Client management
Clients are your income, something I get it, you and I know that you need to keep them happy. As PRs I know you have to walk the line between pleasing them and not displeasing your journalist contacts and on the contrary, as a journalist there are certain aspects of your ‘client management’ that I am very appreciative of. Some of them are listed below:
- Managing your clients expectations in terms of coverage. Four pages on a new treatment package at your hotel? Unlikely. It’s great if you can tell them this rather than me.
- Prompting them to thank the journalist if they have done a good piece. (The inner five year old in us all loves praise and it makes it more likely we will do it again).
- Managing the time brand owners talk about their brand – especially on Zoom – there is nowhere for us to go…
- Challenging them on their more out-there ideas that involve high levels of journalist participation.
- Vetoing the idea of factory visits. I don’t think i need to expand on this!
I am so much more likely to accept an invite if I know the PR will do the above.
In return I (and I hope my fellow journalists) should:
- Recommend you brand owners who ask for a good PR tip.
- Deliver on coverage if I/they accept treatments/press trips/products.
- Be happy to give endorsements as to your company’s professionalism
- Smile and be gracious and courteous when dealing with your brand owners.
- Even when on aforementioned factory visit… 🙂
It’s tempting to fuzz the lines on the above, but sticking to a basic code of conduct makes for a great long term journalist/PR relationship.
Which is a win, win for everyone right?
What Rosie Thinks…
“How have award season get-the-looks changed mid pandemic? Not much. It’s still about producing a beautifully laid out release detailing the products used on your ambassador. Dior has done a superb job on this one.
The recipe? Take one beautiful upcoming starlet – Anya Taylor-Joy, add in an exciting makeup artist (Georgie Eisdell) and deliver a satisfyingly detailed (this is crucial) how-to with glorious visuals.”