The agency saved NPGA undue embarrassment. Agencies can supply specialized talent in areas such as financialpublic relations, government relations, environmental public relations, orspeech writing. These talents are important to generating news storyplacements in the media. Agencies usually have a reservoir of media contacts upon whom theycan call and also know what kinds of stories reporters are presentlyinterested in. But it cantake three years to develop the contactshiring an agency.
Agencies also provide a buffer between the media and the client.
Often, if news breaks in an industry and reporters request comments aboutits potential impact, PR agencies can buy companies enough time toformulate an effective response. An agency may work exclusively on environmental, financial, medical,biotechnology, employee communications, investor relations, governmentrelations, or high technology accounts. Or it may have all of thosespecialties in its portfolio. Next, you need to determine if you are going to require the agency'sservices on a full-time basis or only for project work. Microsoft Corp.,for example, recently hired a public relations firm that specializes inconsumer marketing to help it launch its Windows 95 operating systemsoftware.