In many cases it is location and due to the business being based in London there is the image that they are more up market, more refined and you will get a higher quality product for paying a little more.

This is not necessarily true, as there are hundreds of thousands of businesses within the London area and true that some are well known for quality and value (at a cost) this is not the case with all of them.

PR agencies within London number over 1,000 and true there are some of the larger PR firms based in the city (international agencies that have their corporate offices within the M25 or close to a key client) however there are lots and lots of ‘pr boutiques’ and smaller agencies that are located close to the center, but may have just started out.

Many of these will provide competitive prices to compete with the many other PR agencies that there are in the UK (not to mention the ones from overseas that are pushing into the UK now).

If an agency is based in the very heart of London then they may charge more due to their costs of rent and staff however this is not necessarily the same across the board as all agencies will be different.

For a larger agency, they may have more staff that need to commute into the center, whereas a smaller agency that only has 2-3 staff that live locally, would be more price competitive.

The best way to check what prices and options PR agencies offer is to get quotes from them and compare them like for like with perhaps other agencies in London or even agencies that are outside of the M25.

We do advise to work with a local agency where you can, as meetings are an important part of the agency understanding your business and goals, this can be lost with a more virtual relationship that is based around e-mail. Not knocking hands off business relationships however with marketing and PR a meeting is recommended in the early days but also to have review meetings. If your company is based within the M25 and live close by it would make sense to work with a local London based agency – just a case of comparing them with others locally to be price conscious.

Public relations is something which a lot of companies claim to do effectively but that few understand completely. It’s not just clever gimmicks or sending out press releases. Effective PR is characterized by a coherent strategy that has defined goals and measurable results. An effective public relations agency for UK businesses understands this and works hard to make the business environment work for them.  More and more companies who want to become successful are hiring PR agencies to help them out. A PR agency is very important for your company because public relations are a very crucial aspect of business nowadays.

PR is not just an effort to persuade the public of the value of a company’s products or services. The most effective public relations firms are able to not only engage the public, but to improve the perception of the company in the eyes of its own employees. When the efforts of the public relations firm are successful, the company itself becomes more successful. The sales force is deployed into an environment where the name they represent carries with it a positive image, a huge asset to those trying to close the deal with new clients or pique the interest of prospective ones.

Some public relations agencies work outside the firm and some work within the firm. The best public relations agencies are willing to do both. Among public relations agencies in the UK, the flexibility to make such arrangements work tends to indicate that the firm is staffed by flexible, open-minded people who are willing to accommodate their client’s needs in a way that improves their overall success.

When working with a public relations agency, that agency should be more than willing to provide concrete evidence as to the effectiveness of their efforts. This is a basic component of any other service provider and public relations firms have a reasonable expectation to be held to the same standards of accountability. Good public relations firms keep detailed records of the measurable results of their work and are enthusiastic about sharing it with their clients. Businesses around the world expect this from any public relations agency. UK businesses have the right to expect the same.

Public relations has a great deal of useful applications aside from the obvious marketing of a product or service or client relations. A good public relations firm can keep a business in the public eye and control the nature of that image by emphasizing the positive aspects of the corporation. They don’t “fool” the public into believing something that is untrue. A good public relations agency simply makes sure the company’s products, services, people and relations with their community are presented in an interesting way that tends to lead to a positive impression of the company.

Choosing a public relations agency for UK businesses can present myriad options. Look for agencies that are serious about their client’s successes and who are willing to work within the most beneficial framework for the company toward a defined set of goals. Take a look at their client list and see how those companies fare in the public eye. The agency you hire should be staffed by people who are passionate about their work. While choosing the PR agency, you need to be very clear about what you require from the agency. If you can articulate your demands properly, chances are that you will get a good agency for your business. Being clear about your goals will help you find the right agency.