Are you in the agency’s sweet spot? Helping the firm break into new markets? Giving your PR partner a chance to test the waters with innovative ideas and new services? The more strategic you are to an agency’s business, the more attention you’ll get – especially at the executive level.

Every initiative – whether it’s marketing, PR or sales – needs to support your business objectives. The best approach: A combination of quantitative and qualitative goals – with frequent updates on progress and constant refinement to ensure every investment pays off. Industry visibility is one metric; getting a key influencer to say you’re setting the standard is even better. Inbound leads, site traffic, SEO rankings are all important; thought leadership, market momentum and brand awareness build lasting value.

You want a firm that’s committed to creating a challenging and rewarding workplace, where PR pros stay for years, and demonstrate the ability to grow with you. Equally important is vetting the person captaining your PR ship.

Look for: Proven, repeated success in your specific industry. A strong track record in working with like-sized companies with similar goals, challenges and expectations. Smart, strategic thinking that aligns with your vision. Long-term engagements with clients that can speak to the very things you care about. A willingness to sign up for specific, measurable results that directly tie to your top business initiatives. And a team that’s willing to disagree, where appropriate, and constantly bring new ideas to the table.

This is more important than you might think. Excitement is contagious – and passion can’t be bought. If you can feel the excitement, then chances are good your team will constantly bring fresh ideas to build on your success, because they’ll be thinking about your business, all the time.