PR firms in Chicago: how to choose
What to expect from a PR firm in Chicago? A lot of times when people think about public relations, the first thing that comes to their mind is a publicist, someone who gets your news in the news and that is able to put your brand on TV. Whatever your dream media placement is, the commune thinking is that a PR agency can help you achieve that. However, that is only part of what a PR professional or firm does. When you’re thinking of a PR firm, you should also think of someone who can come alongside your brand as a strategic partner. PR in Chicago is also about conveying your message to your target audiences and stakeholders, analyzing the competition for you, and providing you with suggestions. A PR firm is a big thinker of your brand, and it decides how you want to be perceived within the media space and industry, elevating you as a tough leader. The tools they normally use to achieve this is writing news releases article and writing blog contents.
There’s a lot that PR firm can do for your brand. But a lot is about being strategic and being focused on your goals as an organization, and on how you want to be portrayed to the public. A PR professional can do everything from social media to blogging, working with your team on newsletters, automating your marketing campaigns, and create a communication strategy.
A PR firm should work with you in identifying your target audiences, figuring out what publications they like to read, what TV programs they like to watch, and of course what type of websites engage them the most. So when you think of PR you should think of a communication strategy. You should not expect from a PR firm to create billboards, writing stories for reporters, or get anyhow engaged with paid advertising. This is probably what really differentiates a PR firm from a marketing agency. PR firms are involved with earned media and reputation, while marketing agencies are the one involved with paid media and advertising.
Before you make your choice about a PR firm, think about your needs and goals.
Goals could be something like becoming a New York Times bestselling author, or getting more business. Whatever your goals are, you want to make sure that they are clearly outlined, because this will help you later to find the right PR firms. Also, you should think about your needs, such as having a higher exposure on TV or maybe get seen more often on editorials. Every PR firm is different and each of them may have different strengths. So you want to make sure that your goals and needs a very clearly outlined before you even think about hiring a PR agency.
List of Public Relations firms in Chicago
Partnering with the right PR agency can be absolutely fantastic for your business; if you get the right one it can really transform the amount of media coverage you’re getting and have an incredible effect on your entire brand. But, if you’re not a PR person, and you have no experience with PR industry, choosing a PR agency can be very difficult.
There are four broad criteria that you should consider when you come to choose a PR agency to partner with:
1. find a PR agency who represented other people in your sector and look how well they have done for those other businesses. Working with a specialist or an agency that understands the issues of your sector and the challenges you face, it is going to give you much better results.</p>
2. speak to other clients of the agencies who are on your short list and ask them what their experience has been and how they’ve gone. Ask the agency to supply you with referrals, if that is a good agency, there will be very happy to supply those.
3. avoid cheap services because too often cheap agencies provide a low-quality service. Get a range of prices, but go for the agency that you think has given you a fair quotation and that you feel can provide good results.
4. look at this as a long-term partnership, so choose a PR firm that can bring value to your business, that can come up with creative campaigns, and that can well communicate your vision to your target audience.
Top 10 PR Firms in Chicago
ACM PR |
Carol Fox and Associates |
Flavor Public Relations |
Front and Social |
Julie Darling |
Meltwater Group |
Motion PR |
PReturn |
Walker Sands Communications |
Winger Marketing |
Happening now in Chicago
Top Media Outlets in Chicago
MEDIA OUTLET | WEBSITE | LOCATION | MEDIA TYPE |
M&A Chicago | groupbrm.com | US | Journal |
Chicago Magazine | chicagomag.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Chicago Parent | chicagoparent.com | Oak Park, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Chicago Social Brides | chicagobridemagazine.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Eureka Chicago Magazine | eurekachicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Golf Chicago Magazine | golfchicagomagazine.com | Joliet, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago | modernluxury.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Modern Luxury Men’s Book Chicago | modernluxury.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
The University of Chicago Magazine | mag.uchicago.edu | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
This Week in Chicago | keymagazinechicago.com | Chicago, Iowa, US | Magazine |
Time Out Chicago | timeoutchicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Magazine |
Chicago Union Teacher | ctunet.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newsletter |
Chicago Business Journal | bizjournals.com | Charlotte, North Carolina, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Citizen | thechicagocitizen.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Defender | chicagodefender.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Jewish News | chicagojewishnews.com | Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Law Bulletin | chicagolawbulletin.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Maroon | chicagomaroon.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Reader | chicagoreader.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Ridge Citizen | southwestmessengerpress.com | Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Shimpo | chicagoshimpo.com | Arlington Heights, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Southwest News-Herald | swnewsherald.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Sun-Times | chicago.suntimes.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Chicago Tribune | chicagotribune.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Crain’s Chicago Business | chicagobusiness.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Daily Herald (Chicago, IL) | dailyherald.com | Arlington Heights, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
El Chicago Hispano | elchicagohispano.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
La Prensa de Chicago | www.laprensaus.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
RedEye Chicago | redeyechicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
The Chicago Crusader | chicagocrusader.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
The Chicago Reporter | chicagoreporter.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Newspaper |
West Chicago Suburban Life | mysuburbanlife.com | Illinois, US | Newspaper |
Built In Chicago | builtinchicago.org | Chicago, Illinois, US | Online/Digital |
Chicago Golf Report | www.chicagogolfreport.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Online/Digital |
Chicago Inno | chicagoinno.streetwise.co | Chicago, Illinois, US | Online/Digital |
WBBM-AM (Chicago, IL) | chicago.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WBBM-FM (Chicago, IL) | chicago.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WBEZ-FM (Chicago, IL) | wbez.org | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WEBG-FM (Chicago, IL) | big955chicago.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WFMT-FM (Chicago, IL) | wfmt.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WGCI-FM (Chicago, IL) | wgci.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WGRB-AM (Chicago, IL) | inspiration1390.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WJMK-FM (Chicago, IL) | khitschicago.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WKQX-FM (Chicago, IL) | 101wkqx.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WKSC-FM (Chicago, IL) | 1035kissfm.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WLIT-FM (Chicago, IL) | 939myfm.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WLS-AM (Chicago, IL) | wlsam.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WLS-FM (Chicago, IL) | 947wls.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WLUP-FM (Chicago, IL) | wlup.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WMBI-FM (Chicago, IL) | moodyradiochicago.fm | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WMVP-AM (Chicago, IL) | espn.go.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WRME-FM (Chicago, IL) | metv.fm | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WSCR-AM (Chicago, IL) | chicago.cbslocal.com | New York, New York, US | Radio |
WSHE-FM (Chicago, IL) | wshechicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WTMX-FM (Chicago, IL) | wtmx.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WUSN-FM (Chicago, IL) | us995.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WVAZ-FM (Chicago, IL) | v103.iheart.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WVON-AM (Chicago, IL) | wvon.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WXRT-FM (Chicago, IL) | wxrt.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WYRB-FM (Chicago, IL) | 1063chicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Radio |
WBBM-TV (Chicago, IL) | chicago.cbslocal.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Television |
WCIU-TV (Chicago, IL) | wciu.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Television |
WCPX-TV (Chicago, IL) | iontelevision.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Television |
WFLD-TV (Chicago, IL) | fox32chicago.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Television |
WGBO-TV (Chicago, IL) | chicago.univision.com | Chicago, Illinois, US | Television |