Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Firms

Look at the work behind the coverage

Ask for a campaign where corporate and public affairs both mattered. Review the actual editorial story, supporting evidence, spokesperson involvement, and the agency’s role in securing coverage.

Examine work on leadership transitions, business announcements, issues management, or substantial company changes. Ask how statements were substantiated and coordinated internally.

Ask for accurate policy communications, stakeholder campaigns, or issue briefings with documented facts and credible spokespersons. Review whether previous work explained the actual policy mechanism and competing concerns, not only the client's preferred position. A credible firm can show precise briefings, local stakeholder communication, and materials that withstand technical questions. Ask how it decided which decision-makers and audiences needed different information.

Check how the team works

Ask who develops the angle, who contacts journalists, what approvals are required, and which changes in the client’s priorities would alter the plan.

Check experience with executives, employees, customers, partners, and legal review; the tone and timing of each message may differ.

Check the agency's knowledge of relevant government processes, approval timelines, coalition dynamics, and the line between earned communication and lobbying activity. Map the decision timeline, policy jurisdiction, coalition partners, and spokespeople before planning media activity. Ask who reviews facts when proposals or amendments change and how the agency separates communications services from formal lobbying or political activity.

Questions to ask before hiring

Which past account required both corporate and public affairs expertise? What independent coverage came from the work, and what would you do differently today?

How would you decide when an announcement deserves media outreach and when a direct stakeholder message is more appropriate?

Who must understand or respond to this policy issue, and how would your approach differ for lawmakers, press, and communities?

Warning signs

A long list of industries is a starting point for a conversation, not evidence that the team knows how to reach this specific audience.

Avoid agencies that promise positive corporate coverage regardless of the underlying news.

Avoid teams whose plan centers on attention without clear policy understanding or stakeholder priorities.