So, let’s be serious. You shouldn’t dress this way on your first date-night with your PR firm – it’s strictly business.

And really, to be honest, you rarely have date-nights with your PR firm. In fact, you won’t – at least not on your first meeting; well except it’s 10:00 in the morning with you, but it’s night in some other countries of the world.

“Okay, got it. Remind me again, what am I doing on this column?”

If you’ve made it this far into the article, very nice to meet you, we’re on the same page. You’ve probably already realized the value of public relations for your business. But if not, and as a refresher, think of PR as Top of Funnel customer touch point. As marketers know, we must touch our prospective customers a few times before they buy, and there are different ways to do that, PR being one of the most powerful.

So, how do you handle your first, most important meeting with your prospective PR firm? Usually, the pitch presentation where you’d get to know if the PR firm is a good fit for your company’s engagement.

The choice of the PR firm for your company’s engagement is a very sensitive one. Shared below are 7 non-negotiable questions you must ask and consider, on your first pitch meeting with your prospective PR firm.

Here is how to “dress” for that date:

• Be Sure You’re Ready for a Relationship – in the First Place

So why do you need to engage a PR firm at this time? What is your business trying to achieve? What company goals do you have, that you need corporate communications expertise for?

Defining goals before heading on into a relationship with a PR firm, is the first point of call. Great PR agencies are expertise in providing your organization thought leadership, brand awareness, media engagement, corporate event coordination, up-to-date industry news, among a host of other services.

If any of these is your organizational goal at this time in business, then you’re on the right track to dressing up for your first date with a PR firm.

• Make Specific Request Regarding their Pitch Presentation

Your first date with your prospective PR firm will be a formal presentation where the prospective agency pitch to you; in effort to win your business. “Dress” for that meeting by making two very specific asks, earlier on:

1 – Ask that the PR firm only send people who will be on your account from day one, to the meeting. This way, you won’t get caught up in a situation where you are pitched by the A-team, but assigned to the D-team. Bait and switch situations can hurt your business, and should be avoided at all cost.

2 – Ask for an RFP process, especially if it’s your first time engaging the services of a PR firm. The RFP will usually guide you in selecting a qualified vendor that will plan, coordinate and administer public relations services for your organization.

• Don’t Ignore the Importance of Chemistry

On your first date, it is important that you like the team you’re hiring. Of course it is important that they are qualified and will do a great job, but it is equally important that you like the PR firm, and want to work with them.

It’s really no different from hiring people to work within your own internal team, you want to be excited to work with them every day!

• Make Sure they Have the Right Background

On your first date, before committing, interview the PR firm and find out what kind of companies they typically support. The right field is always a deal.

The mark of a great client-agency relationship circles back to synergy. If the client is able to lean on the agency’s professional experience and collaborative skills, then it’s a win-win relationship.

• Make Sure they Have at least One Idea you’re Excited About!

In pitch meetings, great PR firms that have done their homework and prepared well for their first date with you; will present a few different PR campaign ideas based on your RFP requirements.

At least one or two of the ideas presented should be creative, out-of-the-box, and cool enough to get you excited!

• Be Sure that Who you’ve Got, Has Got you Too

How well does this PR firm know your company or type of business? Great PR agencies have unique approaches that cut through commonplace beliefs and get to the heart of the matter.

Can your prospective firm demonstrate that they’ve spent a lot of time to discover what your customers are truly looking for? Be sure the PR agency you engage has taken the time to get to know your business and industry.

• Make Sure you Won’t be Breaking the Bank

You want the best, but your budget is important too. You’ll need to make sure to clearly articulate your top-line budget, including base retainer fees, marketing expenses and incidentals.

Make sure you both have a clear path that requires written approval for any month’s expense that exceeds your budget.

You have every right to expect all of the above in your relationship with a PR agency. If the agency doesn’t deliver on even one of these items, it is fair enough to move on if you have to.

A great PR agency will hit them effortlessly – or at least have a good explanation if it can’t.

These are critical questions to ask before you sign on the dotted line. Your relationship – and your company’s success – depends on it.

Are you looking to engage a PR firm like yesterday?

For us at Phyllion: corporate relations is at the very core of our business.

That’s all we do. And we’re great at it.