Media & Communications: So You Hired a PR Firm

A great idea is only as good as its execution. In the world of law firm marketing, hiring a PR firm to assist with spreading a firm's story and raising visibility of its attorneys and practice groups can be a great idea on paper. However, once the theoretical value of hiring a PR firm is agreed upon, and some level of buy-in (and financial commitment) is attained from the partners, legal marketers are often left with a troubling question: Now what?

The 'Right' Firm

The first challenge, of course, is identifying the “right” firm. There are a number of PR agencies that provide quality PR and communications services to law firms. In nearly every business center in the country, one can find a local agency that knows the media landscape, has contacts with local media outlets, and understands the nuances of law firm business well enough to accomplish the firm's PR goals.

Unfortunately, the reasons most internal marketers make the move to hire a PR firm in the first place ' lack of time, manpower or expertise to do the firm's media relations themselves ' often puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to identifying goals and putting in the time necessary to design and launch an effective campaign.

But that's the PR firm's job, right? Certainly. But all too often, without the guidance and institutional knowledge that aligns the law firm's business goals with its communications strategies, the newly hired PR firm will be forced to create an ad hoc strategy that is likely to yield unfocused results.'

Receiving True Value

Any PR firm worth its salt is capable of getting a new client some traction simply by knowing the industry, reading the news and connecting the dots.' Unfortunately, this is superficial visibility is just that ' scratching the surface of what could be a truly valuable media campaign that matches the strengths and goals of a law firm. If all parties invested the time upfront to strategically target and effectively reach the audiences that can accomplish a firm's growth goals (often new clients and recruits), a firm could receive true value and tangible results.

In an ideal world, the internal team and the new PR firm work together to gather the information needed to make a real difference out of the gate. Here a few thoughts to get started:

1. Take time to sit down with your new PR team and the internal stakeholders who can help identify goals. Though it can be a scheduling nightmare, sitting down with your new PR team and key partners, management team members and internal marketers who should be involved in setting a firm's goals is always worth the aggravation. The sooner you can facilitate all decision-makers in the same room and (hopefully) reach a consensus on what kinds of issues, types of opportunities and target audiences a firm most wants to pursue, the sooner the PR firm will be headed in the right direction. This exercise will invariably expose some differences in opinion on objectives and methods, but it will almost always result in a positive, valuable conversation that will help further the mission of the firm and its new envoy.

2. Make sure you get a thoughtful media plan (or several) that map to the firm's goals. Asking the new PR firm for a detailed media plan will help ensure that its professionals understand what the law firm expects, and to demonstrate that they know how to meet those goals. This also helps identify any miscommunications or gaps in the strategy. Don't be afraid to hone in on specific goals as well, requesting strategies to promote individual practice groups or attorneys.

3. Give them access to the attorneys. According to Geri Ward, Office Administrator of Weil Gotshal & Manges' Silicon Valley office, introducing the new PR team to the attorneys and developing individualized media plans with each partner is a critical first step.'

“Getting our PR firm in front of each partner was incredibly meaningful. The meetings were a great way to kick off the relationship and focused each partner's attention on [his or her] own PR goals,” said Ms. Ward, who went through an onboarding process in 2012. “They left the meetings with clear action items and a better understanding of how valuable the new PR team can be to their practice.”

4. Train the firm's spokespeople. Not enough can be said for the need to have well-trained, media-savvy attorneys fielding the interview opportunities provided by your PR firm. A successful, rainmaking attorney does not necessarily equal a compelling, engaging spokesperson. If your new firm does not offer media training, preferably on-camera, find a professional who does, and bring him or her in for a full- or half-day session for each of your spokespeople or in a group setting.

5. Be responsive and keep your team updated on internal news, sensitivities and changing expectations. Nothing sours a PR firm relationship like a big, glaring mistake. While working with an outside agency certainly has its advantages, it takes a certain level of effort to maintain the relationship and keep it fresh. If your agency isn't up to date on the goings-on at the firm ' internal news, client sensitivities, staffing changes and shifting expectations ' at some point there will be a mistake. Some firms like to set bi-weekly or monthly calls or meetings to provide updates. Regardless of what schedule you commit to, stick with it and make good use of your time by discussing outstanding challenges and opportunities, firm news, sensitivities and other things of note so your PR firm is not in the dark.

6. Provide feedback even if it hurts. Like any meaningful relationship, the one between a law firm and its PR agency requires work, upkeep and, once in a while, a difficult conversation. Given the fact that your external PR team is just that ' external ' it can be tempting to let the little things slide. Maybe you're just too busy to correct the minor mistakes or are hesitant to come off as nitpicky. Either way, if you don't address the problems you're having on a day-to-day basis, regardless of their size or seeming-importance, at some point things will spill over. Giving your PR firm feedback, whether during your monthly calls or whenever a matter arises, is imperative to maintaining a long, happy relationship, and your outside PR team depends on it to stay sharp, effective and efficient.

Nicholas Gaffney, a lawyer and former journalist, is a founding partner of Infinite PR. and a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors. Reach him at [email protected] or 415-732-7801. Zach Olsen is executive vice president of Infinite PR in San Francisco. Reach him at [email protected] or 415-732-7802.'

