The current economic freefall is creating opportunities for PR practitioners who can adapt and evolve—and dangers for those who can't.

Early on, companies tend to cut marketing communications (marcom) staff, often a little too deeply. Then they realize that there's still a lot of work that needs to get done to maintain or establish a market presence. Public relations and other marcom services are essential to creating awareness, connecting with customers, building brands and driving sales.

An outsourcing plan can often meet these needs without costly, long-term commitments to PR firm retainer rates or needless overhead. It enables companies from startups to Fortune 100 companies to get the job done without expanding the employee roster and adding to personnel costs.

As practitioners, we have the opportunity to eliminate traditional agency inefficiencies, providing PR services on an outsourced basis—when it's needed, without charging for unused services. No retainers, no long-term contracts, no fat, no marked-up expenses and no under-qualified junior agency staff.

Here's what it comes down to: You have to stress to the client that they're paying for results instead of an impressive lobby.

Current market conditions have finally pushed clients out of the PR comfort zone they've been in since the dot-com heyday. No more retaining a "brand name" PR agency with a posh downtown address. No more paying for the name of a CEO who doesn't work directly on their account, and who typically hasn't contacted a reporter about a client in years.

Opportunities for practitioners arise as companies look to outsource marketing communications to battle-tested veterans who can pick up the slack and provide services on a smaller, flexible scale, often on a project basis.

Working on a project basis often clashes with the business model of a large agency. There are many overhead costs that must be passed along to the client, and large agencies need steady retainers to make sure financial goals and obligations are met. It's like trying to go from zero to 60 in a coupe versus an 18-wheeler.

Experienced marcom pros bring core competencies that enable them to do a better job in less time, which reduces costs and maximizes results. These smaller ("boutique") agencies, virtual PR teams and individual practitioners are a growing alternative for companies of all sizes, particularly those with monthly marcom budgets of less than $5,000. Like their clients, these outsources have to work smarter, faster and cheaper.

Alternative marcom providers find ways to efficiently service smaller clients and produce results. For many clients, outsourced and project-based marketing communications have an economic rationale even when the economy recovers.

As bleak as the economy is right now, there's still a potential win-win situation for PR practitioners and intelligent clients. By working together on a project basis, or adapting to a flexible, needs-based budget that allows clients to pay for services on an "as-used" basis, companies can still do short-term activities without a large commitment. Think of it as a test drive. If a project proves successful, it can lead to longer term relationships and the financial picture gets brighter.

Here are some tips to help make that happen for you:

• Make sure that your agency has a conceptual understanding of your company, the technology and your marketplace—but don't look for a clone of yourself. Can they communicate with your target audiences? Their business acumen and life experience will compliment your pedigree.

• Location, location, location is out: You want to pay for results, not the view from your agency's office.

• Agencies love to drop names of contacts, but these may not be the right reporters, editors and analysts for your company. With downsizing and media mergers, journalists change jobs and beats frequently. Experienced pros develop new relationships as needed.

• Ask what they've accomplished for clients that are about your size and budget. The people showing you these results should be the same people who will do the actual work on your account.

• Meet the entire account team before signing on. If someone at the agency impressed you, make sure he or she is on your team by including that in the written contract. Your day-to-day contact should be on at least the same "level" you are.

• Your needs and budget may vary from month to month. Your agency should be able to work with a flexible budget. Most agencies and outsources will require prepayment of monthly or project fees.

• Chemistry counts—you'll have regular contact with your agency. Nobody will ever provide a bad reference, so trust your gut instinct. Marketing communications is an investment. Selecting a source that matches your company's culture and personality is likely to give you the best return.

• Make sure they're not just a recent victim of downsizing. Beware of someone taking on project work until a job offer comes along, or you risk work stopping in the middle of your project.

Jon Boroshok is a marketing communications and public relations veteran. He is the founder of TechMarcom, Inc. of Westford, Mass. (www.TechMarcom.com).He is also an adjunct instructor of marketing communications and public relations classes at Emerson College in Boston and Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. He can be reached at jb@pipeline.com.