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How to brief a PR consultancy

prepared by AAR

Contents

1.     Overview of the brief

2.     Content of the brief

a.     Background – explanation

b.     Background – description

c.     Objectives

d.     Publics / Audiences

e.     Research

f.      Experience and plans

g.     Budget

h.     Timetable

3.     Final points for consideration

 

1. Overview

The better the brief, the better the response. When you have finally chosen a consultancy, you will want them to be part of the team. The more guidance and information you are prepared to put into the brief, the more productive, creative and to the point the consultancy response will be.
Always provide a written brief: This means that each consultancy you choose to pitch will operate on a level playing field with the others.

 

2. Content of the brief

Your brief will be used for two basic purposes:

i.        To give the consultancy an understanding of the nature of your business, its style, its markets and why you need the consultancy's services.

ii.        To provide a basis for creative work. Logical creativity can often distinguish the excellent from the run-of-the-mill.

• • Make sure your brief is approved internally before releasing it. (It is not unknown for consultancies to have worked long and hard to fulfil a brief, only to find the content and direction had not been previously agreed.)
  • Make sure the consultancy understands and agrees with the nature of the pitch. Make sure everybody understands the brief and try to spot any areas open to interpretation and make them as clear as possible.
  • Keep the communications channels open. You cannot expect your consultancy to read your mind. The consultancy can only communicate what it has learned from you and without your trust it will never really be able to do the job you both deserve.
  • Make a range of your personnel available for follow up questions / research eg technical director, personnel etc.
  • An exception to providing a written brief is when a crisis creates an immediate need to contact a consultancy.

State what areas you require your consultancy to handle:

• Consumer
• Trade
• Technical
• Business-to-business
• Financial
• Corporate
• Issues and Crisis Management
• Public Affairs
• Internal Communications
• Environmental
• Charities
• Educational
• Community
• Sponsorship
• With issues and crisis management you and your consultancy must know inadvance who is to handle the media. You must not have your consultancy believing they are handling a crisis and saying one thing, whilst your in-house team are fielding questions and maybe saying something completely different! Advance planning is imperative.

 

a. Background – explanation

This is probably the most important part of the brief and will determine the success of the eventual campaign. It is too general to state a need 'to increase sales' or 'to generate awareness', this will lead to frustration on both sides.

• History – give a brief outline of timescales and relevant points
• Size and nature of market – give an outline of the market as you see it and your position in league tables
• Competition – give a list of relevant competitors together with copies of any of their literature or marketing material. Give competitors' positions in league tables
• How the market operates – eg direct to customers, through retailers / wholesalers, distributors, salesforce, etc
• State problem areas / markets
• Identify primary and secondary markets
• Identify issues / worries
• Indicate strengths and weaknesses of your organisation versus competitors
• What is your market mechanism – do you deal direct with customers, through intermediaries (accountants, lawyers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors etc.)

 

b. Background – Description

i.        Consumer products or services

·            Positioning – what market position does your product / service occupy? How does your pricing compare with competitors?

·            Profile – who will buy the product / service? (eg old / young, male / female).

·            What social class are they and where do they live?

·            Projection – what overall tone and style do you think should be adopted in your promotional work?

·            What other general sales points can you make in terms of quality, durability, ease of use, price, after-sales service, distribution, availiability, design, credit terms etc?

ii.        Corporate / Financial

·            Why do you need outside assistance?

·            Are you in a positive / defensive situation?

·            Who are your allies / competitors / antagonists?

·            What is your corporate stance?

iii.        Business to Business products or services

·            Define exactly what your product(s) / service(s) do. How do they achieve this?

·            What type and size of company / organisation do users work for?

·            Who buys the product(s) / service(s) – who else will be involved in the decision to purchase your product(s) / service(s)?

·            Why choose you – what are the benefits of your product(s) / service(s) and why are they important?

·            Image – how would you like to be seen and what image does your opposition have?

 

c. Objectives

The following list is a sample of objectives for consideration:

i.        Marketing

·            To increase market share by X% in Y sector of the market

·            To explain the technical advantages of the product

·            To promote the product to traditionally low frequency users

·            To justify premium price of a product

·            To announce new product formulation / packaging

·            To launch into a new market area

·            To produce sales enquiries

·            To increase impulse purchase

·            To promote a particular product / service feature

·            To improve distribution

·            To encourage alternative uses

ii.        Corporate / Financial

·            To list a new company on the Stock Exchange

·            To resist take-overs

·            To maximise market valuation

·            To position or reposition

·            To build corporate reputation / awareness

·            To project management teams

·            To foster investor relations

·            To raise public issues

iii.        Business to Business

·            To launch new service(s) / product(s)

·            To influence intermediaries

·            To create brand / name awareness

·            To promote specialisations

·            To reach corporate decision-makers eg CEOs, Financial Directors, Personnel

·            Directors

iv.        Public Affairs

·            To temper legislation

·            To present industry / company interests at international, national and local government levels

·            To counter pressure-group attacks

·            To monitor Parliamentary affairs

These suggestions form only part of the objectives list; there may be many others. Carefully consider your objectives as this is a vital piece of information and will give the campaign its direction.

 

d. Publics / Audiences

i.        Define your publics / audiences:

·            the community

·            potential employees

·            suppliers of services and materials

·            investors – the money market

·            distributors

·            consumers

·            opinion leaders

·            Parliament

·            businesses

·            trade and technical

·            corporate etc.

ii.        Give size and nature of your audience

 

e. Research

Provide the consultancy with any published or specially commissioned research within confidential limits. This assists comprehension and creative input.

 

f. Experience and Plans

• Inform the consultancy about your previous successes and any failures
• Inform the consultancy of your plans for the future, again within confidential limits

 

g. Budget

Even if you do not have a defined budget, try to give a ball-park figure, not less than X but no more than Y. This helps consultancies to tender their proposals and to concentrate their energies on essentials.

Some consultancies may wish to also offer a 'shopping basket'. In this case, they may propose an overall figure as a retainer and offer extras from which you can select.

Not all clients will have pre-determined budgets. But it can be a waste of time for both sides if a consultancy prepares a programme for a large budget when only limited funds are available. Equally, they should not be restricted in their thinking if you have major expenditure in mind. Where possible indicate what should be included in the budget, eg. production costs; literature; exhibitions; conferences; surveys; roadshows; sponsorships; and of course the fee element.

 

h. Timetable

Once you have assembled your brief, you should make contact with your chosen consultancy list as soon as possible. Ideally, a consultancy should have from three to five weeks notice, following the brief, to prepare for a pitch.

Urgent assignments, including crises, can be addressed by good consultancies immediately. Occasionally, you may need help literally within the hour. Well disciplined consultancies can jump to attention very fast – especially when a client is in prospect!

 

3. Final points for consideration

Remember when planning a programme, time is crucial. Taking press deadlines as an example, different media work to different schedules. Women's monthly magazines work on an editorial leadtime of four to six months. Taking the December issue, this will be 'going to bed' ie. closed for copy, at the end of August / September, if not slightly before.

Your consultancy will be able to advise you on deadlines, not only for media, but also for other sectors eg. exhibition planning, Parliamentary timetables, event sponsorship opportunities etc.

Remember when choosing a consultancy to look beyond professional competence to measure empathy, understanding and team-building. Given technical ability, what matters is cultural and personal chemistry.

 

This is a checklist guide to briefing a consultancy; should you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact

AAR 26 Market Place London W1N 7AL www.aargroup.co.uk

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