EXPERT TIPS

For every early-to-mid-stage healthcare-focused company, that comment will eventually arise. The first question, of course, is why. 

 

Public relations (PR) is a critical function for every organization. It not only helps shape a company’s reputation with various stakeholders, it’s integral to every part of your business. Strategic PR can build awareness of your company and its focus – and raise interest among potential business partners and investors, creating confidence that an early company has what it takes to be successful. 

 

Once you acknowledge the benefit, it’s time to identify trusted potential partner agencies and dig in to find out more about them – both the individuals that comprise the agency and the types of work they do.

 

Get Recommendations 

As with all consulting relationships, it’s important to have an agency that has a solid reputation and is trusted by others. 

 

The best way to gather your list is to connect with others in your business community – both direct contacts and those in your LinkedIn network. Let them know that you would prefer an agency that focuses on health care; that’s important as generalists might not have the ability to translate science or may be unfamiliar with healthcare regulatory guidelines. 

 

Ask them who they have worked with and the experiences they’ve had – and if they have particular people at the agencies you can contact versus just the names of the agencies. Those who have gone down this road before can be an invaluable resource. 

 

Research. Research. Research.

You can learn a lot about an agency by looking at their social media to gain perspectives about their points of view on areas of practice such as media relations, strategy development, thought leader positioning and issues management. You should also find insights into their approach to important needs of your company, such as driving recruitment, telling difficult science stories and going public. 

 

Agency Outreach: About You

Once you narrow your search, contact those agencies and provide them with honest and detailed information about your company. As possible, define specific goals that you have for the company and its stakeholders. Similarly, tell them about the challenges you are facing.

 

It’s always best to offer up clear details on mission, vision and values as well as where the company is today and where it’s headed. If you aren’t sure, say so. Let them guide you through a discovery process that culls out important issues and opportunities. 

 

The more information you give, the better. 

 

Agency Outreach: About Them

For a company in its earlier phases, you will likely need more brain power than arms and legs. Senior, experienced practitioners who both do the counseling and the work, a hallmark of the Jeff Winton Associates model, will be more important than a team of junior staffers, though additional arms and legs may be needed as your business grows and marketing communication comes into play. 

 

In addition to general information about the agency, ask questions to determine how they are structured, who runs their client accounts and how much attention you’ll receive from senior leaders. Also ask about pricing and budgets and be up front with the budget you have. Budget and expectation management is a two-way street. 

 

Finally, based on your review of the agency, ask them to provide top-line thoughts about how they would approach a few key areas of importance to your company. This could be a written document or a formal proposal. 

 

Making the Decision

Like life, determining which agency to go with is both a science and an art. 

 

For the science, their proposal will tell you a lot. It should help set clear expectations of what they will do, how much it will cost, how long the engagement will last and ultimately what they will deliver. 

 

The art? That’s where life comes to play. Hiring and managing a professional consulting firm, like any relationship, is often a gut call. From the process, you’ll know who has the right offerings and personality for you and your company. 

 

If you can’t tell, start off with a distinct project such as the development of a press announcement of a new senior team hire or breaking data related to a research project. This will give you – and the agency – a sense of how well you connect. 

 

Most important of all, avoid getting locked into a long-term contract until you know the agency can meet your needs. Hopefully, this partnership will help you reach target audiences and create excitement for your company and its products.

​

John Quick is a seasoned communications and public relations professional with a wealth of experience across the pharmaceutical, device, non-profit and health services industries. He has worked at some of the world's largest and most prestigious public relations agencies in both account and management roles. John began his career in the non-profit sector, working at the March of Dimes and American Heart Association.