Episode Details

What does an entrepreneur really think about your PR pitch? In this episode of PR in the Real World, Andrew Wood, multi-million-pound business owner and co-founder of ESP Play, shares a straight-talking perspective on what business leaders actually look for in an agency partnership.

Andrew Wood started his manufacturing business at 19 and has spent over 20 years building multi-million-pound enterprises, including the remarkable turnaround of Quest Electrical. Despite having no formal PR background, Andrew has a razor-sharp "honed radar" for effective communications. He explains why PR should be viewed as "storytelling on steroids" and why every penny spent on an agency must eventually map back to a financial return.

The conversation pulls back the curtain on the "Buyer’s Perspective," covering everything from mystery-shopping prospective agencies to the frustration of "senior-led pitches" followed by junior-led delivery. Andrew breaks down his "Brand Architecture" model and why authenticity is the only way to salvage a struggling reputation. If you want to know how to talk the language of a CEO and move beyond "vanity metrics," this episode is an essential listen.

From a PR and communications perspective, this episode covers:

• The Commercial Reality of PR: Why agencies must understand that their ultimate responsibility is to drive revenue and growth.
• Due Diligence from the Other Side: How business leaders "watch" agencies for months—checking their social media and testimonials—before making a move.
• The "Face of the Pitch" Problem: Addressing the industry-wide issue of senior directors disappearing once the contract is signed.
• PR vs. Marketing: Defining PR as a medium-to-long-term investment in brand awareness, while marketing delivers the "instant results."
• Salvaging Reputation: Lessons from the Quest Electrical turnaround on how honest, human-to-human comms can rebuild trust with suppliers and customers.
• The "Friday Afternoon Test": Why personality and "chemistry" are just as important as technical capability in a long-term partnership.

Andrew discusses the "Pupil-First" mentality he uses to sell playground equipment to schools—proving that understanding the emotional driver behind a purchase is key to landing big contracts. He also shares his scepticism toward "fast-track" influencer marketing and why building a brand should always be a slow, organic process built on solid foundations.

This episode is relevant for professionals working in:

• PR Agency Owners & Directors: Looking to improve their pitch-to-win ratio and understand client expectations.
• Account Managers: Tasked with managing high-growth SME clients and demonstrating ROI.
• Entrepreneurs & MDs: Seeking advice on how to choose and manage their first PR or marketing agency.
• B2B Marketers: Interested in manufacturing, logistics, and industrial sector communications.

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