From competition to collaboration:
why coordination between international PR agencies is a good thing
Although thanks to a network of professional PR freelancers and translators, OutspokenPR covers a great many European countries in addition to North America, over the years we’ve come to really value cooperation between agencies. This is the case where multiple agencies rep the same client across different regions, based on strengths and location.
There is a certain camaraderie that comes from working on an account alongside other agencies from all over the world that brings incredibly satisfying benefits. Not only is this how we originally grounded and developed our understanding of how the media works in other countries (in addition to some healthy banging our noses against brick walls!), but it’s a way of meeting other communications entrepreneurs and sharing views, practices and sometimes even a glass of wine!
Most importantly, getting over a misplaced sense of competition and embracing truly collaborative practices can yield great results for the client.
Sharing ideas, pitch angles and stories that can provide a new hook, is just one way of ensuring that messages reach far and wide and that opportunities do not go wasted. This kind of open book policy ensures that you have access to information on trends that might spill over to other geographies ahead of the rest of the market. Collaboration across international agencies adds depth to angles, but also supports with monitoring events from far and wide that may eventually have knock-on effects for your market: it’s great to have another ear to the ground.
Pooling ideas also gives a more organic and campaign-based approach to storytelling. If an agency comes up with a topical pitch that works across regions, leveraging it at the same time contributes to uniformity of messaging and to positioning your client as the top expert on that subject across the globe within what may be a critical window of opportunity.
When it comes to experts, having positive and collaborative relationships with your counterparts across the globe also means getting more, immediate insights into who KOLs are, especially for emerging areas of interest such as crypto, AI, blockchain or social prescribing to name a few topical issues across sectors we operate in.
In addition to carrying out more synchronised and well-timed campaigns, pooling ideas and sharing strategies can help the client achieve more uniform results across countries. It is, in fact, a common complaint to hear that coverage results differ broadly across regions.
Additionally, collaboration is not only useful to highlight potential areas of connection, but also to help with fine tuning corporate messages to your country’s specific needs. You may realise that a story just won’t work for your country because you have a different regulatory set up, or corporate mentality differs and the message needs to be revisited.
Finally, in almost twenty (20!) years of this profession, I can confidently say that collaborating with other international PR agencies has always been beneficial to the client, supporting their efforts to remain consistent in messaging through regular check-ins and ongoing coordination, and broaden their reach through pooling of ideas, pitches and even content for inspiration.
Happy with your existing agencies but struggling to keep on top of messaging, performance and results? Contact us today for an informal chat on team@outspokenpr.com