Hiring a PR firm requires more than a financial investment. It demands an investment of your time as well. A lot of clients are under the mistaken impression that hiring a PR firm will give them the ability to completely step away from all PR responsibilities, giving them all the time in the world to devote to other tasks. In fact, the opposite is often true. If you’re planning on hiring a PR firm, you’d better have time to devote to them.

The truth is that in order for a PR firm to do its job properly, they need your time. In the beginning, they’ll probably need quite a bit of it. It takes time to get to know your business. The firm needs face time with your executives and key team members so they can collaborate with them and develop strategies for meeting your unique needs.

Simply put, hiring a PR firm is committing to a relationship. It’s no different than dating or marrying someone. If the relationship is going to be fruitful, you’re going to have to put time into it. You have to view your PR firm as a trusted partner, someone you’re willing to talk to regularly, exchange ideas with, etc.

If the reason you’re hiring a PR firm is so you can forget about your company’s PR efforts, you’re not ready to hire a firm. This isn’t a one-night stand. It’s a commitment to building something great and sustainable together. Are you ready for it?

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download Five (5) Free PR and Press Release eBooks ($67 Value) here: http://www.ereleases.com/offer/bundle.html