"If I was down to my last dollar, I'd spend it on public relations." Bill Gates
A recession is looming - some might say it’s already upon us. Businesses are tightening their belts and now is the time when cost effective public relations becomes an ever more appealing marketing tool.
So how do you choose the right PR agency for your business? Global brand or Kiwi made?
Traditional, established firm or new kid on the block? Big or small?
Size matters but it’s not always big that’s best.
There’s a reason why the media, marketing and PR industries are becoming increasingly fragmented and that’s because practitioners are realising that there’s a better way to deliver services to clients.
Larger, traditional PR agencies may be right for some companies but more often businesses, big and small, are turning to smaller consultancies that offer more a more personalised partnership approach.
Big agencies promote their large teams, extensive client portfolios and range of experience. But are these really good things?
Large teams often means the work is delegated to juniors with oversight only from senior personnel; extensive client portfolios can see your brand or business becoming lost in the masses; inhouse experience is fine but it is not usually a specialised focus.
Boutique agencies, like spice communications group, usually have much smaller teams who work closely together. Senior practitioners are often the ones implementing the campaigns and providing day to day hands-on input into client accounts, as well as offering strategic counsel.
Smaller and more select client portfolios also means that every client is treated as a big fish in a small pond. And with the use of specialist contractors, boutique agencies can offer an expert, high quality PR and communications service to clients whilst keeping overheads to a minimum.
The independence offered by most smaller agencies means that they are able to work with any other marketing or media agency without a conflict. You don’t end up working with another agency simply because they are owned by the same group – you can mix and match to ensure the best of each discipline for your business.
spice communications group was set up by two internationally experienced PR consultants, who after more than a decade working in senior executive positions at large national and global consultancies, decided there was a better way to provide communications services.
Spice is built on a partnership approach. We work with our clients because we like them and we believe in what they do. They work with us because they like us - and we provide results!
From providing expert corporate communications advise through to implementing successful consumer campaigns; participating in strategic brainstorms or simply providing an extra pair of hands when needed, spice can, and does, do it all.
We have a strong inhouse team to provide day to day support but also have access to a wide network of experienced consultants with specialist skills, who we contract in as and when required to ensure our clients receive the best, most expert services.
We don’t have flash offices, designer desks, fancy board rooms or cafeterias and we don’t need big margins to cover our overheads. And that’s the other advantage of smaller agencies – they are often more cost effective than the larger agencies and can provide better return on your budget!
We are always happy to talk to you about your communications needs, even if just to provide a best in market benchmark for your current supplier. To talk to us about your PR needs, please contact jackie@spice.co.nz.
