with media practitioners and they are likely to maximize on publicity when hired for consulting. Often, they focus on providing maximum coverage and they advise on how to position your brand in the media, in a way that shapes public opinion, positively.
Event PR agency
Event PR is growing as an important public relations strategy. Events are a great way to network with industry stakeholders and build lasting relations. A well planned event is a gold mine for strategic PR moves as well as social media content. For starters if an event is well designed, it can attract media coverage, user generated content and mentions by influencers. Events are also great platforms for social media content which could be in the form of photos, viral speeches and interviews.
An event PR agency assists in organizing high impact events. They handle different tasks, from planning to handling guest lists and invites, drafting press releases and advising on the best theme or angles that are likely to attract media attention.
They may also handle photography, videography and generation of social media content, hashtags and attendee generated content during events. If journalists express interest in covering the event, the PR agency will coordinate interviews and facilitate the reporters with photos, quotes and relevant assistance.
Digital Communication Agency
Digital PR and communication is one of the fastest growing fields. Social Media apps have risen to the top as both marketing and communication platforms and search engine presence is now an important branding and marketing tools. Most businesses are realizing the need to take digital communication seriously.
When a potential client, a journalist or a potential business partner wants to find more information about a company, their first stop is Google before they head over to the company’s social media pages.
Digital communication agencies focus on sharpening your online image and they may offer a variety of services, from social media management, content creation, search engine marketing, SEO services and setting up digital communication channels for your business.
These agencies will also come in handy when running digital media campaigns. They will advice on messaging, the right platforms to use, content formats and budgets. If you are working with influencers, they will act a bridge between you and the content creators by advising or selecting the most suitable influencers, handling content review and other terms and conditions involving the creators.
Crisis Communication Agency
Traditionally, crisis is more common in big organizations. In our debut PR report which analyzes 100 brands, it is clear that big brands with frequent engagements with the public are more prone to crisis. Some industries such as retail and banking attract way more crisis incidents than others. However, the report also reveals that crisis communication is changing with social media.
Crisis, for any brand is just a viral video away. Little known brands with relatively small target audiences have had to face the public’s wrath due to social media leaks that painted them in the worst light possible. As a result, brands are taking crisis communication more seriously these days. The PR industry is responding to the changing crisis communication landscape by providing specialized services.
There are very few PR agencies that focus only on crisis communication, but there are those who’ve mastered the art of handling a crisis. They will make your crisis disappear in a jiffy or even restore your dignity through crisis management strategies.
Corporate Communication Agency
Corporate communication is often perceived as an entirely different field, separate from PR, but they are closely interweaved. Think of it this way; PR is what people outside your home think of you; your friends, neighbours, colleagues, internet connections and people you worship with. Corporate communication is how you communicate with these people. Corporate communication is the foundation of PR.
If, for instance, you hired a media PR agency to get your company media coverage but you do not know how to communicate with the media or how to coordinate interviews with the right employees, you would encounter serious obstacles. As such, corporate communication agencies help companies streamline their internal and external communication strategies. They set up structures to ensure the company’s internal and external communication channels are working.
The agency may also provide training to employees to ensure a professional brand image and help the company define its messaging style. They will help you evaluate your tone, and generally professionalize your engagements with stakeholders.
They may also tackle foundational communication tasks such as setting up professional emails, establishing diverse communication channels the public can use to reach out to the company and train staff on how to handle different types of communication coming from outside the company.
Corporate communication is extremely important for a brand that wants to grow from a small business to a serious enterprise. Departments such as customer care, front office staff, procurement and sales representative require training to ensure the brand maintains the same tone and professionalism across departments.
Asking PR agencies the right questions
The answer to finding the best public relations agency in Kenya lies in asking the right questions. The best agency for your friend’s company may not be the best agency for you because your needs are different.
When outsourcing a PR consultant in Kenya, the first question to ask is what kind of services they provide. Most PR agencies in Kenya provide a combination of the above mentioned services. There is no single agency that will focus entirely on one service given that PR is about shaping a brand’s image holistically. It’s not just about getting one media mention, taking nice corporate photos or shooting a killer company profile video.
Good PR is a process which leads to compounded results. Therefore, the first question should be about the combination of services a PR firm offers. Once you have this established, try to understand their strongest areas. Some PR firms are great at media PR and they have a deep understanding of how the media works, the best stories to pitch and how to shape public opinion through media coverage. Other PR firms know how to navigate digital communication, although they can still get media coverage. There are also PR firms that will get you on lists, help you win awards and other accolades.
Related:
Case Studies: 4 Old School Successful Kenyan PR Campaigns
Negative PR: Is “All Publicity Still Good Publicity?”
