A new national model gives TrizCom PR clients direct access to senior communications professionals, specialized expertise and local market support without traditional agency layers
This week, we officially launched The Public Relations Collective, a nationwide alliance of senior public relations and communications professionals. I am proud to be one of its founding members.
I have spent more than 30 years in public relations and 18 years building TrizCom PR.
During that time, I have watched the communications industry change in ways I could not have imagined when I started my career.
Newsrooms are smaller. Communications channels have multiplied. A company’s reputation is no longer shaped only by what appears in a newspaper or on television. It is shaped by search results, social media conversations, online reviews, podcasts, digital publications and AI-generated answers.
The work has become more specialized. It has also become more complicated.
What has not changed is what clients expect from their communications partners.
They want experience.
They want sound judgment.
They want access to the people who understand their business and are responsible for the work.
And they want a team built around their needs, not an agency’s existing staffing structure.
That is why I helped launch The Public Relations Collective.
We Saw a Gap in the Market
Organizations seeking communications support are often presented with two choices.
They can hire a large agency that offers an extensive list of capabilities but may also come with staffing layers, account handoffs and substantial overhead.
Or they can hire an independent consultant (or boutique agency) who brings strong experience but may not have the capacity or specialized resources needed for a large, complex or national assignment.
Both models can work well.
But we believed there was room for another option.
The Public Relations Collective brings together senior public relations and communications professionals from across the country. Each founding member operates an independent firm, consultancy or boutique agency. Each brings specific strengths, industry knowledge and established relationships.
We can work individually or assemble a customized team based on the assignment.
There is no fixed organization chart.
There are no unnecessary staffing layers.
And no one pretends to be an expert in every communications discipline.
The Public Relations Collective gives organizations direct access to senior professionals while retaining the reach, depth and flexibility often associated with a national agency.
The Traditional Large-Agency Model Is Broken
I am going to say something that may not make me popular with everyone in the agency business.
The traditional large-agency model is broken.
Too often, the senior executives who lead the pitch and sell the account are not the people doing the work. Once the contract is signed, the account moves down through layers of management until much of the daily execution falls to junior staff.
Clients think they hired the people in the presentation. Otherwise, you may be paying senior-level rates for limited senior-level involvement. Then there is the invoice.
A big part of the agency fee may be to support holding-company profit, executive management, administrative departments, office space and systems within the office. Yes, every business has overhead. But clients are justified to ask how much of that expense is tied directly to their communications outcomes.
The Public Relations Collective tackled this topic in our article “Anatomy of a PR Agency Invoice: Are You Paying for Expertise or Overhead?” which looks at the conventional agency pyramid, blended rates and what happens when an account is sold at the top and staffed at the bottom.
This isn’t to argue against junior professionals. Everyone starts somewhere, and growing the next generation of communications pros is important. It is when clients buy direct access to senior counsel, but receive something else, that it goes wrong.
That is the disconnect that The Public Relations Collective was created to bridge: Clients work directly with the experienced professionals who develop the strategy, deliver the work and take responsibility for the results.
More of the client’s investment goes toward expertise, results and execution.
And less toward hierarchy.
Why I Became a Founding Member
I joined The Public Relations Collective not because TrizCom PR needed another agency logo on our website.
I joined because the model is how I believe PR work should happen.
Clients deserve to work with experienced professionals who understand how communications decisions impact the business.
They deserve candid advice and counsel even if it’s not what they want to hear.
They deserve specialists who know their topic, instead of generalists who are learning it and charging them for it.
They also deserve to know who’s doing the work.
The Public Relations Collective founding members have built careers in top agency roles, at major brands and with independent firms of our own. We’ve advised executives, managed crisis and media inquiries, launched products, advised on transactions, created thought leadership campaigns, and steered companies in situations when their reputation and the trust of its stakeholders is in question.
But, just as importantly, this isn’t a randomly assembled list of consultants.
Many of us have worked together for years. We’ve developed a grasp of each other’s skills and how we operate. We know who will reply promptly, who will keep a cool head and have the right experience in an industry or for a communications issue. That trust means a lot to the client as well.
They should not have to pay for the learning curve for a group that’s never worked together.
Meet the Founding Members
Our founding members hail from independent public relations and communications firms and boutique agencies in cities throughout the country. We bring together top-level expertise in public relations and strategic communications, providing services that meet your organization’s needs, capitalize on your opportunities and manage its challenges.
