PR in practice: PR=personal relationships
August 10th, 2009
How close are you to your clients? Do you know their preferences, their hot buttons, their areas of interest, what kind of information they need to do their jobs better?
For many, PR means stamping out press releases. But at a higher level it should stand for personal relationships with your clients – not only the clients paying you, but also members of the media and social media, who also should be treated like clients. Here are some things that separate a true PR professional from a release slinger.
- A true PR pro knows the client well enough to soothe the friction that can often occur in stressful business environments.
- A true PR pro keeps the client’s best interests at heart and knows when to shoulder responsibility.
- A true PR pro forgives, but also expresses concerns.
- A true PR pro is always honest.
- A true PR pro is a partner, helping the client out in times of need.
- A true PR pro knows enough about the client’s business to offer analysis, consulting and constructive criticism.
- A true PR pro will hold the line on a client’s possible excesses.
- A true PR pro will direct the client to information he or she might be interested in, just like one would do for a friend.
- A true PR pro sees his or her clients as people, not faceless companies.
Very well said, Bob. I wish more can follow your credo.
Bob, as a 35 year PR professional witnessing ‘rapid changes’ in our industry, your comments are critically-important reminders of how to care for our valued clients. As the ‘world becomes more impersonal’ through electronic communications, nothing can compare to the one-to-one, face-to-face ‘check in’ with a client on ‘how are we doing?” “Our we reaching your goals?” “Our we communicating effectively?” The ambition of PR-personal relationships is to be a valued member of a company’s staff. A true communicator, listener, supporter, team member. Thank you for this important reminder Bob.
Barbara Branagan-Mitchell
Thanks, Barbara. Part of writing this and posting it was to serve as a reminder to myself.
Excellent reminder for all of us! Thanks!
A good reminder that we can only create value if another person wants it.
Chuck Brooks
FutureWare SCG