Responding to our May 27 story (p. 1) on agency searches,
marketing consultant Tom Harris wrote to recommend against use of PR
executive search firms for the task of identifying and recommending PR
agencies. While supporting the use of a third-party if a client is
"inexperienced" or the PR program to be assigned is complex, the
author of "Choosing and Working With Your Public Relations Firm" (NTC
Publishing, 1992), said there is a danger that executive recruiters
will recommend firms that are clients for personnel searches.
"The better choice," he wrote, "would be a public relations
management consultant who brings the necessary PR credentials and
won't let executive search considerations affect agency search
recommendations."
Counters recruiter Larry Marshall of Marshall Consultants:
management consultants often haven't worked "with as large a group of
PR counseling firms." This limits their knowledge of the capabilities
of firms--and even moreso--of staff who will work on their business,
he said. (Harris, 847/266-1020; NTC, 847-679-5500; Marshall,
212/628-8400)