The Best PR Pros Push Back
February 26, 2018
A client-agency relationship is like any other relationship – hard work. It takes commitment, chemistry, honesty and passion. A successful client-agency relationship will help a company meet targets, work more efficiently and showcase their capabilities. Intangibles like chemistry are crucial, but for a client to use their agency effectively, they need to have specific processes in place. All clients are different, but it’s our job as PR pros to appreciate these differences – to adjust our ways of working and shift gears as needed for each client so that we have highly productive and enjoyable working relationships. In my eyes, it is these elements that make a good PR pro.
That said, while it’s important to be a universal adapter; the finest PR pros push back. It can be easier to agree to all client and journalist demands, but one of the best ways to be more efficient and to achieve better results can sometimes be to stop saying yes to everything.
Every client wants to be on the front pages of the FT, The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal – or have a feature story on their company published on TechCrunch or The Verge, but we all know that’s not realistic (well, most of the time). When a client comes to us with news they want to publicize, if it’s not exciting and/or groundbreaking it’s our job to push back and tell them. For example, a startup or small business client comes to you wanting exposure around their company name change or new website redesign (yawn) – you will know if this is newsworthy. And, if it isn’t, then it’s our job to speak up and say so. Yes, in the short term this can be a little awkward and painful, but believe us, in the long run, our clients thank us for ensuring they’re not associating themselves with mediocre news – or worse alienating journalists and media outlets. In turn, this helps build trust with the client.
The best client-agency relationships are the ones where there is candor and mutual trust and respect throughout the whole PR process across all levels. We spend our days researching relevant media outlets, editors and bloggers. We scan hundreds of articles on a daily basis to ensure we know what’s going on in the media landscape. This gives us a bank of knowledge to understand what makes a good story, and equally – what doesn’t.
Remember you hire a PR firm for its expertise, so it’s essential that you find a reputable firm that provides strategic recommendations. If your account team is continuously nodding their heads and playing the yes (wo)man, there is a problem. The success of any PR program requires a team who can adamantly say “no” in the face of scrutiny when something (we know) won’t make any reporter or their readers excited.
The Best PR Pros Push Back
February 26, 2018
Lizi Jeffery
Senior Account Director
A client-agency relationship is like any other relationship – hard work. It takes commitment, chemistry, honesty and passion. A successful client-agency relationship will help a company meet targets, work more efficiently and showcase their capabilities. Intangibles like chemistry are crucial, but for a client to use their agency effectively, they need to have specific processes in place. All clients are different, but it’s our job as PR pros to appreciate these differences – to adjust our ways of working and shift gears as needed for each client so that we have highly productive and enjoyable working relationships. In my eyes, it is these elements that make a good PR pro.
That said, while it’s important to be a universal adapter; the finest PR pros push back. It can be easier to agree to all client and journalist demands, but one of the best ways to be more efficient and to achieve better results can sometimes be to stop saying yes to everything.
Every client wants to be on the front pages of the FT, The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal – or have a feature story on their company published on TechCrunch or The Verge, but we all know that’s not realistic (well, most of the time). When a client comes to us with news they want to publicize, if it’s not exciting and/or groundbreaking it’s our job to push back and tell them. For example, a startup or small business client comes to you wanting exposure around their company name change or new website redesign (yawn) – you will know if this is newsworthy. And, if it isn’t, then it’s our job to speak up and say so. Yes, in the short term this can be a little awkward and painful, but believe us, in the long run, our clients thank us for ensuring they’re not associating themselves with mediocre news – or worse alienating journalists and media outlets. In turn, this helps build trust with the client.
The best client-agency relationships are the ones where there is candor and mutual trust and respect throughout the whole PR process across all levels. We spend our days researching relevant media outlets, editors and bloggers. We scan hundreds of articles on a daily basis to ensure we know what’s going on in the media landscape. This gives us a bank of knowledge to understand what makes a good story, and equally – what doesn’t.
Remember you hire a PR firm for its expertise, so it’s essential that you find a reputable firm that provides strategic recommendations. If your account team is continuously nodding their heads and playing the yes (wo)man, there is a problem. The success of any PR program requires a team who can adamantly say “no” in the face of scrutiny when something (we know) won’t make any reporter or their readers excited.
