Public relations
Public relations and reputation management
Public relations is how your business earns trust over time with customers, communities, partners and the media. We plan and run ongoing communications, and help you prepare for the difficult moments. Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, working UK-wide.
PR or press coverage?
This page covers ongoing communications and reputation work. If you have one announcement and want journalists to cover it, see media relations and press coverage. A single story can be a sensible way to start before committing to ongoing PR.
What ongoing PR covers
Communications planning
Who you need to reach, what you want them to understand about you, and a calendar of news, content and moments through the year.Reputation management
Keeping an eye on what is said about you in the press, in reviews, on social media and in search results, and responding in the right way.Stakeholder communications
Clear, consistent messages for customers, staff, partners, investors and local communities, especially during change.Crisis preparation
A plan for who decides and who speaks, approval routes and holding statements, ready before anything goes wrong.Thought leadership
Building the profile of your leaders through expert comment, articles, speaking opportunities and well-run social profiles such as LinkedIn.Media relations
Pitching stories and handling journalist enquiries, run as part of the plan. See press coverage for how campaigns work.
Is ongoing PR right for you?
A good fit if you…
- Want to build visibility and trust steadily, not just for one launch
- Work in a sector where trust is central, such as care, health, finance or professional services
- Have important relationships with partners, local communities or regulators
- Want your leadership team to be recognised as credible voices in your field
Consider something else if…
- You have a single announcement: press coverage is more focused
- You are in a legal or regulatory dispute: take legal advice first, then plan communications with your solicitor
- You mainly need more enquiries from search or ads: see digital marketing
What's included
Typically included
- An audit of how you are seen today: search results, reviews, coverage and social channels
- A messaging framework: what you stand for, key messages and proof points for each audience
- A communications calendar
- Content for your own channels, such as news posts, LinkedIn updates and newsletters, where scoped
- Media relations activity
- A crisis plan and holding statements
- Regular reporting
Not included
- Legal advice
- Guaranteed coverage
- Removing or suppressing legitimate reviews or articles
- Fake reviews, paid-for endorsements presented as independent, or any other misleading tactics
- Event venue, production and travel costs
How we work
1. Audit
We review how you are currently seen and talk to you about your goals, audiences and any sensitive issues.2. Plan
We agree audiences, messages, priorities and a calendar, plus the measures we will report against.3. Deliver
We run the agreed activity: stories, content, stakeholder communications and media relations.4. Review
We report on what happened and what it achieved, and adjust the plan as your business and the news agenda change.
What affects the cost
The cost of PR depends on how many audiences and channels are involved, how much content is produced, how much media relations activity is planned and whether crisis preparation is needed. Talk to us about what you need and we will propose a structure and budget.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PR and marketing?
Marketing mostly pays to put a message in front of people, through advertising and promotion. Public relations earns attention and trust through what others say about you and how you communicate, including media coverage, community and stakeholder relationships and how you respond when things go wrong. The two work best when the messages match.
Can you remove negative reviews or articles?
No. We will not try to suppress legitimate reviews or reporting. We can help you respond well, correct genuine factual errors through the proper channels and build a stronger body of accurate information about your business. If something is defamatory, take legal advice.
How do you measure PR?
By outcomes that matter to the business: the quality and relevance of coverage, what appears when people search your name, review trends, referral traffic from coverage and enquiries that mention it. We avoid inflated "advertising value" figures.
Do we need a crisis plan if nothing has gone wrong?
That is the best time to write one. A short plan that sets out who decides, who speaks, how statements are approved and who needs to hear first saves hours when something does happen, and reduces the risk of a rushed response making things worse.
Is PR an ongoing service or a one-off project?
Reputation is built over time, so public relations is usually planned as ongoing work. If you have a single announcement, our media relations and press coverage service may suit you better. We agree the structure in the proposal.
Related services and guides
Services that often go with this one
- Media Relations & Press Coverage
Campaigns around a specific story: finding the angle, writing the press release and pitching relevant journalists.
- Digital Marketing
SEO, Google Ads and paid social management, measured by the enquiries and sales they bring in.
- Branding & Graphic Design
Brand identity, logo design and brand guidelines that keep your business consistent across web, print and social.
Costs, comparisons and examples
- Freelancer vs agency
Cost, reliability, range of skills and risk compared.
The Lilybank Agency is based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and works with businesses across the UK. See all our services, browse the portfolio, read our case studies or see the areas we serve.
Talk to us about your project
Tell us what you need and what you already have. We will get back to you within one working day to talk through scope, timings and budget.