HOW TO HIRE A PR AGENCY: 10 RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR

October 15, 2026

Brand reputation can be a fragile thing. Just think about how many times you’ve seen a company stick its foot in it online. It doesn’t have to be this way either. And that’s where a great PR agency comes in.

 

A great agency does more than secure earned media coverage; it proactively builds your authority and safeguards your company’s narrative before problems arise. It also helps you keep messaging consistent across all your touchpoints, so everything feels coherent and on brand.

 

But how does one find said great agency? We’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the process. Rooted in our experience of running Liaison for more than 25 years, this guide covers what to look for, the biggest red flags to watch out for, and how to ensure you find a true partner in the end.

 

Why Should I Hire a PR Agency?

 

An experienced PR agency builds on your internal team’s efforts by defining your strategy, shaping your messaging, and handling everything from press releases to content creation and impactful events.

 

It also protects your narrative when organic interest strikes. Accepting media requests, podcast invites, or influencer demos without a clear strategy risks having your message misconstrued. A dedicated agency ensures inbound media attention translates into positive, brand-building coverage that elevates your authority.

10 Red Flags to Watch Out for When Hiring a PR Agency

Once you have your shortlist of potential agencies, the next step is reaching out to schedule discovery calls. This is your opportunity to outline your goals, ask tough questions, and gauge what each team can deliver within your budget. After these conversations, each agency should provide a formal proposal for your review.

During the call and proposal review process, you should watch for red flags including:

  1. High Turnover

Does this agency retain staff for a long time? If not, you may find yourself having to constantly readjust to new account coordinators. Every time a team member changes, you’ll need to bring them up to speed on your plans and products, wasting time and budget.

  1. Low Expertise

What’s the team’s background? If an agency relies heavily on junior staff without industry veterans guiding the strategy, you’ll waste valuable time educating them on your market. When clients come to us after a poor experience elsewhere, their top complaint is almost always an agency’s lack of domain knowledge and inability to craft compelling stories for specialized audiences.

  1. Rigid Contracts

PR contracts are typically based on either:

  • A one-off project fee: Best when you only need help for a limited time, perhaps for a product launch or event appearance
  • A monthly retainer: Best for when you need maximum flexibility and support for your current team on an ongoing basis.

Whichever you choose, this contract should be flexible and made-to-measure for your business needs. It also shouldn’t tie you into an unbreakable commitment. For example, at Liaison, we give prospective clients 30 days to opt out of their contract if they want to go in a different direction.

  1. No Proposal

Before you select an agency, you should expect a custom proposal from that agency detailing their ideas and exactly how they would execute those ideas with your budget. It should always include a breakdown of the hourly rate and exactly how many hours they are going to spend on your account. Run away from any agency that simply sends you a list of services without anything more specific to your business needs. Some agencies will promise the world to lock you into a year-long contract with no plans to deliver; asking plenty of questions is a good way to sniff out these tricksters.

  1. Too Many Releases

Another red flag is an agency that relies only on press releases in its proposal. Press releases are a key part of any PR strategy, but sending journalists too many can be overwhelming and get your news deleted instantly. Instead, you should expect an agency to blend press releases with creative ideas and opportunities such as PR stunts, thought leadership articles, events, and roundtables.

  1. No Managers

The best agencies will assign you an account manager, who will be your primary point of contact in day-to-day work. Before you start working with an agency, you should know who this account manager would be, where they are based, and their background and experience. Ideally, this account manager should not be changed or switched out for anyone else once the work begins.

  1. No Past Clients

Unless you’re about to work with a brand-new agency, you should expect to see a clear list of past clients. If the agency is guarded about its clients or won’t be transparent about who they are, that may signal poor relationships or unhappy customers. Similarly, it’s a bad sign if an agency doesn’t keep clients long. Some accounts will always come and go, but look for an agency that’s worked with companies for several years as evidence of strong relationships.

  1. No Case Studies

Just like a past client list, you should also expect prospective agencies to have an online presence as well as clear case studies about their work and the results they achieved. A lack of case studies and results may be a sign that the agency has something to hide.

  1. Guarantees and Promises

Public relations isn’t a short-term solution, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be aware of any agency that offers you guaranteed organic coverage or incredible results on a tiny budget. The only way to truly guarantee coverage is to pay for it, or to rely on publications that won’t move the needle for your target audience. Instead, look for agencies that give you realistic results based on their experience.

  1. Too Much Focus on Press Contacts

Be cautious of agencies that rely heavily on “who they know” as their primary selling point. While strong media relationships are valuable, they aren’t a golden ticket. Reporters write for their readers, not their friends. No matter how long an agency has known an editor, top-tier publications will only cover your news if you have a compelling, relevant story.

Ready to find the right PR partner?

Navigating agency proposals doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With over 25 years of experience building media presence for growing companies, Liaison helps you skip the red flags and build a narrative that lasts. Schedule a discovery call with Liaison today.