Dominic Amenta, DPA Communications (Boston, Massachusetts)
Hilary Reiter Azzaretti, Redhead Marketing & PR (Park City, Utah)
Ann Bouchard, Bouchard Communications Group, Inc. (Roseville, California)
Jason Brown, PublicCity PR (Royal Oak, Michigan)
Joice Truban Curry, c3 Communications, Inc. (San Diego, California)
Jeffrey A. Davis, J. Davis Public Relations, LLC (Austin, Texas)
Julie Dye, Marketing Dx (Austin, Texas)
Leigh Fazzina, Fazzina & Co. Communications Consulting, Inc. (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania)
Allison Hawk, AHC Consulting LLC (St. Louis, Missouri)
Katie Welch Len, Newsworthy Communications (Victoria, Minnesota)
Kristen Skladd, The KMS Group (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Dianne Danowski Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, Publix Northwest PR + PA LLC (Beaverton, Oregon)
Jo Trizila, TrizCom PR (Dallas, Texas)
The Public Relations Collective gives organizations access to experienced, professional communications people in major markets across the U.S. and in a broad range of disciplines.
More, our clients work directly with the people listed above.
What This Means for TrizCom PR Clients
TrizCom PR has always been a boutique agency, with the ability to work beyond Dallas. In fact, a large percentage of our clients are outside Dallas or have a national footprint.
The Public Relations Collective increases our abilities.
When a TrizCom PR client needs local support in another market, we have senior professionals who are familiar with the market and the media environment in that market.
When an assignment calls for a capability we don't currently offer as a team, we bring in a consultant who has the experience.
When a crisis crosses state lines, we assemble a team that can respond quickly and effectively.
When a company enters a new market, closes a deal, introduces a new product or wants support across multiple communication areas, we can assemble a team to fit the need.
The client works with TrizCom PR.
The client has direct access to me and our senior staff.
What is different is the expertise available to carry out the assignment.
The Public Relations Collective includes professionals with expertise in corporate communications, media relations, media training and executive visibility, crisis communications/issues management, reputation management, internal communication, thought leadership, launches and announcements, AI/GEO PR and content marketing.
For our clients, this means that we don't have to suggest a larger agency because a project requires an additional market or an additional specialty.
We can add a team member without adding bureaucracy.
Senior-led means senior-delivered
"Senior-led" is a common term in agency marketing.
Sometimes, a senior pro shows up at the initial meeting, signs off on the strategy and then lets a younger team member take over the work.
That's not what we mean.
In The Public Relations Collective, the senior consultants who develop the strategy also work to see it through and deliver on its objectives.
Clients aren't handed off from the person who won the engagement to a person they haven't met.
This is important because a strategist's experience isn't just for strategy.
A strategist's experience matters when a reporter pushes a story in an unexpected direction.
It matters when a stakeholder has a new concern.
It matters when a post in social media gets noticed.
It matters when there is disagreement about what to say at the leadership level.
It matters when a client needs to decide whether to react, stand firm or change course.
These are decisions that take judgment, and those decisions require experience, learning from past situations and understanding that communication choices don't happen in a vacuum.
Flexibility Without Sacrificing Accountability
Not every company requires a comprehensive annual agency contract.
Perhaps an organization requires assistance for a product launch, a geographic expansion, an executive visibility initiative, or a delicate reputation challenge. An in-house communications department might require short-term senior-level capacity. A marketing firm might require public relations competence for a particular client project. A national association might require specialists in a range of markets for a specific timeframe.
The Public Relations Collective can help with project work, long-term advice, fractional communications leadership, embedded support and full-service programs. Agencies can also work openly with or behind-the-scenes with members whenever they require additional experience or capability.
The key is that flexibility does not mean improvisation. The group is still built around clear goals, defined roles and quantified results.
This has always been a facet of the TrizCom PR process. We place strategy before tactics, align communications action with business goals and provide clear reporting so that clients know what is going on, why it is important and how success will be assessed.
Bigger Teams Do Not Equate With Better Performance
There is often a tendency in business to link size to strength. A bigger agency may be the optimal arrangement for some firms and assignments. However, a bigger group does not guarantee superior strategy, quicker decisions or stronger outcomes.
Occasionally, it creates increased meetings. Sometimes it generates more approval levels. Sometimes, the client pays for a formidable team structure, but the person they interact with primarily is the most inexperienced individual on the project.
The Public Relations Collective was created to operate according to another principle:
Start with what the client is trying to achieve.
Establish what knowledge the task demands.
Find the correct experts.
Ensure the team stays targeted.
Bring in extra capability when it is necessary.
This might entail one specialist. It might entail a unit of five. It could entail a national team functioning across several markets.
The shape follows the job. The job follows the shape.
What's Next
While The Public Relations Collective formally began operation in July 2026, the relationships behind it were formed over years. We are not testing whether seasoned independent experts can collaborate. They have. The launch formalizes that partnership and facilitates organizations and agencies accessing it.
For TrizCom PR, it allows us to continue delivering the level of personal service and senior contact clients anticipate, while gaining even greater access to specialized knowledge and nationwide backing. For me, it is about working alongside a group of communications people whom I admire professionally whose output I have confidence in.
