Choosing the Right PR Agency for Your Business

• 9 Mar 2026|
• Digital Marketing|
• Posted by Ed Frater

Public relations has been around long before the internet, social media or digital marketing existed. For decades, it meant press releases, phone calls to journalists and the occasional feature in a trade magazine. If you got a story placed, you considered it a good week.

PR still involves all those things. But it’s become something much broader and much more important than it used to be. The right PR agency can shape how your business is perceived, build genuine authority in your market and create coverage that no amount of paid advertising can replicate.

The wrong one will send out press releases nobody reads and charge you for the privilege.

This is a guide to understanding what good PR looks like, why it matters particularly in the glass, glazing and built environment sectors, and how to find an agency that will paint your story.

Behind the scenes at the Caribbean Blinds influencer campaign, capturing premium lifestyle content in a real-world outdoor setting.

Why Earned Media Matters More Than Ever

There’s an interesting paradox in modern marketing. Businesses have never had more tools available to get their message out. Social media, paid advertising, email campaigns – the channels are endless and increasingly accessible.

But that accessibility, at times, creates the inverse effect. When everyone can push their message out to the world, the noise level rises, and trust falls.

Earned media carries a completely different weight. When a journalist writes about your business, when you appear on a podcast as a guest expert, when an industry publication runs your opinion piece, that’s not you talking about yourself. That’s someone else deciding you’re worth talking about. It holds more weight and instantly commands trust.

In a world of paid ads and AI-generated material, genuine media coverage and reputation management have never been more valuable. A strong public image built through earned media takes time to achieve, but it’s durable.

PR in Glass & Glazing & the Built Environment

The trade sectors have their own dynamics when it comes to PR. It’s an industry with multiple distinct audiences, each requiring a different approach.

Trade PR

Building authority with installers, fabricators, merchants, and suppliers requires a specific kind of credibility. These are experienced professionals who can spot hollow marketing from a mile away. Trade PR is about demonstrating genuine expertise, sharing insight that’s useful and positioning your business as one worth dealing with.

This might mean technical articles in trade publications, commentary on industry trends or coverage of product innovations. When someone in the supply chain is deciding who to work with, your name should already mean something to them.

Consumer PR

For businesses that sell to homeowners, PR plays a different role. Here it’s about trust signals and brand awareness. A homeowner spending thousands of pounds on new windows or doors wants reassurance. Seeing your business featured in a regional newspaper, a home improvement magazine, or a respected online publication does something that an ad can’t.

Consumer PR connects your business with the public in a way that feels credible rather than promotional. It builds the kind of public opinion that turns browsers into buyers.

Commercial and Architectural PR

At the specification end of the market, credibility and technical authority are everything. Architects, developers and project managers are looking for suppliers they can trust to deliver on complex projects. PR that demonstrates technical innovation, highlights successful project case studies, and positions your leadership team as genuine experts is essential for competing at this level.

What Good PR Actually Looks Like

PR isn’t just press releases.

Press releases are one tool in a much larger kit. Good PR involves leadership positioning – getting your senior team in front of the right audiences as credible voices in the industry. It means brand building through consistent, well-crafted media relations over time. It means shaping opinion in your market and establishing the kind of authority that opens doors.

In practice, this might look like expert features in national trade press, high-impact video interviews, appearances on industry podcasts, contributions to panel debates at sector events or a well-executed award entry strategy. Award wins in particular deliver significant visibility and media coverage, and a skilled PR firm will identify the right opportunities and write entries that stand a genuine chance of winning.

The range of services a good public relations firm offers should span all these areas, supported by a team of experts who understand both the craft of communications and the industry they’re working in.

Shelforce and the King’s Award

Shelforce – a West Midlands window, door, and fire door manufacturer – is one of our longest-standing clients. We are proud to have strategised and implemented one of the most impactful PR campaigns the glazing industry has seen in recent years.

Shelforce employs 30 people, 75% of whom have a disability. It’s a remarkable business with a remarkable story. We identified them as a real candidate for one of the most prestigious awards out there, the King’s Award.

The team handled the 7,000-word award entry, attended a King’s Award training day and then, when the win was confirmed, executed a carefully planned press day around the official announcement.

The results were extraordinary. Film crews from BBC Midlands Today and ITV Central both covered the story for primetime news slots. Radio interviews were secured on Greatest Hits Radio and BBC West Midlands. A press release distributed across national and glazing media resulted in coverage on the BBC news website alongside widespread regional and industry press.

In total, the campaign reached over 79 million people, secured more than 26 pieces of coverage and achieved a TV audience of over 6 million.

Howard Trotter, Business Manager at Shelforce, put it simply: “Purplex has been telling our story and raising our profile amazingly since working with them. The team at Purplex has truly become a part of the Shelforce family.”

79 million reach – find out more

Choosing the Right PR Agency

When you’re looking for a PR agency, industry knowledge matters more than most businesses realise. A generalist agency might produce competent work, but they’ll spend months getting up to speed on your market, your audience and the publications that influence decisions in your sector.

Look for an agency with genuine writing skills, established media contacts in your industry, and a track record of delivering real coverage for clients like you.

The right PR partner won’t just send out press releases. They’ll help you shape your story and make sure the right people are hearing about your business consistently over time.

Talk to Purplex About Your PR Strategy

Purplex has been delivering PR and communications for businesses across the glass, glazing, construction and the built environment since 2004. Our team includes experienced journalists, media specialists, and industry experts who understand how to get your story told and heard.

If you’d like to talk about your PR strategy and what’s possible for your business, get in touch.

• Call us on 020 3137 9319
• Email us at grow@purplexmarketing.com
• Use our online contact form

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does PR take to show results?

PR is a medium to long-term strategy. Some campaigns, particularly around news events or award wins, can generate immediate coverage. But building genuine authority and a consistent media presence typically takes six to twelve months of sustained activity.

Do I need PR if I’m already doing digital marketing and social media?

Yes. Digital marketing drives traffic and generates leads. Social media builds community and engagement. PR builds credibility and shapes how your business is perceived. Earned media coverage also supports your SEO and gives your social channels genuinely compelling content to share. The businesses that combine all three tend to outperform those that rely on any single channel.

How do I know if my PR agency is doing a good job?

Coverage volume and reach are the obvious measures, but quality matters more than quantity. A single feature in the right trade publication is worth more than ten mentions in irrelevant outlets. A good PR agency will provide regular reporting, be transparent about what they’re working on and be able to demonstrate how their activity is contributing to your broader business goals.

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About the Author, Ed Frater

I’m a Growth Partner at Purplex Marketing, working with leadership teams across the home improvement, construction, fenestration, and building products sectors to design and deliver strategic marketing programmes that drive sustainable revenue growth. If you’re looking for a Growth Partner who understands your industry, your people, and what it takes to grow, that’s where I add value.

Connect with me on LinkedIn or read more of my articles: Ed Frater.

 

This entry was posted in Digital Marketing, PR