top of page

FOR CLIENTS

According to PRSSA, public relations is about “managing the flow of two-way communications between an organization and its constituents.” PR anticipates changes in public opinion, analyzes trends, and interprets the market.

 

Effective PR influences the public and changes the behavior of the public. Effective PR also manages and enhances an organization’s reputation and builds a strong relationship with the organization’s constituents.

1) What is public relations?

2) What kinds of clients does PRLab work with?

PRLab works with a broad range of clients, such as nonprofit organizations, BU departments, commercial businesses, and corporations in a variety of industries including:

  1. Healthcare

  2. Education

  3. Consumer goods

  4. Entertainment

  5. Clothing

3) Where do students do the majority of client work?

The answer varies by client. Some clients prefer student staff members to report to their offices on a weekly basis. Other clients would rather have work done on student staff members’ own time, communicating by email and/or phone. 

 

Student staff members of PRLab also have special access to the PRLab room, located in the lower level of College of Communication in room B37-A.

4) What type of work do students do?

Account executives complete various types of PR-related tasks for their clients. Please read about what we do for a list of PRLab’s services, as well as case studies. Please note that all clients are billed $300 per semester at the beginning of each client engagement. For a detailed overview of what this client fee does and does not include, please visit the fee page.

5) If I become a client, who would be my key point of contact?

The account executives assigned to your organization will be your go-to point of contact. If any issues arise, contact the account supervisor assigned for that account team.

6) How much time will clients need to spend on PRLab?

For the client/agency relationship to be successful and thrive, both the account team and client need to commit to the process. We look for a minimum of a one-hour weekly call/meeting with the account team, plus a maximum two-day turnaround for feedback on the team’s work. The more time and effort the client invests, the better the results and return on investment. Please read PRLab’s expectations for clients for additional information.

7) These are just interns, right? Why all the formality?

PRLab is a profitable public relations agency, not an internship program. PRLab seeks clients with real-world, tangible, and measurable projects for the student account teams.

 

If clients are not sure what they hope to achieve out of a PRLab engagement, they may be better served by an intern rather than our PR agency. If you are unsure whether you have a realistic project for PRLab, please reach out to Professor Shanler (shanlera@bu.edu) or Professor Joseph (justinj@bu.edu) for feedback.

8) How do you become a client of PRLab at Boston University?

There is a three-step application process for prospective PRLab clients. First, please complete PRLab’s online client application. After you submit your client application, PRLab’s president of operations will schedule a phone interview with you to discuss your business objectives and your organizational goals.

 

Please note that PRLab accepts new clients on a semesterly basis. Application to PRLab does not guarantee acceptance.

bottom of page