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The public affairs industry has been much maligned in recent years. Lobbyists are often put in the same bag as politicians and journalists because of the public’s negative perception of what they do and how they behave.

 

Public affairs practitioners are now a much valued part of any company’s communications team, and in times of change, public affairs support is even more crucial.

 

Following the change from a Blair to Brown administration the smart companies were quick to react to how a Brown government would act differently, and targeted their public affairs efforts accordingly. With a general election less than two years away companies are again looking at their public affairs offering. In-house public affairs practitioners will have to consider who they should opt for when considering external public affairs agency support.

 

 

Does size matter when choosing a public affairs agency to represent you?
One decision is to go for one of the ‘big boys’, who are able to guarantee a certain level of service. The counter argument is that a ‘new kid on the block’, hungry for business, may better suit an organisation’s needs.

 

Those looking for an agency that offers a complete public affairs service may be advised to look at the likes of a Weber Shandwick or Fleishman Hillard. They have the size and sheer man-power to look after the various public affairs strands such as political monitoring, advocacy, campaign management, select committee preparations and so on, that a smaller agency might not be able to cope with.  Essentially they can act as a one-stop-shop for public affairs support.

 

If the client needs a public affairs company with a service that not only covers Westminster, but also the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, EU legislation, and of course the London Assembly, then will a small agency be able to cover all of those bases to a high standard? Possibly not. Sometimes that level of service is simply notyou just don't need that level of service, and may be better opting for roster or several smaller agencies instead.

 

 

Experience
When breadth of expertise is the primary requirement again a large agency may be appropriate. They are more likely to have several experts in health or a particular area of interest that can find their way round the department, or know the select committee members personally that can be called upon, whereas a smaller agency may not be able to offer that extra flexibility.

 

An area where smaller companies often beat their larger counterparts is personality. Larger agencies often send senior members of staff at pitch stage. The pitches are impressive but the day-to-day management of the account is often left to junior staff who have limited understanding of how a business actually operates, or what political threats and opportunities it faces.

 

Here a smaller agency can really give the ‘big boys’ a run for their money. Often someone senior will be the first point of contact for the account management, which means the client receiving a quicker and more informed service.

 

Larger agencies can benefit from economies of scale which the smaller players just can't pass on. If a larger agency is already doing political monitoring in a particular sector, they may well be able to throw that service in (essentially free of charge,) because it isn't costing them any more to provide it. A smaller agency is more likely to have fewer clients, and if you wanted them to look after political monitoring, it would be an extra cost added to the fees.

Individuals count
If you need public affairs support in a particularly niche area it is wise to find out exactly who will be offering you the service. In a previous role we paid a retainer for public affairs advice in the property area to one of the large public affairs companies. We knew the individual who was providing that advice was the best in the business. When they decided to leave the consultancy, we also stopped using them. We were paying for that expert advice, and without it, we no longer needed the service. If they had moved to a start up agency we would have undoubtedly followed. The size of the agency in this instance didn’t matter. It was the quality of advice we were looking for.

 

 

Supermarkets vs. small shops
Supermarkets are successful because they offer quality products at competitive prices, under one roof. Small shops have a role too, because even though they sometimes cost more they compete in terms of customer service. The same analogy can be applied to public affairs agencies. The big players can act as a one-stop-shop for all public affairs needs. Another option is to hire several smaller agencies for all the different issues you are dealing with. However, it can have a cost implication and extra time is required to manage the various accounts.

 

Like shopping, a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work when choosing public affairs agencies, and you have to make a decision based on your own requirements.



Not just what you know it's also who you know
A well known figure in the public affairs industry once said I could make more money out of people with better contacts in the Labour party. A disappointment to me – but that was the reality of working in public affairs after Tony Blair came to power in 1997.

 

Whether you are thinking of opting for a big or small public affairs agency, any smart public affairs practitioner would be wise to consider just how well connected they are with all the political parties and not just the party of government.

 

Those companies who operate in London who failed to see the possibility of a Conservative Mayor of London will have to catch up in the public affairs stakes. Those using agencies who know the players in the new Johnson administration will surely have a competitive advantage.

 

On the national scene, it may now be wise to be asking your existing agency what work they are doing to prepare for a possible change in government. If the answer is not a lot, then it is wise to start looking for some new public affairs support. A change in government may well not happen, but public affairs practitioners need to prepare for all eventualities.

 

Jonathan Sheppard is Head of the Public Affairs practice at VMA Group, a leading Search & Selection Company.