Let’s face it, there are great and terrible client/agency relationships – the latter obviously don’t last very long. Building a strong client/agency relationship is about so much more than a contract and an exchange of labour and fees; it’s about sharing a vision and passion to get the prize at the end of the rainbow, whether that is more sales, a bigger reputation or brand, selling a company or raising funds for charity.
If you’ve not worked with a consultancy before, outsourcing your PR can be a difficult mental hurdle to jump but there are many advantages – independent, objective advice to guide your strategy, creative ideas from a pool of experienced professionals, established media and influential contacts to tap into immediately and access to a mix of other marketing professionals that you don’t have to micro-manage. But we’ve all heard tales of woe of client/agency relationships hitting the rocks soon after appointment and it’s usually down to disjointed communications which lead to misunderstandings and poor planning.
So what’s the best way to get started? Here are some thoughts on building a dynamic, trusting relationship that will allow you to jointly achieve great results.
Clarity is crucial
From the outset, your PR team needs a clear brief and set of objectives to work towards. Don’t be surprised if you are questioned on these – that is one of the benefits of having external experts; they can challenge long-held beliefs and assumptions and come up with new insights and angles you might never consider.
Ensure there is no ambiguity in either the goals or tasks at hand – remember that while you know your business inside out, your new PR team – even if they know the industry sector – will be learning about your business in the early days. Take the time to provide all the information they need – research, customer data, explanations requested and access to specialists in the organisation who can help them build the programme and advocacy. It’s also essential to bring the PR team into strategic discussions as early as possible, not at the point where plans are set in stone and they cannot make a creative contribution. Also, long range planning may be vital if your campaign will depend on exposure in media with long lead times.
U-turns needn’t be a disaster
Sometimes in business pre-planned things have to change, with a knock-on effect on PR plans that can be way down the line in terms of preparation. PR consultants are agile enough to handle change, so don’t wait until the 11th hour to tell them about a significant change in policy or decision. Imagine a national media photo-call without the promised subjects of the shoot? That really happened, and the client sheepishly explained, “We couldn’t get approval and we didn’t say because we didn’t want to cancel the event.” Needless to say there were less than happy photographers at the event and miniscule coverage, yet the client had spent a lot of money on the preparation. With sufficient notice, an alternative approach could have been taken for the launch. Transparent is always best – your PR team will do what it takes to find a different way to tell your story.
Communicate regularly
As with relationships of a romantic nature, open and ongoing communication is the key to success! If events take place which will have a knock-on effect on the PR campaign, inform your PR team as quickly as possible so they can create a contingency plan. If journalists contact you direct for comments and input, tell the PR manager, even if you’ve already dealt with the query. And even more important, if the call needs additional input/follow up, pass on the request to the PR team to ensure that the journalist receives the information they need. This way you build trust not only with your PR team, but the media.
Trust the experts
Just as you’re an expert on growing and managing your business, it’s important to remember that your PR consultants are also experts, and their advice is worth the fee you’re paying! For instance, if you’re preparing to do a media interview, don’t hesitate to ask your PR consultant for some advice on how to conduct yourself. Your consultant has orchestrated countless media interviews and will have a very good understanding of what makes a good impression (and likewise, what mistakes to avoid). While goal-setting is absolutely crucial, it’s important not to micro-manage a PR consultant’s job for them, and instead trust that they will be professional in completing their tasks – this is why you hired them in the first place.
Give feedback
Something happened that you don’t think went as well as it should? Don’t sit on a concern and wait patiently for the formal reviews to bring it up. Speak to the head of the PR team straight away so that the situation can be discussed openly and a resolution found. Likewise, the head of the PR team should feel comfortable to bring to your attention any issues (contract creep is a common issue) that they feel could affect the relationship and/or campaign.
A ‘little thanks’ goes a long way
After the job is successfully completed, do show your appreciation. Yes, we know you’re paying the team, but a pat on the back goes a long way to ensure the team will bust a gut for you on the next campaign! While new technologies have dramatically evolved the way we do business, they have also, unfortunately, dehumanised the way we work. With this in mind, a heartfelt thank you never goes amiss and is recommended if you want to maintain a prosperous working relationship.
To discuss PR and digital campaigns that can change the fortunes of your business, drop us an email at enquiries@fortunepr.co.uk
Tags: planning, PR consultancy
