Guest post from Todd @SHIFT Communications

While the RFP process for PR agencies was relatively straightforward for the past 50 years, in the next 3 – 5 years agencies like will need to suss out their proper role on a client-by-client basis:

Some clients will want a traditional Media Relations firm … Some will want a Social Media specialty shop … Some will want Content Creation (video, microsites, iPhone and Facebook apps) … And smart clients will desire a hybrid model that incorporates all of the above – yet which could also potentially be sourced to an advertising agency.

Meanwhile, mainstream media relations will continue to be important, but ultimately no more or less important than Blogger Relations, Facebook Group Administrator Relations, etc. That’s the power of Social Media: when everyone has a printing press, everyone is important.