Signs Your Brand Is Ready for a PR Agency (And What To Do Next)
For many businesses, hiring a public relations agency is a turning point for success. It's a signal that your brand is growing, your message matters, and you're ready to play on a bigger stage.
But how do you know if the timing is right? And once you realize it is, what comes next?
Let’s break it down.
Signs Your Brand Is Ready for a PR Agency
You’re Launching Something Big: Whether it’s a new product, branding, event, or funding announcement, major milestones benefit from professional PR support. Agencies can help craft compelling narratives and pitch them to the right media outlets to create buzz where it counts.
You’re Struggling to Get Media Coverage: If you’ve sent press releases, reached out to journalists, or tried to generate coverage on your own with little success, a PR agency can be a game changer. They bring relationships, strategy, and media know-how to get your story heard.
You’re Ready to Scale: Brands ready to grow often need help building credibility, taking the next step in their franchise lead generation journey, attracting investors, or reaching new audiences. PR helps build trust and awareness at scale, setting the stage for long-term growth.
You Don’t Have Time to DIY Anymore: If PR is always on your to-do list but never gets done—or you're winging it when you do—it's time to delegate. A good PR agency frees up your team’s bandwidth while delivering professional results and ensures consistent visibility.
What to Do Next
If you recognize your brand in any (or all) of the signs above, here’s how to move forward:
Define Your Goals: Be clear on what you’re looking to achieve and how you want to use PR as a tool to gain it. Is it media coverage? Brand awareness? Crisis management? Influencer partnerships? Knowing your goals helps you find the right agency and track your ROI.
Set a Budget: PR is an investment, not a quick fix. Be realistic about what you can spend and remember that quality work usually comes with a price tag. Don’t be afraid to explore project-based versus retainer models with an agency partner.
Do Your Homework: Research agencies that specialize in your industry or share your brand’s values. Look at their case studies, client lists, media placements, and online presence. HERE is some of Bubblegum’s work.
Prepare Your Assets: A PR agency will need materials to get started: bios, brand guidelines, product and lifestyle imagery, FAQs, past press mentions, and any data or milestones worth shouting about. The more you have ready, the faster they can hit the ground running.
Align on Strategy: Once you choose an agency, collaborate to build a solid strategy. Set expectations, communication cadences, and KPIs early. PR is a partnership, and alignment from the start paves the way for long-term success.
Hiring a PR agency doesn’t mean you’ve “made it”—it means you’re ready to make something bigger. When you see the signs and take the right next steps, PR can be the catalyst that pushes your brand into new territory.
But, remember, before PR can amplify your message, you need to know what that message is. If your brand has a well-defined mission, values, tone of voice, and visual identity, and you’re confident in what sets you apart, you’re in a good place to bring in an agency. If you have even a few of these things and need some help locking in what messaging will resonate with your target audiences, an agency partner can also help you refine your key messages, setting you up with a plan that meets your goals.
Ready to hear how a PR partner like Bubblegum can really make your brand POP? Let’s chat HERE.