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A great idea is only as good as its execution. In the world of law firm marketing, hiring a PR firm to assist with spreading a firm's story and raising visibility of its attorneys and practice groups can be a great idea on paper. However, once the theoretical value of hiring a PR firm is agreed upon, and some level of buy-in (and financial commitment) is attained from the partners, legal marketers are often left with a troubling question: Now what?

The 'Right' Firm

The first challenge, of course, is identifying the “right” firm. There are a number of PR agencies that provide quality PR and communications services to law firms. In nearly every business center in the country, one can find a local agency that knows the media landscape, has contacts with local media outlets, and understands the nuances of law firm business well enough to accomplish the firm's PR goals.

Unfortunately, the reasons most internal marketers make the move to hire a PR firm in the first place ' lack of time, manpower or expertise to do the firm's media relations themselves ' often puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to identifying goals and putting in the time necessary to design and launch an effective campaign.

But that's the PR firm's job, right? Certainly. But all too often, without the guidance and institutional knowledge that aligns the law firm's business goals with its communications strategies, the newly hired PR firm will be forced to create an ad hoc strategy that is likely to yield unfocused results.'

Receiving True Value

Any PR firm worth its salt is capable of getting a new client some traction simply by knowing the industry, reading the news and connecting the dots.' Unfortunately, this is superficial visibility is just that ' scratching the surface of what could be a truly valuable media campaign that matches the strengths and goals of a law firm. If all parties invested the time upfront to strategically target and effectively reach the audiences that can accomplish a firm's growth goals (often new clients and recruits), a firm could receive true value and tangible results.

In an ideal world, the internal team and the new PR firm work together to gather the information needed to make a real difference out of the gate. Here a few thoughts to get started:

1. Take time to sit down with your new PR team and the internal stakeholders who can help identify goals. Though it can be a scheduling nightmare, sitting down with your new PR team and key partners, management team members and internal marketers who should be involved in setting a firm's goals is always worth the aggravation. The sooner you can facilitate all decision-makers in the same room and (hopefully) reach a consensus on what kinds of issues, types of opportunities and target audiences a firm most wants to pursue, the sooner the PR firm will be headed in the right direction. This exercise will invariably expose some differences in opinion on objectives and methods, but it will almost always result in a positive, valuable conversation that will help further the mission of the firm and its new envoy.

2. Make sure you get a thoughtful media plan (or several) that map to the firm's goals. Asking the new PR firm for a detailed media plan will help ensure that its professionals understand what the law firm expects, and to demonstrate that they know how to meet those goals. This also helps identify any miscommunications or gaps in the strategy. Don't be afraid to hone in on specific goals as well, requesting strategies to promote individual practice groups or attorneys.

3. Give them access to the attorneys. According to Geri Ward, Office Administrator of Weil Gotshal & Manges' Silicon Valley office, introducing the new PR team to the attorneys and developing individualized media plans with each partner is a critical first step.'

“Getting our PR firm in front of each partner was incredibly meaningful. The meetings were a great way to kick off the relationship and focused each partner's attention on [his or her] own PR goals,” said Ms. Ward, who went through an onboarding process in 2012. “They left the meetings with clear action items and a better understanding of how valuable the new PR team can be to their practice.”

4. Train the firm's spokespeople. Not enough can be said for the need to have well-trained, media-savvy attorneys fielding the interview opportunities provided by your PR firm. A successful, rainmaking attorney does not necessarily equal a compelling, engaging spokesperson. If your new firm does not offer media training, preferably on-camera, find a professional who does, and bring him or her in for a full- or half-day session for each of your spokespeople or in a group setting.

5. Be responsive and keep your team updated on internal news, sensitivities and changing expectations. Nothing sours a PR firm relationship like a big, glaring mistake. While working with an outside agency certainly has its advantages, it takes a certain level of effort to maintain the relationship and keep it fresh. If your agency isn't up to date on the goings-on at the firm ' internal news, client sensitivities, staffing changes and shifting expectations ' at some point there will be a mistake. Some firms like to set bi-weekly or monthly calls or meetings to provide updates. Regardless of what schedule you commit to, stick with it and make good use of your time by discussing outstanding challenges and opportunities, firm news, sensitivities and other things of note so your PR firm is not in the dark.

6. Provide feedback even if it hurts. Like any meaningful relationship, the one between a law firm and its PR agency requires work, upkeep and, once in a while, a difficult conversation. Given the fact that your external PR team is just that ' external ' it can be tempting to let the little things slide. Maybe you're just too busy to correct the minor mistakes or are hesitant to come off as nitpicky. Either way, if you don't address the problems you're having on a day-to-day basis, regardless of their size or seeming-importance, at some point things will spill over. Giving your PR firm feedback, whether during your monthly calls or whenever a matter arises, is imperative to maintaining a long, happy relationship, and your outside PR team depends on it to stay sharp, effective and efficient.

Nicholas Gaffney, a lawyer and former journalist, is a founding partner of Infinite PR. and a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors. Reach him at [email protected] or 415-732-7801. Zach Olsen is executive vice president of Infinite PR in San Francisco. Reach him at [email protected] or 415-732-7802.'

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