How Do You Choose the Right PR Agency for a Startup?

Choosing a PR agency is a big decision for any brand. You’re investing limited resources into building awareness, earning credibility and getting your brand in front of the right customers. You want that investment to translate into meaningful results.But how do you know which PR agency is actually the right fit?

It’s easy to get distracted by impressive client lists and promises of coverage. The better questions are often much more practical. Here are seven questions to ask before choosing a PR agency for your startup.

1. Does the agency work with brands at your stage?

PR for a startup isn't the same as PR for an established national brand.

A lot of emerging brands are still building their positioning, figuring out which audiences respond to the product and establishing the credibility that larger brands already have. Your PR agency should understand that.

Ask prospective agencies:

• Have you launched a new brand or product from the ground up?

• What do you typically recommend during a brand's first six to 12 months of PR?

• How do you approach a brand that doesn't yet have widespread awareness?

You don't need an agency that works exclusively with startups. But you do want a team that understands the difference between maintaining awareness for an established brand and creating it for one that is still building its audience.

2. Who will actually be working on your account?

This may be one of the most important questions to ask.

During the pitch process, you're likely meeting with senior people at the agency. But will those same people be developing your strategy, pitching your story and communicating with you once you become a client?

Ask to see the proposed account team and understand each person's role.

A large agency may have impressive resources, but you are not likely to have the senior team working on your brand (unless you have the budget to back that up!). A smaller agency may offer more senior involvement, but fewer resources in other areas. At 143, we’re a two person team that works with our clients from strategy to execution. If a client needs a service that we don’t offer, we bring in partner consultants or agencies to support those needs. 

3. Does the agency understand your consumer?

A good PR agency should be able to explain why your product matters to your customer.

When you speak to an agency, listen for whether they are asking questions such as:

• Who is your core customer?

• Why did you create the brand/product?

• What problem are you solving?

• What makes your product different?

4. Look beyond the media list.

"We can get you in X, Y and Z" publication can sound compelling but a media list isn't a PR strategy.

The agency needs to be able to tell a compelling story about your brand, not just list their contacts. 

For a startup consumer brand, the right media strategy may include a combination of:

• Product reviews and product roundups

• Gift guides

• Founder stories

• Trend stories

• Expert commentary

• Brand or category features

• Local and regional media

• Trade coverage

• Podcasts, newsletters and other emerging media

• Seasonal opportunities

5. Ask what success will look like.

Before signing with an agency, make sure you agree on what you're actually trying to accomplish. Your agency should be able to connect its PR strategy to your broader business goals and be transparent about what it can and cannot control.

PR can generate awareness, credibility, relationships, backlinks, search visibility and traffic but it doesn't work like paid advertising.

Early PR goals might include:

• Building third-party credibility

• Generating quality product placements

• Establishing the founder as a credible expert

• Supporting a retail launch

• Driving qualified traffic

• Building a library of authoritative media mentions

• Creating content that continues to support SEO and AI discovery over time

6. Pay attention to how the agency communicates.

Sounds simple, but it matters.

Are they responsive? Do they listen? Do they ask thoughtful questions? Are they transparent about what they think will and won't work?

PR is relationship-driven. Your agency is going to represent your brand to journalists, editors, creators and other people who influence how your brand is perceived. You want a partner who understands that every interaction is an extension of your brand.

7. Be wary of guarantees.

If an agency guarantees a certain number of major media placements, be sure you understand exactly what that guarantee means. No legitimate PR agency controls editorial decisions.

A strong agency can control its strategy, outreach, relationships, responsiveness and follow-through. It can identify opportunities and make compelling pitches. It can learn from what works and adjust when something doesn't. But journalists decide what they cover.

The right PR agency should feel like a partner.

For a startup consumer brand, hiring a PR agency isn't just about finding someone with a media list. You're bringing in a partner to help shape how your brand is understood by the people who matter most.