Sometimes in life, it just becomes clear that something is amiss or wrong without any tangible evidence to suggest so. That’s why so many people rely on ‘gut instinct’ to make important decisions. However, in other situations, there are clear warning signs that a disaster is approaching. Whether it’s the oil leaking from a car before a big journey, birds flocking from the trees ahead of the tsunami/volcano/earthquake in every disaster movie ever made, or when a partner stops laughing at your jokes. These are all red flags suggesting there is trouble ahead.
This is also the case when working with a PR agency, which, it should be remembered, is a big decision. Businesses hand over their reputation, stories, and ambitions and expect results. When it works, it’s perfect; the coverage flows in, perceptions change, and visibility grows in the right way. But not every relationship meets that ideal, and many agencies overpromise or underdeliver, or both. The difficulty is spotting the warning signs early enough to avoid disappointment. With that in mind, what are the PR agency red flags that businesses should be aware of and aim to avoid?
Inputs, not outcomes
One of the clear warning signs for any business choosing an agency partner is when they focus on the work being inputted, rather than on firm outcomes. Yes, PR has historically been challenging to measure ROI, but highlighting clear results is achievable. However, too many agencies in this space fall back on fluff and ‘well we tried to do this’ or ‘we’ve had some really great discussions’, without anything tangible to show for it. An easy way to spot this is essentially a lack of measurable outcomes, which subsequently should be insisted upon in any relationship.
Equally, if an agency pitch is full of colossal promises of front-page coverage or ‘going viral’ overnight, caution is needed. PR is not advertising, and journalists are not obliged to publish anything. The best coverage is earned, not bought and agencies that promise the world will rarely deliver on it. Instead, the right partners will be ambitious but realistic, setting long-term expectations that reflect the unpredictable nature of the media landscape.
Lack of sector knowledge
Another red flag for all businesses to steer clear of is a lack of genuine understanding of the market in question. Effective PR is not something that can be picked up by an outsider, as it’s about developing stories that resonate with the right audiences, and it’s challenging to do this without speaking their language. Therefore, an agency that doesn’t understand the nuance and minutiae of the market in question will face difficulties in developing content that is taken seriously by target buyers.
Bob Bradley was one of the leading US football coaches in the world, and had a great track record of working across the United States and Europe, but when he came to the UK and started using ‘Americanisms’ and calling goalposts ‘upper 90s’ and away matches ‘road games’, credibility was instantly eroded because he wasn’t using the right language, despite speaking English.
People want to hear from experts in their field and want them to speak in the way they do; trying to do this effectively without the specialist knowledge in place is setting up for failure, and businesses should steer clear of agencies without their market expertise, but which make promises to develop it at pace. In practice, this type of partner may produce generic content that could apply to any business, or they may chase headlines that have little relevance to clients or candidates. While fresh perspectives can be valuable, they cannot replace the insight that comes from knowing the market, the publications and journalists that matter, and the issues that drive conversation.
Lacking transparency
Transparency is a vital trait to identify in any external partner, and if an agency is being overly secretive, fails to share information or explain what they’re doing in the background, it should sound alarm bells. Vague updates or metrics that focus on quantity rather than quality may suggest that the agency is more interested in appearances than outcomes, and, similarly, while vanity metrics like impressions or follower counts might look pretty on a slide deck, they don’t reflect real impact.
What actually matters is whether the right people are seeing the organisation’s content, whether their sentiment towards it is positive, and whether the coverage aligns with business goals. An agency that avoids these conversations or shows these metrics may not be confident in the value it is delivering.
Notable PR agency red flags
There are also several other smaller but equally telling red flags to avoid. High levels of staff turnover could suggest internal and deeper issues with the agency, which could spill over into client work, which is particularly damaging in a relationship and people-led market like PR. Another is an overemphasis on activity without strategy and being ‘busy’ without actually doing anything. It should be remembered that PR is about building a coherent story over time, not just filling a calendar with activity, and an agency that rushes into tactics without first understanding the organisational goals is unlikely to deliver meaningful results. Pricing also tells a detailed story, and while it’s nice to get a bargain, extremely low fees may indicate that corners are being cut, while high retainers without clear deliverables may not represent value for money.
Finally, consider the tone of the conversations being held; does the agency just broadcast without listening, or are they asking probing questions about the business, its challenges and ambitions? The best agencies act as partners, not vendors and invest time in understanding their clients’ worlds and adapt their approach accordingly.
Individually, none of these red flags on their own necessarily mean an agency is a poor fit, but taken in combination, they suggest that the relationship may not produce the required value. And when it’s something as pivotal as reputation in question, it’s not worth taking the risk. In comparison, the right agency navigates these pitfalls by being honest about what they can achieve, demonstrating sector knowledge, providing transparent reporting, retaining staff, and ultimately listening carefully to their clients’ needs.
If your business is seeking an expert PR partner, get in touch with our team today.
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