Red Flags When Hiring a PR or Marketing Agency in Ghana
Be cautious of guaranteed results, vague proposals, no relevant proof, unclear pricing, senior people who disappear after the pitch and agencies that agree with everything you say.
When hiring a PR or marketing agency in Ghana, be cautious of guaranteed coverage or results, proposals that could apply to any client, no relevant examples of past work, unclear pricing, senior people who disappear after the pitch, and agencies that agree with everything in your brief. Most of these can be spotted in the first two meetings if you know what to look for.
Red flag 1: Guaranteed results
No agency controls what journalists publish or how audiences respond. Promises of guaranteed front pages, viral content or specific sales figures suggest either paid placements presented as editorial, or overpromising. See why guaranteed media coverage is a warning sign.
Red flag 2: A proposal that could be for anyone
A good proposal reflects your objective, audience and situation. If it lists generic activities, such as "press releases, social media, influencers", without explaining why they fit your goal, the agency may not have understood the brief.
Red flag 3: No relevant proof
Ask for case studies with numbers and context. An agency should be able to show work similar to what you need and explain its role honestly, including what it did and did not achieve.
Red flag 4: Unclear costs
Fees, third-party costs and what is included should be clearly separated. Vague pricing often leads to unexpected bills. Ask what happens if the scope changes.
Red flag 5: The pitch team disappears
Senior people often lead the pitch. Ask who will actually run your account day to day and meet them before signing.
Red flag 6: No questions about your business
Good agencies ask a lot of questions before proposing anything. An agency that jumps straight to tactics may not be thinking about your objective.
Red flag 7: Agreeing with everything
Useful advisers tell you what will not work. If an agency agrees with every idea in your brief, ask what they would advise against.
Red flag 8: Measuring only reach
Impressions and follower counts are easy to inflate. Ask how the agency will connect its work to your actual objective. See how to measure a PR campaign beyond reach.
Red flag 9: Pressure to sign quickly
Discounts that expire tomorrow and pressure to commit before you have compared proposals are reasons to slow down.
Red flag 10: Practices that put your reputation at risk
Fake reviews, bought followers, undisclosed paid content and misleading claims can damage your reputation when discovered. Ask how the agency handles disclosure and accuracy.
What good looks like
A strong agency asks thoughtful questions, proposes a plan connected to your objective, shows relevant proof, is clear about costs and team, explains what it cannot promise and agrees measures in advance. See how to choose a PR agency in Ghana and how to brief a communications agency in Ghana.
PR369 begins every engagement with a strategy conversation and reports against agreed objectives. See our case studies and about PR369. PR369's Strategic Communications and PR service covers planning, messaging and media relations. Email info@pr369.com with your objective and timeline.
