In-state and out-of-state PR: inertia versus flexibility or stability versus uncertainty?

Is the work of a PR specialist in a business’s staff different from that of an outsourced, independent PR agency? From my experience, I can confidently say – yes. And these differences are sometimes fundamental to communications themselves.

(I)responsibility for the “tomorrow” of the business. When you work for a large company, you are dragged into a quagmire of stability. And this happens quite slowly. Gradually, the sense of personal responsibility is dulled. Why? Big business is insured against communication mistakes. It will not even feel the impact of small ones. And if a large-scale PR mistake can destroy a small or medium-sized company, then a large one will simply cause trouble.

Time (does not) matter. A large company is in no hurry. It has tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. It cannot even collapse quickly – its agony will last long enough to complete its work. Small businesses, on the other hand, “collapse” in one day. So the attitude towards time is radically different. This is visible in several processes at once:

Approvals. In business, they are becoming longer and more numerous. The same “quagmire” is felt at every step, the approval hierarchy is no exception. Specialists one level lower must receive the “go” for almost every step. Yes, the higher the step, the fewer steps, but the responsibility also increases. Although not particularly noticeable (see point 1).
Finances. Outside and inside the company, for example, the same payment delays are felt differently. When you are “built into” the business staff, it essentially protects you. Therefore, for a middle manager, delays of a month or two are not even noticeable. However, when you work for yourself and your Free Cash Flow is not comparable to the business one, it is almost impossible to delay payments.
Interdepartmental struggle. This does not apply to the direct tasks of a PR specialist at all, but it takes a lot of time, slows down a lot, and sometimes even makes it impossible to make decisions that lead to specific actions. Due to the large margin of safety of a large business, the cost of a mistake is not felt acutely, so time is often spent not on work, but on persuasion and fighting with other departments. But when you work for yourself, everything is easier. I went more into anti-crisis PR, and in such cases the customer does not have time for “swinging”. Everyone is tuned to precise and quick actions. And this contrast is striking.
(Un)importance of the opinion of a PR specialist. Human nature is quite strange. When we pay for a service, we are more likely to use it to the fullest. And an external PR specialist is usually more expensive than a full-time one. I get the idea: “If I hire him, then it is worth listening to him”. Unfortunately, a full-time communications specialist is sometimes perceived by businesses as something “by default”.

PR for a business or yourself in business? I used to think that if a PR person is more famous than their company, then they are more concerned with personal PR than with the company’s reputation. However, when I started working for myself, I came across the flip side. I did a lot of cool things for businesses that I can’t talk about in general. Because of this, I couldn’t build a public image to rely on. And this is extremely important when you enter the open market. So my advice to you is – even when working for a company, don’t forget about yourself.

Changes in relations with the media. It is not always easy or even possible to negotiate with the media. You can explain this openly to the client, but not to the employer. They need a result, even if their chances are close to zero. Often this is due to the conviction of big business that the media owes them something. But the media are partners. And when you communicate with them from the position of an agency, these partnerships are built easier and clearer.

So what is better for business? Should I use my own PR people or hire an outside company? You know, I could manipulate and say that a more flexible agency with a fresh perspective, unburdened by internal bureaucracy, is better. But I’ll be honest – the strongest results come from good collaborations. Internally, PR people are bogged down in the quagmire of operational work and butting heads with affiliates, but they know the business better. And PR people from the agency complement and bring their freshness, speed, and experience gained on various contrasting projects.