--- title: "The secret Comms Director: Here's how to win my PR team over" description: Our secret comms director gives his top DOs and DON'Ts for pitching marketing agencies. Read it now on the FindGood Marketing Blog. image: https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/file-510640580-jpg/images/fotolia_37543296_xs.jpg --- # Our Blog ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Blog Topics - [inbound marketing (5)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/inbound-marketing) - [B2B marketing (2)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/b2b-marketing) - [LinkedIn (2)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/linkedin) - [Social Media Strategy (2)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/social-media-strategy) - [Blogging (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/blogging) - [GDPR (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/gdpr) - [Thought Leadership (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/thought-leadership) - [growth (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/growth) - [inbound (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/inbound) - [organic growth (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/organic-growth) - [webinars (1)](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/b2b-marketing-blog/topic/webinars) [see all](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/bid/373292/The-secret-Comms-Director-Here-s-how-to-win-my-PR-team-over#) ## The secret Comms Director: Here's how to win my PR team over 6 February 2014 [![Share on Facebook](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/INCITE%20IMAGES/social%20sharing%20icons/new/facebook_colour@2x.png?noresize&width=24&name=facebook_colour@2x.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.incitemarketing.co.uk%2Fmarketing-blog%2Fbid%2F373292%2FThe-secret-Comms-Director-Here-s-how-to-win-my-PR-team-over%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/INCITE%20IMAGES/social%20sharing%20icons/new/LinkedIn_green@2x.png?noresize&width=24&name=LinkedIn_green@2x.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.incitemarketing.co.uk%2Fmarketing-blog%2Fbid%2F373292%2FThe-secret-Comms-Director-Here-s-how-to-win-my-PR-team-over%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/INCITE%20IMAGES/social%20sharing%20icons/new/Twitter_orange%20copy@2x.png?noresize&width=24&name=Twitter_orange%20copy@2x.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.incitemarketing.co.uk%2Fmarketing-blog%2Fbid%2F373292%2FThe-secret-Comms-Director-Here-s-how-to-win-my-PR-team-over%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.incitemarketing.co.uk%2Fmarketing-blog%2Fbid%2F373292%2FThe-secret-Comms-Director-Here-s-how-to-win-my-PR-team-over%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20secret%20Comms%20Director%3A%20Here%27s%20how%20to%20win%20my%20PR%20team%20over) # Currently slogging it out in the agency search and selection process? # Hot from the desk of this anonymous Comms Director of a global business in the built environment sector, we bring you these top 10 tips for winning over in-house PR teams ![Anonymous business director](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/file-510640580-jpg/images/fotolia_37543296_xs.jpg) I get pitched to a lot. Agency search and selection is part of my role, meaning I can state with some confidence that as rudimentary as they sound these are tips most pitches marketing agencies could use. # Here's what I want you to know. **1. DON'T bypass the PR** – you’re usually wasting your time pitching to a main board director because they’ll only forward the approach on and, in any case, it’ll get my back up that you tried to cut me out. **2. DO some research** – a quick glance at the website will tell you lots about our business, who leads the in-house function and what our PR is like – it’ll also help you get the company name right! **3. ****DON'T** ask for five minutes over a coffee – I don't know what it's like at your marketing agency, but I really, really don’t have the time to ‘chew the cud’ or ‘take time out’, plus turning you down, again, is awkward. **4. DO come to me with an idea** – the best approaches are hung on an outline proposition or, even better, a concrete media or networking opportunity, or something similar related to our agenda. **5. DON'T call me because we’ve been in a national** – that coverage will have probably involved some intense activity and, good or bad, now is not the time to pitch PR services to me. **6. DO think beyond cuttings** – in-house PRs need support on a host of strategic issues, such as how to embed reputation management in business planning, so don’t just pitch journo contacts. **7. DON'T think that sector credentials are enough** – the first thing I think about is a conflict of interest and your pitch needs to demonstrate some real intellect and progressive insight and analysis. **8. DO think global** – I have a global brief and the UK is just one region so you need to be confident in your ability to support PR across territories and languages – this extends to smaller agencies. **9. DON'T call my journo contacts** – a quick and dirty perception audit with my key journos risks half-baked results that aren’t seen in the wider context and can offend. **10. DO see the bigger picture** – PR isn’t a stand-alone activity and it’s closely interrelated with the wider business development, marketing and communications campaign so good research is essential. [![Register your Agency](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/239547/481808cd-5fbd-4f29-80d7-272b1568a6ee.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/239547/481808cd-5fbd-4f29-80d7-272b1568a6ee) Topics: [Agency Search and Selection](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/topic/agency-search-and-selection) [PR](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/topic/pr) [Pitching](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/topic/pitching) [Clients](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/topic/clients) ![Danielle Stagg](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/eff1231c9f9e37c49ec1101586f32e8c) #### Written by [Danielle Stagg](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/author/danielle-stagg) Previous Post [![](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/file-497172064-jpg/images/fotolia_49451405_xs.jpg) ](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/bid/372885/Agency-Search-and-Selection-tips-healthy-client-agency-relationships) [Agency Search and Selection tips: healthy client/agency relationships](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/bid/372885/Agency-Search-and-Selection-tips-healthy-client-agency-relationships) Next Post [![](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hs-fs/file-310830021-jpg/images/fotolia_48356250_xs-resized-600.jpg) ](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/bid/373107/Activation-a-marketing-agency-trend-to-stretch-budgets-equity) [Activation: a marketing agency trend to stretch budgets & equity](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/marketing-blog/bid/373107/Activation-a-marketing-agency-trend-to-stretch-budgets-equity) ![Incite Marketing](https://www.incitemarketing.co.uk/hubfs/INCITE%20IMAGES/logo/incite_logo_red.svg) The Factory, 2 Acre Road Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey. 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