There are many benefits of working with a PR agency, but all of these can be wiped clean if you don’t have a good relationship.

Fortunately, there are a variety of steps you can take to create a sound partnership between your company and your PR firm. Here are five useful, easy to implement tips:

1. Treat the agency like part of your company

Get into the habit of treating your PR agency in the same manner as your employees. Don’t make outrageous requests. Don’t take advantage of them. Don’t make late payments.

When you treat your agency like part of your family, you’ll benefit from a stable long-term relationship.

2. Keep an open line of communication

Your PR firm can’t read your mind. They need your feedback, and you should have someone on your team who can provide it in a clear and timely manner.

It doesn’t matter if you communicate via phone, text, email, in person, or a combination of all of these. Just make sure you do so as necessary.

3. Don’t get in the way

This doesn’t mean you should completely remove yourself from the process. What it means is that you should give your PR agency the room it needs to generate results.

A good relationship allows you to stay involved, without getting in the way to the point of slowing things down.

4. Stay organized

Work with your firm to formulate a system for staying organized. For example, ask them how they will share results, strategy, and other details important to your success.

When both parties are organized, both parties are on the same page.

5. Have reasonable expectations

This is something to discuss with your PR agency upfront. When you have clear expectations, you won’t expect too much. Furthermore, your firm will know exactly what you’re looking for, thus allowing them to reach those goals.