This article was originally published on ComeRecommended.com.

Getting the word out about your product or your company is definitely a challenge. There are so many other things you need worry about when running a business, its easy to miss important opportunities when it comes to public relations. That said, hiring outside help might also be intimidating. You want to make sure everything goes perfectly, so despite your reservations, trusting a PR agency is your best option.

If you do decide to work with a PR agency, you need to devise a plan for effective communication. It’s the only way to achieve the results you want. Here are the important things to keep in mind when working with a PR agency to develop a successful campaign:

Establish goals.

Start by sitting down with your PR agency and laying out all of your goals and expectations. What are your goals for public relations? What messages do you want to tell your audience? How do you want your company to grow? All of these details are essential to implementing a strong campaign. They affect communication methods, types of media targeted, and more. Before anything else, clearly explain what makes your product the best and where you see it headed.

Align your expectations.

In addition establishing goals for your public relations plan, you need to determine what you want from the PR agency. Outline how you will work together to accomplish your goals and how you can help them do their job. PR agencies can’t help you if you don’t help them. Set expectations for how you will work together during the campaign.

Always communicate.

Throughout any campaign, you need to be in constant communication with your PR agency. This means alerting them when there is big news in the company and when the little details change. Everything is important when it comes to communication with the public, so your PR agency must always be informed. The sooner they know about things, the sooner they can develop a strategy around it. Additionally, you need to respond when you receive messages from your agency. News happens on a deadline, so quick and effective communication is essential.

Give feedback.

Many of these points revolve around communication, and this one is no different. You need to talk to your agency when you have feedback about their campaign. Whether you are satisfied or thing something needs to be altered, you need to tell the agency right away. They need to know if their work is giving you the results you want or if there is a need for change. Provide your agency with positive and negative feedback for the best results.

Establish trust.

Another important factor in a successful relationship with an agency is trust. You hired them because they are experts in public relations. They know how to work with the media, and they have established relationships to help them do it. They know how to pitch stories, and they know the ins and outs of media relations. So, while feedback is definitely helpful, you also need to trust their skills. You hired them do send a message, so let them do it.

Have realistic expectations.

As the president of a company, you may feel like your product deserves to be headline news in The New York Times, and your story is worthy of a spot on The Today Show. While that might be the case on occasion, you probably aren’t going to snag such high-profile spots. Don’t get upset when your PR agency gets you in a smaller publication instead. Your goal is to get media coverage to increase leads, not to be a national headline. Expect results but not impossible results. The professionals in your agency know what they’re doing.

Learn the basics of public relations.

Finally, it’s really difficult to work with a PR agency if you don’t understand what they’re talking about. You need to do some work of your own. Learn what makes up a good campaign: press releases, media kits, social media, content marketing, and so on. Understand the difference between advertising and public relations. These basic ideas are essential for a solid relationship with your agency.

With a PR agency, you can gain so much in terms of media attention and buzz about your company. You just need to put forth the effort to communicate.

What are some of the ways you’ve benefitted from working with a PR agency?