Bringing in a PR or marketing agency can be transformative for your organization — but only if the timing, structure, and partnership are right. Too often, businesses jump into agency relationships before they’re ready or without a clear understanding of what success looks like.
This post outlines what to consider before hiring an agency, how to select one that fits, and how to manage that relationship once it’s underway. It’s based on lessons from my book A Practical Guide to Public Relations for Businesses, Nonprofits and PR Leaders, and is the first in a two-part series. Next time, we’ll look at how to manage contractor relationships — an equally important part of building blended PR and marketing teams that work smoothly across internal and external partners.
Knowing When You’re Ready for an Agency
Sometimes organizations jump to hire an agency before they’re ready. First, make sure your organization has:
- A functioning internal team with at least one person available to manage the relationship.
- A marketing or PR plan already in motion, even if it’s simple.
- The capacity to engage regularly — agencies can’t work in a vacuum.
If you don’t already have those things in place, consider starting with a contractor or internal hire before bringing on an agency. Once your systems and team are working smoothly, adding an agency becomes an extension of your momentum — not an extra burden. This foundation sets you up for a true blended team dynamic where in-house and external collaborators work seamlessly together.
The Agency Relationship
When selecting an agency, consider skipping the obvious question everyone asks: “Do you have experience in my industry?”
What matters more is whether the agency knows how to collaborate, communicate, and build strategies that align with your goals. The right agency can learn your industry — but they can’t learn chemistry.
The best agency partnerships happen when both sides act like one cohesive team. Your agency isn’t a vendor — it’s an extension of your internal department. For that to happen, you need clarity on who’s doing what, how often you’ll communicate, and how progress will be tracked.
Marketing thrives within structure. Without it, even talented teams can lose direction. That’s why it’s essential to agree on how you’ll plan, meet, and measure from the start. When done well, your agency becomes part of a blended team that shares accountability, creativity, and results.
Setting the Structure
At Veracity, we’ve refined a process over the years that keeps work on track and expectations clear:
- Work within a defined plan. Everyone should know what’s being done, when, and why. It’s the foundation of all successful partnerships.
- Check progress regularly. Monthly meetings (at least) help confirm alignment and give both teams a chance to adjust priorities.
- Use meeting agendas as to-do lists. These keep everyone organized and accountable for next steps.
- Report frequently. Reports should go beyond media coverage — they should show where things stand on projects, deadlines, and goals.
This level of organization prevents confusion and ensures both sides understand how time and budget are being spent.
The Role of the In-House Team
Even the best agencies can’t operate effectively without an engaged in-house contact. This should not be the CEO or executive director. Agencies need someone who has the time to respond quickly, share information, and move approvals along — not someone whose calendar is booked solid for months.
Ideally, your main contact is a communications or marketing manager who knows how things work internally. This person serves as the bridge between your organization and your agency, keeping work flowing and ensuring the agency gets what it needs to do its job. When communication bottlenecks happen, results do too.
Making the Most of the Partnership
Once things are in motion, engagement is key. That doesn’t mean micromanaging — it means staying active enough to guide strategy and provide feedback. Read the reports. Respond to questions. Approve materials in a timely manner.
Agencies can only perform as well as the information they receive. When communication breaks down, deadlines and opportunities often do too. Responsiveness is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to get better results.
Also, don’t forget to celebrate wins together. Whether it’s earned media, campaign milestones, or successful collaborations, taking a moment to recognize what’s working helps sustain positive energy across both teams.
Agency Red Flags
If something feels off with your agency relationship, trust that instinct. Here are signs you may need to re-engage or rethink the partnership:
- You don’t know what your agency is doing. There should always be a plan and clear updates.
- There’s no rhythm to the work. Scattershot activity may mean the agency is operating without structure.
- You’re leading all the ideas. Agencies should bring creativity and strategy — not wait for your prompts.
- You’re not seeing results. Benchmarks should be established early so progress can be measured.
If these issues sound familiar, start by reestablishing clear expectations and effective communication. But if that doesn’t resolve things, it might be time for a change.
Finding the Right Balance
The best client-agency relationships are built on mutual trust and accountability. You hired your agency for their expertise, so give them room to lead — but also keep them accountable to goals and structure. When that balance is struck, an agency becomes more than outside help — it becomes a true extension of your team, helping you expand capacity and strengthen your communications.
When paired with skilled contractors and an organized in-house team, your agency partnership becomes part of a blended model that’s both scalable and sustainable — one that reflects how most modern PR and marketing teams now work.
Looking Ahead
Managing agencies and contractors often requires similar skills: communication, accountability, and structure. The difference is scale. Agencies bring full teams; contractors typically fill individual roles. Both require trust and clear expectations.
The next post in this series explores how to manage contractors — from finding and vetting them to setting deliverables and avoiding common pitfalls.
For more detail on managing PR and marketing teams of all types, including step-by-step processes and examples, you’ll find additional guidance in my book A Practical Guide to Public Relations for Businesses, Nonprofits and PR Leaders.
