TL;DR
Most companies evaluate PR agencies the wrong way: they compare pitch decks, ask for credentials, negotiate price, and pick the team that presented best. Then they spend six months discovering the pitch team is not the account team, the measurement framework is AVE, the media list is generic, and the strategic counsel they were promised never materialises. This guide gives you 10 specific questions that separate genuinely capable PR firms from those that present well but deliver poorly. Each question includes the answer a good agency will give and the red flag that tells you to walk away. Use it as a live evaluation tool in your next agency meeting. Madchatter, one of India’s best PR agencies, welcomes these questions because its practice is built to answer every one of them.
The result is predictable. According to a 2024 PRovoke Media global survey, 41% of companies change their PR agency within the first 18 months. The ICCO World Report 2024 found that “unmet expectations” is the primary reason for agency churn, ahead of price, performance, or relationship issues. The expectations were not unmet because the agency was incompetent; they were unmet because the client did not ask the right questions during evaluation.
This guide fixes that. It provides 10 specific questions that expose the difference between a PR firm that will deliver value and one that will waste your retainer. For each question, you will get the answer you should expect from a capable agency and the red flag that tells you the agency is not ready for your business. Print this. Bring it to your next agency meeting. Use it as a live PR firm checklist. The agency’s reaction to being evaluated rigorously will itself tell you something important about how they will perform under pressure.
Why the Standard PR Agency Evaluation Process Fails
Before the 10 questions, it is worth understanding why the conventional public relations agency evaluation process produces bad outcomes so consistently.Pitch decks are marketing documents, not capability evidence
Every agency’s pitch deck is impressive. The case studies are cherry-picked. The team bios highlight the most senior people (who may never touch your account). The creative ideas are designed to excite, not to be feasible. Evaluating agencies primarily by their pitch decks is like evaluating job candidates solely by their resumes: it tells you what they want you to believe, not what they can actually do.Credentials and client logos prove the past, not the future
An agency that managed PR for a major brand five years ago may have lost the team that did the work, changed their operating model, or allowed quality to decline since then. Client logos on a website tell you that a relationship existed. They do not tell you what was delivered, whether the client was satisfied, or whether the team that produced the results is still at the agency. According to the PRCA India best practice guidelines, credential presentations should include specific, measurable outcomes rather than brand associations, yet fewer than 30% of agency pitches in India include quantified results.Price comparison without scope comparison is meaningless
Comparing agencies by monthly retainer is like comparing cars by sticker price: it tells you nothing without understanding what is included. An agency quoting INR 2 lakh per month for a junior team executing press releases is not comparable to an agency quoting INR 5 lakh for a senior strategist, trade media targeting, thought leadership, and measurement. Yet most evaluation processes treat these as interchangeable because the price is the easiest number to compare.The pitch team problem
The single most common complaint about PR agencies worldwide is the bait-and-switch: a senior, impressive team pitches the business, then a junior team manages the account. A 2024 AMEC global survey found that 57% of client-agency disputes involve a perceived gap between the team that pitched and the team that delivers. This problem is structurally embedded in the agency model and can only be addressed by asking the right questions during evaluation.10 Questions to Ask Any PR Firm Before Signing
Question 1: Who exactly will work on my account, and how much of their time am I buying?
Why this matters: This is the single most important question in any agency evaluation. The quality of your PR programme is determined by the people executing it, not the agency’s brand name. Good answer: The agency names specific individuals with their experience levels, the percentage of their time allocated to your account, and the escalation path to senior leadership. They commit this in writing as part of the contract.
Red flag: “We will assign the best available team.” This means staffing decisions have not been made and your account will be filled with whoever is free when you sign. Walk away if the agency cannot name names before you commit.
Question 2: How do you measure success, and what will your reports look like?
Why this matters: Measurement philosophy reveals strategic maturity. Agencies that measure outputs (clip counts, impressions, AVE) think about PR as a production function. Agencies that measure outcomes (stakeholder awareness, pipeline influence, message pull-through) think about PR as a business function.
Good answer: The agency describes a measurement framework tied to your business objectives, offers to share a sample report from a current engagement (redacted), and explains how they attribute PR activity to business outcomes. They should explicitly state that AVE is an invalid metric per the Barcelona Principles 3.0.
Red flag: The report template leads with clip counts and AVE. The agency cannot explain how they connect media coverage to business outcomes. They measure what is easy to count rather than what matters to your company.
Question 3: Can you name 10 journalists who cover my specific sector?
Why this matters: Media relationships are the currency of PR. An agency’s ability to name specific journalists in your sector, without checking a database, is the most reliable indicator of genuine specialist capability.
Good answer: The agency names specific reporters at publications relevant to your sector, describes their recent coverage, and explains which journalists would be most receptive to your story and why. They distinguish between reporters they have pitched and reporters they have active relationships with.
Red flag: “We will build a media list after we sign.” This means the agency does not have existing relationships in your sector and your first three months of retainer will fund their education. You are paying for access that does not yet exist.
Question 4: What will the first 90 days look like, week by week?
Why this matters: The first 90 days determine whether a PR engagement builds momentum or wastes time. A PR consulting assessment should include a detailed onboarding and execution plan, not just vague promises about “getting to know the business.”
