What to look for in a PR agency (before you sign a contract)

Choosing a PR partner can feel like shopping in the dark: similar promises, similar decks, wildly different outcomes.

The difference lies in 5 practical checks:

1) Sector fluency. 

Ask for relevant published clips in your industry from the past 12 months. Not just any coverage—relevant coverage. If you’re in fintech, can they talk POPIA, SARB, and fraud trends? In education, can they brief you on the BELA Bill and radio shows that still move opinion?

2) Senior attention. 

Who writes and pitches? If the senior team sells but juniors deliver, expect slower angles and generic copy. Insist the strategist who impressed you is on the weekly call.

3) Relationships you can use. 

Remember, you’re not buying a list; you’re buying relevance and experience.

4) A plan for proactive and reactive. 

Strong agencies run both. Proactive can include a quarterly PR theme calendar with relevant PR pieces included such as press release, blogs, media pitches and thought leadership. The reactive side should look like a war-room workflow for hot news such as pre-approved quotes and monitoring breaking news.

5) Cultural fit. 

South Africa’s media culture is relationship-led. You want a partner who respects journalists, avoids hard sell, and can switch the tone of the pitch without losing the plot.

Red flags? Over-promising exclusives, “guaranteed” coverage without paid placement, and a one-page strategy that begins and ends with press releases. Green flags? Honest feedback about what won’t fly, strong story angles, and proactive ideas.

One last test: ask for a micro-engagement. Give the agency a small, time-boxed brief – it could be a comment on a breaking story or a case study rewrite, and then judge the result.

Need a no-fluff agency scorecard? Ask us for the 1-page checklist we use when we’re on the other side of the table.