Dear BAMf Podcast: Episode 10 with Lindsay Amos

Dear BAMf // Episode 10: Lindsay Amos of Y Combinator shares her thoughts on how to convey the 'why' of a brand refresh to your CEO, balancing client expectations, and gives advice on vetting a PR agency.

In episode ten of the Dear BAMf podcast, Lindsay Amos drops some serious marketing and PR knowledge. Lindsay is the Director of Communications at Y Combinator, a venture capital firm providing seed funding to thousands of startups across the globe. She creates and manages a number of marketing strategies advancing company narratives in the down-cycles between launches. With expert knowledge in all things marketing, Lindsay shared some helpful advice on things to be aware of when looking to hire a PR agency: 

Dear BAMf, 

What's your advice on vetting a PR agency? There are so many, and I'm cautious about making the wrong choice, as the final decision is up to me. I've worked with two others in the past that I really enjoyed, but now I'm the CMO of a startup that's not really a fit for my former agencies. Is an RFP even worth doing?

Listen now to hear Lindsay's perspective on RFPs and how utilizing your network can start connections to some great agencies. In the episode, she outlines the steps to take to narrow down your choices and pick the best fit for your company.

Dear BAMf: Episode 10

Episode 10 highlights:

• (2:21) Tips on how to convey your mission through branding tactics: It would help if you outlined how to talk about your company to investors vs. how to talk about your company to the press, your customers, or an external audience and make sure you can identify how others view your brand.
• (6:35) Lindsay covers the dos and don'ts for companies looking to work with an agency. Know that you don't just hand over your comms — you are building a partnership and your agency should be viewed as an extension of your company.
• (7:10) Get it in writing! For PR professionals, it's important to be clear with your client and outline how much of their time is required to have a successful social media strategy.
• (13:35) Ask questions like: How does the PR agency in question work with clients? Do they ask for weekly meetings? What does daily communication look like? These are questions you should keep in mind when searching for an agency.  
• (14:30) As a company looking into hiring a PR agency, know that you have to put in the work to get the result you are looking for. "The most successful agencies and company relationships are those that actively get involved in the work."

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