Good answer: The agency provides a week-by-week plan: narrative development (weeks 1 to 3), media mapping and strategy finalisation (weeks 3 to 4), first outreach (weeks 4 to 6), initial coverage targets (weeks 6 to 8), and a 90-day review meeting with defined success criteria. The plan includes specific milestones and deliverables.
Red flag: “The first few months are about building relationships and understanding the business.” This is agency code for “we have not planned the engagement and will figure it out once you are paying us.” A rigorous onboarding plan should exist before the contract is signed.
Question 5: Show me a piece of content you produced for a similar client. Walk me through what made it effective.
Why this matters: Content quality is the agency’s product. Evaluating it in the abstract is impossible; you need to see actual work. The walkthrough reveals strategic thinking: did the agency understand why a particular angle worked, or did they just produce copy and get lucky?
Good answer: The agency shows a press release, bylined article, or media pitch for a company in a related sector. They explain the strategic rationale: why this angle was chosen, how the journalist was selected, what the result was, and what they would do differently next time. The content is technically accurate, strategically sharp, and clearly tailored (not generic).
Red flag: The agency cannot produce sample content for a similar client. Or the samples are generic press releases filled with buzzwords and adjectives rather than substance and data. Or they cannot explain the strategic thinking behind the work. Good content is evidence of good thinking; bad content is evidence of a production line.
Question 6: What will you tell me when I ask you to pitch a story that is not newsworthy?
Why this matters: Every agency says they are “strategic partners, not order-takers.” This question tests whether that is true. An agency that pushes back on bad ideas protects you. An agency that executes every request without challenge wastes your money on pitches that journalists ignore and erodes your media credibility over time.
Good answer: “We will tell you directly that the story is not ready, explain why journalists will not cover it, and suggest what would make it newsworthy or propose an alternative angle.” The best agencies describe specific examples of pushing back on clients and the better outcomes that resulted.
Red flag: “We always find a way to make your story work.” This is the answer of an agency that will pitch everything you ask for, regardless of newsworthiness, burning through journalist goodwill and producing coverage in irrelevant outlets just to show activity in the monthly report.
Question 7: How do you handle a crisis at 8 PM on a Friday?
Why this matters: Crisis readiness separates real PR firms from media relations services. The question is not whether you will face a crisis; it is whether your agency will be available, prepared, and competent when you do.
Good answer: The agency describes their crisis protocol: who is on call (named individuals), the guaranteed response time (30 to 60 minutes for existing clients), what the first-hour workflow looks like, and how crisis preparedness is built into the engagement (vulnerability audits, pre-drafted holding statements, spokesperson training). They can describe a specific crisis they managed and what they learned from it.
Red flag: “We would address that the next business day” or “Our crisis capability is an additional service at additional cost.” A crisis does not schedule itself around business hours or budget line items. Any agency that does not include baseline crisis readiness in a standard engagement is leaving you exposed.
Question 8: What is your approach when coverage goes wrong or a journalist writes something inaccurate?
Why this matters: Not all coverage is good coverage. A journalist may misquote your executive, misunderstand your product, or frame your story in a way that damages your positioning. How the agency handles this reveals their media sophistication and relationship quality.
Good answer: The agency describes a calibrated approach: assess whether the inaccuracy is material (worth correcting) or immaterial (best left alone), contact the journalist through the existing relationship to request a correction (not threaten legal action), and if the inaccuracy persists, develop counter-narrative content that provides the correct framing. They understand that aggressive correction damages journalist relationships, while strategic correction protects them.
Red flag: “We would send a legal notice” or “That has never happened to us.” The first suggests an adversarial approach that will destroy media relationships. The second is either dishonest (inaccurate coverage happens to everyone) or reveals such limited experience that the agency has never encountered a normal communications challenge.
Question 9: What does your contract allow me to do if I am unhappy after three months?
Why this matters: Contract structure reveals confidence. An agency that locks you into a 12-month contract with no performance review or exit clause is optimising for revenue certainty, not for your satisfaction.
Good answer: The agency recommends a minimum six to twelve month commitment (because PR genuinely takes time to compound) but includes a structured performance review at month three with defined success criteria agreed upfront. If the criteria are not met, the contract includes an exit provision. They view the review as a retention tool, not a risk: good work earns continued engagement.
Red flag: A rigid 12-month contract with no performance review, no defined success criteria, and a 90-day cancellation notice period. This structure protects the agency, not you. If the agency is confident in their work, they should welcome performance-based review clauses.
Question 10: Why should I NOT hire you?
Why this matters: This is the question that reveals character. An agency willing to articulate its own limitations demonstrates self-awareness, honesty, and the kind of strategic maturity that produces good counsel. An agency that cannot identify a single reason not to hire them is either delusional or dishonest.
Good answer: “You should not hire us if you need a large team across 15 markets simultaneously; we are built for depth, not global breadth.” Or: “If your primary need is consumer influencer marketing, we are not the right fit; our strength is earned media and B2B communications.” The answer identifies a genuine limitation that reflects self-awareness and an understanding of where the agency adds the most value.
