When to Fire Your PR Agency (And What to Look for Next)

I realize the irony of writing this as a partner at a PR agency. But stay with me, because I think being honest about this topic is exactly what the industry needs more of.

Over the years, I've had conversations with business owners who were paying PR retainers for months, sometimes years, while quietly wondering whether it was worth it. They didn't know how to evaluate what they were getting. They felt awkward raising concerns. And they didn't know what a genuinely healthy agency relationship should look like.

So let's talk about it directly. When has a PR relationship actually stopped working? What questions should you ask before signing with someone new? And what does a partnership look like when it's firing on all cylinders?

Warning Sign #1: You Can't Get a Straight Answer on Results

Good PR is measurable. Not always in a straight line, and not always immediately. But your agency should be able to show you something. Coverage secured. Pitches sent and response rates. Opportunities in the pipeline. Awards submitted. Media relationships built.

If your monthly reports read like a list of activity rather than outcomes, that's worth examining. There's a difference between 'we sent 47 pitches this month' and 'we secured placement in a Magazine and have two follow-up interviews scheduled.' One tells you what they did. The other tells you what it produced.

Ask your agency directly: what results should we realistically expect over the next 90 days, and how will we measure them? If they can't answer that question with specifics, the relationship may have drifted into activity-for-activity's-sake territory.

Warning Sign #2: You Feel Like a Low Priority

Boutique agencies work with multiple clients. That's expected. But there's a noticeable difference between an agency that is managing a full roster and one that has overextended itself to the point where your account is getting leftover attention.

If it takes multiple follow-ups to get a response. If you're constantly re-explaining your business because whoever was originally assigned to you has moved on. If the energy that was present during the pitch process seems to have evaporated once the contract was signed. Those are signals worth taking seriously.

Relationships in PR work exactly like relationships in any other area of business. Attention, responsiveness, and genuine investment cannot be faked indefinitely. When they disappear, you feel it.

Warning Sign #3: The Strategy Has Gone Stale

PR is not a set-it-and-forget-it function. Your industry changes. Your competitors change. Media landscapes shift. What worked eighteen months ago may not be what moves the needle today.

A strong agency proactively brings you new ideas. They show up to calls with fresh angles, emerging opportunities, and honest assessments of what is and isn't working. If your PR relationship has settled into a routine where every month looks exactly like the last, that lack of evolution is a warning sign.

Ask yourself: in the last six months, has my agency brought me a genuinely new idea or opportunity I hadn't thought of? If the answer is no, the relationship may have become transactional in the worst sense of the word.

Have the Honest Conversation First

Before you walk away, consider this.

Some of the best PR partnerships hit rough patches that look terminal from the inside but are actually fixable. Before you make the decision to leave, have the direct conversation with your agency. Tell them specifically what you're experiencing and what you need to see change.

If they respond with defensiveness or vague reassurances, that's informative. If they respond with a clear plan and genuine accountability, that's also informative. Either way, you'll learn something important about whether this relationship has a future.

Questions to Ask Before Signing with Anyone New

Once you've decided to make a change, the next phase is just as important as the exit. Here's where most businesses make the same mistake twice: they choose the next agency based on a polished pitch deck rather than evidence of how that agency actually works.

Here are the questions I'd ask in every agency evaluation:

• Can you show me three examples of results you secured for clients in my industry in the last 12 months? Not case studies from three years ago. Recent, relevant, specific.

• Who will actually be working on my account? Not who presents in the pitch meeting, but who handles day-to-day execution. And how long have they been with your agency?

• What does the first 90 days look like? What milestones should I expect, and how will we measure them together?

• What are the specific media relationships you have that are relevant to my business? Names and outlets, not generalities.

• When things aren't working, how do you communicate that? What does a difficult conversation with you look like?

• What do you need from me to be successful? What does a great client partnership look like from your side?

That last question is one most people never think to ask. But it tells you a great deal about an agency's self-awareness and their genuine investment in partnership rather than just contract fulfillment.

What a Healthy PR Partnership Actually Looks Like

I've been lucky to work alongside Jennifer Rice, my partner at JNR Communications, who brings nearly 30 years of genuine media relationships to every client engagement. Watching how she operates has reinforced my belief in what a healthy agency relationship actually requires.

It starts with honesty before the contract is signed. The agency tells you clearly what they can and cannot deliver. They don't overpromise to win the business and then quietly manage expectations downward later.

It requires a shared definition of success. Not just a list of deliverables in a scope of work, but an actual conversation about what winning looks like for your specific business goals.

It involves proactive communication that goes beyond the monthly report. Your agency should be reaching out when they spot an opportunity, when something changes in your industry, or when they need something from you to move faster.

And it should feel like a relationship, not a transaction. The best client partnerships I have seen are built on mutual respect, honest feedback in both directions, and a genuine sense that both parties are invested in the same outcome.

That kind of relationship takes time to build. It requires investment from both sides. And it doesn't happen by accident.

The Bottom Line

If your current PR relationship is showing the warning signs I described above, trust what you're feeling. You deserve an agency that is as invested in your success as you are.

But don't rush into the next relationship without doing the work to find the right fit. Ask the hard questions. Look for evidence over polish. And prioritize agencies that are honest with you from the very first conversation, including about the things they can't deliver.

That kind of honesty is rarer than it should be. When you find it, it's worth a lot.

Ready for a PR Partnership Built on Honest Expectations?

At JNR Communications, we combine Jennifer Rice's nearly 30 years of media relationships with a commitment to transparency about what PR can actually deliver for your business. We specialize in medical aesthetics, beauty, wellness, and medical device industries. If you've had a bad PR experience and want to understand what a better partnership looks like, let's have that conversation.

✉ Greg@JNRcommunications.com | JNRcommunications.com