How to Evaluate PR Agency Proposals Like a Pro

Before reviewing any proposals, establish your evaluation criteria and weighting. A standardized scorecard ensures you compare agencies objectively rather than being swayed by the best presenter.

Key categories to score: Strategic Approach (25%), Team Experience (20%), Industry Expertise (15%), Proposed Tactics (15%), Measurement Plan (10%), Cultural Fit (10%), and Pricing (5%). Adjust weights based on your priorities.

Create a simple spreadsheet with these categories, then rate each proposal on a 1-5 scale. This disciplined approach reveals which agency truly excels versus which one simply had the slickest pitch deck.

The proposal should demonstrate that the agency understands your business, competitive landscape, and specific challenges. Generic proposals that could apply to any company in your industry are a major red flag.

Look for: A clear articulation of your brand positioning challenges, specific competitor analysis, audience insights relevant to your market, and a thesis about what makes your story compelling to media.

The best proposals connect their recommended tactics directly to your stated business objectives. If an agency cannot explain why they are recommending specific activities, they are likely using a cookie-cutter approach.

PR is a relationship-driven business, and the team assigned to your account matters more than the agency brand name. Insist on meeting the actual people who will work on your business, not just senior executives who appear for pitches.

Evaluate: The account lead experience level and background, team structure and who handles what, their workload and other accounts they manage, and turnover rates at the agency.

Ask pointed questions: Who will be my day-to-day contact? How many accounts does each team member handle? What is your agency turnover rate? Can I meet the junior staff who will execute the work?

A PR agency claim of "strong media relationships" is meaningless without specifics. Dig into their actual track record with outlets and journalists relevant to your target audience.

Request: Specific examples of placements they have secured in your target publications, names of journalists they have relationships with in your industry, case studies showing the progression of coverage over a campaign, and samples of media coverage for comparable clients.

Be wary of agencies that only showcase tier-one placements from major clients. The relevant question is whether they can achieve results for companies at your stage and budget level.

How an agency proposes to measure success reveals their sophistication and accountability. Vague promises of "increased visibility" or "brand awareness" without specific metrics are unacceptable.

Strong measurement plans include: Specific KPIs tied to your business objectives, baseline metrics and improvement targets, regular reporting cadence and format, tools they use for tracking and analysis, and how they attribute results to their activities.

Ask how they handle campaigns that do not meet targets. Agencies that take accountability and adjust strategy demonstrate maturity, while those that blame external factors or move the goalposts show a lack of integrity.

PR pricing varies widely, and the lowest bid rarely represents the best value. Understand exactly what is included in each proposal and what might trigger additional costs.

Common pricing models: Monthly retainer (most common), project-based fees, hourly rates with caps, and performance-based components. Each has trade-offs depending on your needs and risk tolerance.

Critical questions: What specific hours or activities does the retainer cover? What counts as out-of-scope? How are overages handled? What is the contract length and termination clause? Are there onboarding or setup fees?

Never skip reference checks, and go beyond the references the agency provides. Ask for clients who have left in the past two years to get a complete picture.

Questions for references: What results did you achieve? How responsive was the team? What was their biggest weakness? Would you hire them again? Why did you part ways (for former clients)?

Also do your own research: Search for the agency on LinkedIn to see former client connections, check industry forums and reviews, and reach out to peers in your network who may have worked with them.

The best agency strategy fails if the working relationship is dysfunctional. Evaluate how well the agency communication style matches your organization culture and preferences.

Consider: Response time during the proposal process (indicative of future responsiveness), willingness to adapt their approach to your feedback, chemistry with your team during meetings, and alignment on values and working style.

Pay attention to how they handle disagreement. An agency that pushes back thoughtfully on ideas they believe are wrong demonstrates confidence and expertise. One that agrees with everything may lack conviction or experience.