Red flag: “There is no reason not to hire us; we can do everything.” No agency does everything well. The ones that claim to are the ones most likely to disappoint, because they accept briefs they are not equipped to deliver and spread their capability thin rather than focusing where they are strongest.
PR Agency Evaluation Scorecard: Use This in Your Next Meeting
| # | Question | Red Flag (1-2) | Acceptable (3) | Strong (4-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who works on my account? | “Best available team” | Named but no time allocation | Named, % time, in contract |
| 2 | How do you measure success? | AVE and clip counts | Media metrics only | Business outcome attribution |
| 3 | Name 10 journalists in my sector | “We will build a list” | Names publications, not reporters | Names reporters, describes relationships |
| 4 | What do the first 90 days look like? | Vague discovery phase | Monthly milestones | Week-by-week plan with deliverables |
| 5 | Show me content you produced | Cannot produce samples | Shows generic content | Shows tailored work, explains strategy |
| 6 | What happens when my story is not newsworthy? | “We always find a way” | Diplomatically agrees to pitch | Pushes back with alternatives |
| 7 | Crisis at 8 PM on a Friday? | “Next business day” | “We have crisis capability” (vague) | Named on-call team, 60-min SLA |
| 8 | Journalist writes something inaccurate? | “Send a legal notice” | “Contact the journalist” | Calibrated approach: assess, correct, counter-narrate |
| 9 | Exit clause if I am unhappy at month 3? | Rigid 12-month lock-in | Cancellation notice only | Performance review + exit provision |
| 10 | Why should I NOT hire you? | “No reason not to” | Generic disclaimer | Honest, specific limitation stated |
How to use this scorecard: Score each agency across all 10 questions on a 1 to 5 scale. A total score of 40 or above suggests a strong agency. A score below 25 suggests the agency is not ready for a strategic engagement. Pay particular attention to questions 1, 2, 3, and 7: these are the highest-correlation indicators of engagement quality based on the AMEC’s 2024 agency evaluation research. An agency that scores 5 on team transparency, measurement, media relationships, and crisis readiness will almost certainly score well on everything else.
Beyond the Questions: Three Evaluation Signals Most People Miss
The 10 questions above are direct. These three signals are indirect but equally revealing when you hire a PR agency.
How fast did they respond to your initial enquiry?
If the agency took three days to respond to your first email, that is a preview of how fast they will respond when you need a crisis statement or a rapid-response media comment. Responsiveness during the evaluation phase is the best predictor of responsiveness during the engagement. The best agencies treat the enquiry itself as a demonstration of capability.Did they ask you questions, or did they just present?
An agency that spends the entire first meeting presenting is performing. An agency that spends the first half asking questions about your business, your challenges, and your objectives is consulting. The ratio of questions asked to slides presented in the first meeting is one of the most reliable indicators of strategic orientation. Agencies that listen before they pitch tend to deliver better because they design programmes around your needs rather than their capabilities.Did they challenge anything you said?
If you stated an unrealistic expectation in the meeting (“We want a feature in the Times of India in week one”) and the agency enthusiastically agreed, they are order-takers who will agree to everything, deliver on nothing, and blame external factors for the shortfall. The best agencies challenge unrealistic expectations respectfully and replace them with realistic, more valuable alternatives. Willingness to push back in the sales process predicts willingness to push back during the engagement, and pushback is where the real strategic value lies.How Madchatter Responds to These 10 Questions
Madchatter has built its reputation as one of the best PR agencies in India by welcoming rigorous evaluation rather than avoiding it. Here is how the agency answers the 10 questions in this guide.
On team transparency (Question 1): Madchatter names every team member who will work on your account, specifies their time allocation, and commits this in the engagement agreement. The senior strategist who presents in the pitch meeting is the strategist who works on the account.
On measurement (Question 2): Madchatter explicitly does not use AVE. Every engagement is measured against business outcomes agreed during onboarding: investor awareness, pipeline influence, talent attraction, analyst recognition, or whatever metrics matter for the client’s specific objectives.
On media relationships (Question 3): Madchatter’s specialist practices (B2B SaaS, fintech, deep tech, funded startups) each maintain sector-specific journalist networks built over years of consistent engagement. The agency names reporters, not publications, because relationships are with people, not mastheads.
On the first 90 days (Question 4): Every Madchatter engagement includes a week-by-week onboarding plan with defined milestones and a structured 90-day review against pre-agreed success criteria.
On pushback (Question 6): Madchatter has a reputation for telling clients when a story is not ready. The agency views this honesty as a competitive advantage: protecting the client’s media credibility is more valuable than producing a clip that nobody reads.
On crisis readiness (Question 7): Every Madchatter client receives a baseline crisis readiness assessment within the first 60 days. Senior crisis counsel is available 24/7 for existing clients.
On Question 10 (“Why should I NOT hire you?”): Madchatter is built for specialist depth in technology, B2B, and deep tech sectors. Companies that need large-scale consumer influencer campaigns, entertainment PR, or simultaneous execution across 10+ international markets would be better served by a different agency model. Madchatter’s strength is precision and depth, not volume and breadth. If that matches what your company needs, start the conversation.