Understanding the PR firm’s strengths will help you decide if they are aligned with your priorities. Remember, PR is not about one service or one audience. It is a combination of efforts but with priorities at every season in your business.
Lastly, you need to ask them about their pricing plans or their contract terms. Some PR agencies in Kenya provide long term contract services while others are open to brief or single service based arrangements. Many firms offer a combination of short-term and long-term engagements but is important to be clear on the firm’s mode of operation.
What to consider when choosing a PR consultant in Kenya
Finally, you have all the knowledge you need to make a decision. But what exactly should determine your decision to work with specific PR firm? For some people, the cost of services overrides all other factors but there is a lot more to consider:
Industry Knowledge
The first and most important factor is the PR firms understanding of your industry. You see, the PR consultant will write press releases, they may write articles for your company’s website and generate social media content. If they do not understand your business and the industry at large, they will not know which stories to pitch. They may also generate misleading or shallow content that does not resonate with your target audience.
To understand the PR firm’s knowledge on industry issues, you may engage them on simple conversations to test their industry knowledge. And though you should not expect them to know everything you know, they should at least show interest in industry issues and willingness to learn more.
Service combination and value addition
Remember the various types of PR firms in Kenya we discussed above? Each PR firm has a list of services they offer. One PR firm may have a core service you are looking for and lack another service. For instance, you may find a PR firm that focuses on media relations and social media marketing but they do not offer search engine marketing.
The service combination should determine whether you want to work with a specific PR firm in Kenya or not, especially if you are looking for a long term relationship. It is always better to stick to one PR consultant in Kenya, especially, if you find one that understands your brand’s priorities.
Agency’s size and resources
Just like any other industry, there are top tier agencies, small firms and independent consultants. The size of an agency may not seem relevant at first, but it is a crucial aspect to factor in. Large agencies have a client portfolio of large corporates. They probably execute big budget campaigns and their ideas are tailored to suit clients of a certain level in the corporate ladder.
Depending on your company’s size and ranking on the corporate ladder, pick a PR agency within your budget.
Your business needs and priorities
If your immediate priority is to attract media coverage, go for a PR firm that prioritizes media relations as their core services. However, if you want to build a respectable digital presence, work with an agency that understand this need. You may also want to break down your digital communication needs into Social Media versus Search Engine. Though they are intertwined, they require different approaches.
Being able to articulate your needs clearly, will help the agency understand you better and deliver what you want. However, being vague and perhaps saying you want PR services may lead to misplaced priorities.
Employee chemistry
Is your preferred consultant likely to get along with your employees? PR consultants are often like an extension of the company during the consulting period. There is a lot of collaboration, especially with in-house marketing or sales teams.
You do not necessarily need to pick someone who agrees with everything you say or a consultant trying too hard to just close a deal. In fact, a PR consultant with a backbone will do you good as they will advice you based on what works and not what you want to hear.
However, ensure they are collaborative, good listeners who will take time to understand your company’s needs, goals and culture.
FAQ: Choosing a PR Firm in Kenya
How should I evaluate the pricing of PR services?
Pricing in PR is often based on deliverables. When evaluating the pricing for a PR service, you can compare with industry standard or break down the tasks involved to understand how services are priced. The long term and short term impacts of the PR services can also help you determine their value. Some PR tasks such as tendering and managing contracts with third parties (venues, catering or influencers) , creative processes, strategizing and review of creative projects can attract flat fees or retainers.
How do I determine which type of PR firm is the best fit for my business in Kenya?
Picking the best fit for your firm boils down to three things: First, does the PR firm offer the services you are looking for? PR is broad and while most firms are flexible, some focus on or are good at certain services. e.g One PR firm can be excellent at influencer campaigns while another is great with media relations. Second, do they understand your business and your industry? PR firms are supposed to help your break down complex ideas to communication assets that your target audience understands. The PR executive has to understand your business or industry first, to do this. Third, is the PR firm’s pricing aligned with your budget?
How important is it for a PR agency to have knowledge of my specific industry?
Extremely important. The idea is not to work with an agency that is fluent with your industry’s jargon. They however need to understand industry trends, your target audience and be able to generate communication material that does not water down, over-simplify or over-complicate your work. When a PR executive does not understand your industry, they are likely to miss out on opportunities to connect your with the right audiences.
What factors, besides the services offered, should I consider when choosing a PR consultant?
Creativity is one of the most important factors to consider. There is a lot of noise in the world and cutting through that noise requires creativity. Other factors include, transparency, flexibility and the potential to foster a lasting relationship beyond one engagement.
