How to verify a PR agency through references

A useful reference tells you what the agency was like to work with, especially when results were slow or plans changed. When you are close to hiring, ask to speak with a client whose work resembles yours and who knows the people proposed for your account.

Choose a relevant client rather than an impressive logo

A company with a similar audience, challenge, or team size may tell you more than a famous client with a completely different assignment. Ask which agency people worked on the account and whether those are the people you would get.

Let the agency arrange an introduction with the client's permission. If confidentiality prevents a particular reference, ask for another relevant client or a redacted work sample. A newer independent operator may have useful experience from earlier roles without a long list of clients under the new business name.

Ask about the working relationship

Keep the conversation focused. These questions usually cover the most useful ground:

What did you hire the agency to help with, and what did it actually do?
Who did you work with day to day? Was that the team you expected?
What did it need from you, and was that manageable?
How did the team handle a quiet period, disagreement, or change of plan?
Would you hire those people again? For what kind of assignment?

Follow the answers rather than reading a questionnaire. If someone says the agency was responsive, ask for an example. If the relationship ended, ask why before assuming the work was poor. The client may have hired internally, changed priorities, or stopped needing the original scope.

Listen for fit and specific behavior

An enthusiastic recommendation is useful, but the reason matters. A fictional reference might say, “They were excellent at getting our technical experts into trade coverage, but we had to make time for interviews every week.” That is both a strength and a practical requirement to consider.

One unhappy client is not a verdict either. Try to understand what happened, which parts each side controlled, and whether the same issue would matter in your engagement. Do not expect a reference to prove that PR alone caused revenue or a fundraise.

Follow up on anything that could change your choice

If the reference describes a different team, service, or result from the proposal, ask the agency about the difference. It may have a straightforward explanation. A material inconsistency that remains unexplained deserves more attention.

Keep a few private notes on useful observations and unresolved questions. Combine what you learned with the work examples, proposed scope, and your own conversations with the people you would hire.