For customers, it means they no longer have to select between senior knowledge, specialist capabilities, agility and nationwide presence. They may get all four. That is why we created The Public Relations Collective. That is why I am pleased to be a founding member.
Build the Right Communications Team
TrizCom PR clients now have access to an even more extensive network of top-level communications experts throughout the U.S. Should the necessity involve a nationwide introduction, an emergency, a territory expansion or specific knowledge, we can form a team for the job without introducing extraneous tiers.
Feel free to reach me at jo@trizcom.com and we can explore what the appropriate team could resemble for your company.
Connect with The Public Relations Collective on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-public-relations-collective.
Everyone has a story. Let TrizCom PR tell yours!
About the Author:
Jo Trizila – Founder & CEO of TrizCom PR
Jo Trizila is the founder and CEO of TrizCom PR, a leading Dallas-based public relations firm known for delivering strategic communications that drive business growth and enhance brand reputations, as well as Pitch PR, a press release distribution agency. Jo is also a proud founding member of The Public Relations Collective. With over 25 years of experience in PR and marketing, Jo has helped countless organizations navigate complex communication challenges, ranging from crisis management to brand storytelling. Under her leadership, TrizCom PR has earned recognition for its results-driven approach, combining traditional and integrated digital strategies to deliver impactful, measurable outcomes for clients across various industries, including healthcare, technology and nonprofit sectors. Jo is passionate about helping businesses amplify their voices and connect with audiences meaningfully. Her hands-on approach and commitment to excellence have established TrizCom PR as a trusted partner for companies seeking to elevate their brand and achieve lasting success. Contact Jo at jo@TrizCom.com.
FAQ
What should a chief marketing officer ask before hiring a PR firm?
Ask who will develop the strategy, who will manage the daily work and how often senior leaders will remain involved. Request examples of relevant work, reporting samples and a clear explanation of how the agency connects communications activity to business goals. The proposal matters, but the people responsible for delivering it matter more.
Who will actually work on our account?
The agency should identify the team before the engagement begins and explain each person’s role. Ask whether the senior professionals in the presentation will remain involved after the contract is signed. If the agency cannot clearly explain who will write, pitch, advise leadership and report results, expect confusion once the work begins.
How should a PR strategy connect to our business goals?
Public relations activity should support a defined business outcome. That may include building credibility, entering a new market, supporting sales, protecting reputation, attracting employees or positioning an executive as an industry authority. Media coverage alone is not a strategy. The agency should explain why each communications activity matters and what it is intended to influence.
How should a PR firm measure success?
Measurement should begin with agreed-upon objectives. Depending on the engagement, key performance indicators may include quality media coverage, message inclusion, website traffic, qualified leads, search visibility, audience engagement, stakeholder sentiment or share of voice. Avoid firms that rely only on inflated reach figures or advertising value equivalents without explaining the business meaning behind those numbers.
Do we need a large agency for a national campaign?
Not necessarily. National reach does not require a large permanent staff or multiple management layers. A senior-led network can assemble experienced professionals in the markets and specialties the assignment requires. The better question is whether the team has the relationships, capacity, experience and coordination needed to execute the campaign across regions.
What type of PR engagement is best for our organization?
The right structure depends on the need. An annual agency-of-record relationship may fit organizations requiring continuous reputation, media and content support. A project may work for a launch, transaction or event. Fractional communications leadership can help an internal team that needs senior counsel. A qualified PR firm should recommend the structure that fits the assignment rather than forcing every client into the same contract.
How quickly should a PR firm respond during a crisis?
A crisis communications team should establish response procedures before an issue occurs. During an active situation, the agency must be able to assess facts, advise leadership, coordinate with legal counsel, prepare messaging and monitor public reaction quickly. Ask who is available after business hours, how escalation decisions are made and whether the team has managed comparable situations.
How important is industry experience when selecting a PR firm?
Industry experience can reduce the learning curve, especially in regulated, technical or specialized fields. However, relevant communications experience is equally important. A firm may understand your industry but lack the judgment required for a crisis, executive transition or national launch. Look for a team with the right combination of sector knowledge, communications experience and strategic perspective.
How should a PR firm address AI search and digital reputation?
A modern PR strategy should consider how search engines and AI platforms describe the organization, its leaders and its reputation. This requires more than traditional SEO. Earned media, authoritative owned content, consistent company information, credible third-party references and clear executive expertise can all influence digital visibility. Ask how the agency integrates media relations, content and AI search reputation into one strategy.
What warning signs suggest a PR firm may not be the right fit?
Warning signs include guaranteed media coverage, vague staffing plans, no defined measurement approach and a strategy built entirely around press releases. Be cautious when senior leaders disappear after the sales process or when the agency cannot explain how its recommendations support business objectives. A strong PR partner will be transparent about the team, the process, the risks and the limits of what public relations can accomplish.
