Beware of BAD PR Firms

I received the equivalent of a cold call from a "seasoned and respected" PR firm based in Silicon Valley today. The call came from the founding partner of the firm. After we chit-chatted for five or six minutes, the suspense overwhelmed me and I asked, "So exactly what can I do for you?"

I didn't mean to be rude, but I really couldn't figure out why she had called me. It turned out that she wanted me to hire her PR firm. But had I not asked, I'm not sure I would have ever figured that out.

The world is full of tremendous PR firms who really get it. Unfortunately, there are far more PR firms who just don't get it. In my experience, the firms that don't get it are just like the firm that called me today. Outside of trying to tell me about all their experience, all their successful clients, they can't tell me exactly what I need to know from them - "What can you do for me that nobody else can."

Now there's a lot of different reasons to hire a firm. Some people hire firms because they know nothing about PR or how media and analysts operate and they need the help. Others know a little or a lot about PR, but don't have the time or resources to do all the legwork themselves. Regardless of why you hire a PR firm, picking the right firm can make all the difference in the world.

Having worked with several large and small PR firms, and having worked in small and large PR firms myself, here are the top three things to keep in mind when choosing a firm:

1) Be Weary of the Grey Hairs - A lot of PR firms like to bring in the grey-haired (no offense) partners to show off all their years of experience, fancy reporter "friends" and the long list of past clients who have gone on to earn millions and billions. They show up to the pitch, say a lot of smart-sounding things, share some old stories about launching Google or Apple (even if they didn't) and then disappear never to be seen or heard from again (at least until you fire them). So make sure to always ask who will be assigned to your account and how much time you can expect from the senior team.

2) Bullshit Bingo - Pull out a piece of paper and write down the following words: Strategic counsel, paradigm, thought leadership, social media and any other buzz word in your industry. If the firm pitching your businesses touches on each of these words more than twice, stop the meeting and thank them for their time. These guys simply want to sell you ten-cent words at the low-low price of $165 an hour. These guys aren't free thinkers. They're parrots.

3) Hustle Counts - Above everything else, the best PR pros and firms are constantly hustling - and I don't mean the shady kind of hustle. A successful PR program is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration. The firm that demonstrates their ability and eagerness to work hard, move fast and do whatever it takes to win your business is the PR firm worth working with. Hustle is the single most important thing when it comes to good PR.

Of course, there are many other reasons, but these are the top three that I think about when evaluating a firm. Above else, remember that PR is far less strategic and complicated than most PR firms would lead you to believe. Don't be distracted by their smoke and mirrors. Trust your gut and you'll be better for it.