7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a PR Agency
A practical guide for photographers, designers, stylists, florists, event planners, and creative entrepreneurs ready to invest in public relations.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
7 Questions Every Creative Business Owner
Should Ask Before Hiring a PR Agency
You've built something worth talking about. Your work is beautiful, your clients love you, and you're finally thinking it might be time to let the world know. Enter the idea of hiring a PR agency.
But before you sign a contract or hand over a retainer check, there's something you should know: not all PR agencies are created equal, and not all of them are built for creative businesses like yours.
PR can be one of the most powerful investments a creative entrepreneur makes. When done right, the right media placements, editorial features, and brand storytelling can transform your reputation, attract dream clients, and justify premium pricing. When done wrong, it's an expensive lesson in misaligned expectations.
#1: Do you have experience working with creative businesses like mine?
This is your baseline question, and it matters more than you might think. A PR agency that specializes in tech startups or healthcare companies operates in an entirely different world than one that understands the nuances of the creative industry.
Creative businesses live and die by aesthetic, emotion, and storytelling. You need a PR partner who understands that your work isn't just a product, but a reflection of you. They should know which publications your dream clients are reading, which editors are obsessing over wedding florals or interior photography, and how to pitch your story in a way that feels authentic rather than corporate.
Ask to see case studies similar and relative to your business.
Find out which editors, stylists, or publications they have relationships with in your specific niche.
Ask whether the people who worked on the similar accounts are still with the agency, you may want to request to work with them specifically.
#2: Who will actually be working on my account on a day to day basis?
Agencies can often send their senior partners or principals to close the sale, but once you've signed, the day-to-day work falls to junior staff. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but you deserve to know upfront.
Before you commit, ask to meet the team members who will be managing your account. Spend real time with them. Do they understand your aesthetic? Can they speak knowledgeably about your industry? Do they ask good questions about your business?
For creative businesses especially, chemistry matters. Your PR team is going to be crafting your story, your voice, and your brand narrative. That requires a level of trust and mutual understanding that goes beyond a polished pitch deck.
At Che, we're a small, dedicated team by design, which means the people you meet during our first conversation are the same people in your corner from kickoff to coverage. No handoffs, just a dedicated team that knows your brand as well as you do.
#3: How do you measure success and what metrics will we track together?
One of the most common frustrations creative business owners have after hiring a PR agency is the feeling that nothing is being measured. You're getting coverage, maybe, but is it moving the needle? Are you attracting your dream clients? Is your inbox filling up with inquiries?
The right agency should be able to answer this question with specifics, not just "media placements" and "impressions."
For creative entrepreneurs, meaningful metrics might include:
Increase in inquiry quality (not just quantity)
Editorial placements in publications your ideal clients read
Growth in website traffic from earned media
Speaking opportunities or podcast features
Reputation positioning that justifies premium pricing
#4: What is your pricing model, and what is included?
Budget clarity is essential, especially for small creative businesses operating without a dedicated marketing department. PR agency pricing can vary widely, and confusion about what's included is one of the top sources of client frustration.
There are two primary pricing models to understand:
Retainer-based pricing: A monthly or quarterly fee covering an agreed-upon scope of work. This is the most common model for ongoing PR relationships and typically provides more strategic continuity.
Project-based (fixed fee) pricing: You pay a flat rate per deliverable or campaign phase, great for creative businesses with tighter budgets or one-time needs like a brand launch or editorial submission season.
Always ask for an itemized breakdown of services. What does the retainer actually cover? Are press releases included? What about social media amplification, crisis communications, or media coaching?
#5: What is your process for understanding my brand story, before you start pitching?
This question reveals everything about an agency's working style. Great PR isn't about blasting generic pitches to a media list. It's about deeply understanding what makes your brand unique and then finding the right outlets and angles to tell that story compellingly.
A quality agency should have a defined onboarding process that includes message mapping, competitive analysis, and brand narrative development before any pitching begins. They should be asking you questions about your clients, your values, your aesthetic, the transformation you create, and where you want to be in three years.
For creative businesses, this phase is particularly critical. Your visual identity, your voice, and the feeling your brand evokes are as important as any press release. An agency that skips this foundation and jumps straight to pitching is likely to produce coverage that doesn't feel like you.
#6: Do you have experience with though leadership, and how will you position me as an expert?
In the creative industry, you're selling your perspective, your taste, and your expertise. The most successful creative business owners aren't just known for their work; they're recognized as voices worth listening to in their field
This is where thought leadership PR comes in. The right agency should be able to pitch you for speaking opportunities, podcast appearances, expert commentary in industry publications, and contributed articles that establish your authority.
Ask the agency how they have built thought leadership for other creative clients. Have they secured podcast features? Contributed op-eds in trade publications? Speaking slots at relevant conferences? If they only think in terms of product placements and press releases, they may be limiting your potential reach.
💡Tip: Ask them to pitch you a hypothetical headline for a thought leadership piece about your work or perspective. Their answer tells you a lot about how creatively and strategically they think.
#7: What does a successful 12-month partnership look like for you?
PR is not advertising. You don't flip a switch and see immediate results. Building genuine media relationships, establishing editorial credibility, and shifting public perception takes time, and any agency that promises overnight results should be a red flag.
That said, you should be able to set clear milestones and reasonable expectations for what progress looks like at 30, 60, and 90 days, and beyond. A strong agency will be honest with you about timelines, what they can realistically deliver, and what they need from you to make the partnership work.
The right PR firm will not promise instant national coverage. They will promise disciplined strategy, honest counsel, and consistent execution.
Ask the agency to walk you through what a successful 12-month engagement looks like for a creative business at your stage. What would they prioritize in the first 90 days? What metrics would indicate you're on track? How often do they check in? How do they prefer to communicate?
If you’re looking for a PR agency that understands both the media and the magic of your business, we’d love to hear your story. Set up a complimentary consultation with Founder Julia here.
