Have credentials meetings (also known as the 'beauty parade') with prospective agencies before you draw you final pitch shortlist. Assessing fit, experience and track record beforehand means you can concentrate more on the programme content.

Chemistry is important - you have to like and get on with the people you're going to be working with.

The quality of the brief is essential - and endorsement by all involved in the pitch process helps so everyone's on the same page.

Factor in time to deal with questions as fully as possible. The investment will pay off in the quality of the pitch.

Beware of a top-heavy team of presenters at the pitch. You need to get a good feel for who will be working on your account and a good agency will bring the team you can expect to work with.

When you've made your decision make absolutely certain that there is complete transparency in your expectations and what the consultancy is going to be delivering.

Regular (at least monthly) meetings to review and monitor progress and plan future priorities are essential to a successful relationship, as are regular catch-up phone calls. Your agency needs to be fully in the loop of what's going on in your business.

Creativity is important. It's a very noisy world out there and you should expect your consultancy to come up with new ideas which get your voice heard - not just at the pitch, but on an ongoing basis.

There are responsibilities and accountabilities on both sides. Make sure these are clearly defined at the outset.

You won't always agree with the advice your consultancy gives you but enjoy the challenge: occasional professional disagreements are a sign of a healthy relationship.

Share successes internally - PR is a people business and people generally love to know what the PR agency is doing and get involved. And the more people involved, the more the agency has to work with.

If your consultancy has done a good job for you, tell them - a written or spoken thank you does wonders for keeping the momentum going.