Why Bigger Is Not Always Better

By Kristi Eaton

Think about it: from a young age we’ve been taught that the largest company is the most successful. That the company charging the highest rate must be the best because they can afford to charge that. 

But, as I’ve come to learn in PR as a solopreneur, bigger is not always better. Large PR firms on the coasts have reputations that precede them, and for good reason, but they also can come with monthly retainers on par with a down payment on a house. And that’s one month of work. A good PR strategy lasts for at least six months, if not much longer. 

In this latest installment of Media Matters, I share some reasons why working with a small agency, consultant or solopreneur like ke comms can benefit you and your bottom line:

• Lower hourly or retainer rate. Consultants and solopreneurs simply don’t have the overhead that many large firms do. 

• You’re guaranteed to work with the person who you contract with. One of the biggest misconceptions in the big flashy PR world is that you’ll be working with the VP on a daily basis. The VP probably pitched and prepared the proposal, but it is likely a newer staffer who will handle the day-to-day account management and be pitching your story to the news media and journalists. This bait and switch is one of the biggest pet peeves you’ll hear about in the industry. 

• Results that are just as good. Consultants who have a strong track record and know what they are doing can provide results that are on par to the flashy PR firms with hundreds of staff members. And with one person, there’s less back-and-forth in setting up interviews and getting messaging right. The more hands involved in a project, the more room for error, of course.

• Relationships grow stronger and flourish. With one PR person, you’re more likely to develop a rapport over time, build trust, and think outside the box instead of dealing with different staffers on a daily or weekly basis. This goes for both the client-PR pro relationship and the PR pro-journalist relationship. 

While larger firms may be the way to go for some clients who have many moving parts, large budgets or need a variety of services, a single consultant or solopreneur focused on media relations can be just as beneficial and far more cost effective for that service area. 

If you’re interested in working with ke comms or have a question, please email me at kristi@kecomms.com.