How I’m partnering with US PR agencies

​Clients for my PR services are often US-owned software firms seeking press coverage in the UK and across Europe. If they already work with a PR agency in the US, they’ll probably seek that same agency’s support or advice to extend them into Europe. Often, those US PR agencies have a European partner network and I’m pleased to support US agencies in this way.

Over the last decade, I’ve partnered with several US agencies, working as an extension of their teams to deliver media coverage in the UK and across Europe for their clients. These agencies include PAN Communications, FAMA, Emerge and others.  Each partnership has been successful for the US agency as well as for me and most especially for the client.
 
So far, the partnerships have operated according to one of three models, but I’m open to being approached with other suggestions:-
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1. Occasional projects. Sometimes, a US agency partner seeks occasional support for clients with a one-off need for a PR project in Europe. Perhaps they’ve a local news story, a UK customer willing to speak with local media or their CEO is speaking on a hot topic in London. As the client becomes more committed to growth in Europe, progressing to a retained arrangement might then make sense, delivering regular coverage momentum.
2. Locally retained. Where PR is a regional, rather than a global responsibility, then while a US agency partner might have recommended me, I’m usually then engaged directly by the client’s marketing lead in Europe, rather than the US agency. Most likely, I’ll be expected to work with the client’s US agency on an informal basis. Each of us works as part of an extended team, sharing ideas and content, but we’re focused on our own markets, reporting to and billing the client locally. 
3. Centrally retained. Where a US software firm sees PR as a function to be managed globally, a chief marketing officer might appoint a US-based lead agency asking them to build a ‘hub and spoke’ network. The lead agency (as the ‘hub’), will recruit regional agencies (‘spokes’). A strategic global PR plan will then be agreed between the lead agency and the client. The hub disseminates the plans to the spokes, along with campaign ideas, which are then localised. The client sees the whole ‘hub-spoke’ network as a single team, led by a single account director supported by regional partners.

 
Of course it’s a two-way business street for the agencies. Sometimes I have European clients seeking PR services in the United States. On those occasions I’ll tap into my partner network for support.
  
If you work for a PR agency or software firm in the US, I’d be interested to know what sort of arrangements with UK agencies you’ve experienced. What worked? What didn’t?