If a PR pitch promises a brand-new business a Forbes feature in its first month, it is almost always too good to be true. Realistic PR expectations depend on the social proof you already have, and a good agency builds on it step by step, while the “get famous quick” crowd sells placements nobody reads. Samantha Jones ran her own PR firm on Sex and the City, and she would have smelled this pitch from across the room.
What to expect from a PR agency when you’re just starting
While shooting for the stars is admirable, reaching them in a condensed time frame is unrealistic, so set realistic expectations for timeline and outcomes with any public relations agency you hire. Your timeline depends on factors like these:
- Count what has been published about you or your business so far.
- Ask whether your website is unique and well crafted.
- Check whether your social media is established, how long the business has existed, and whether you have funding.
- Decide whether you have an interesting story to tell or still need to craft one.
- Study which competitors get top-tier coverage and what you do differently.
- List any keynote speaking experience you have.
Why new brands rarely land big media coverage right away
If your business has never been featured, is very niche, or is brand new, you likely won’t appear in large publications or give a TED Talk in the first few months, because you have no social proof yet. One of the only exceptions is a strategic partnership or a significant financial agreement with a large company.
PR professionals build that proof through press releases, interviews, and the media outlets your target audience reads, which is how earned media accumulates and prepares you for prestigious opportunities later. For the basics, read our guide to what public relations is and what it does.
What is pay for placement PR?
Pay for placement PR is when a firm charges you for a guaranteed spot in a publication, usually through a contributor or a sponsored post. Some people will try to sell you their “get rich or famous quick” scheme, so if a PR firm promises top-tier coverage despite your lack of social proof, mark it as spam and keep on moving.
The Forbes contributor catch
They’ll say they can get you into Forbes. What they don’t mention is who writes it, because these placements usually go through a Forbes contributor, who typically gets a fraction of the views that staff writers, reporters, and editors attract. Some contributors do have large followings, but with that clout they require the same social proof you don’t have yet.
So, yes, you were in Forbes, but no one saw you. (If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, did it really happen?) It generated no traction for your business, and traction is one of the main reasons to invest in PR.
Why paid placements can backfire
Under the FTC’s native advertising guide for businesses, misleading readers about the commercial nature of content is deceptive, so a sponsored article promoting you must be recognizable as advertising. Search engine rules have tightened too. In March 2024, Google introduced a site reputation abuse spam policy covering third-party pages published with little oversight from the host site to manipulate rankings, and violating sites may rank lower or vanish from results, which is expensive reputation management in the wrong direction.
What does a bad PR placement look like?
While vetting a publicist who wanted to join our team, we asked for samples of her placements. The first came from a contributing writer for MSN who used the wrong form of “to” in the opening line, and researching that writer turned up little online presence or social proof. MSN is enormous, but this article attracted minimal readership (probably for the best), which made it a waste for the client.
How to choose a PR agency with realistic PR expectations
Hiring a PR agency is a partnership, and the right one tells you the truth before taking your money. To choose the right PR firm, look for these signs:
- It asks about your story, target audience, and goals before promising anything.
- It shows you a written PR strategy with key messaging, target media outlets, and an honest timeline.
- It agrees on measurable results up front, such as interviews booked, stories published, and how your name appears in search.
- It follows the PRSA Code of Ethics, which asks members to be honest and accurate in all communications and to avoid deceptive practices.
Strong PR firms treat publicity as strategic communications connected to your social media, website, and thought leadership, which takes weekly effort a full-time founder rarely has. Read about why ethics matters in public relations and how founders build credibility through executive thought leadership.
Frequently asked questions
What should I expect from a PR agency in the first 90 days?
Expect groundwork: interviews about your story, key messaging, a media list, and early pitches to outlets matching your stage. For a new or niche brand, the first wins are usually trade publications, podcasts, and local media, which build the social proof bigger outlets look for later.
How do I spot a pay for placement PR pitch?
Watch for guarantees, because a firm that guarantees a named outlet by a specific date is usually buying the spot through a contributor or sponsored post. Ask who will write the piece and how many people read that writer’s work, and if the answers are vague, walk away.
Is a Forbes contributor article the same as a Forbes feature?
No. A Forbes contributor is an independent writer publishing on the Forbes site, while staff journalists produce the coverage that usually draws the biggest audiences. A contributor piece arranged for a fee often gets only a fraction of the views.
How do I choose the right PR firm for a new business?
Pick the firm that asks difficult questions about your story and competitors before quoting you, and request a written PR strategy, real samples, and the measurable results it will report. A good firm tells you what is realistic for your stage, even when the answer disappoints.
For a partner that is honest about what is possible, explore our public relations services or browse our client case studies. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.