Working With Your Media Relations Firm Realistic Expectations and Avoiding Misconceptions
Working With Your Media Relations Firm Realistic Expectations and Avoiding Misconceptions
Relax. You signed with the firm five minutes ago, and you're already scrambling for the
lifeboats. I have had clients begin to panic within days of signing because we hadn't yet placed them on the cover of Time magazine. You may not have a story placed for awhile. One of our most successful campaigns began with a three-month drought. We were unable to place a story anywhere for the first few months. Then it completely turned around. We placed the client on national talk shows, news shows, and radio programs, as well as in major national magazines and major newspapers.
You and your firm are a team. You are working towards the same goal. And just as there are expectations and demands that you will make on the firm, you too have to fulfill your part of the bargain, if the team is going to work and meet its objective. The firm's obligations are to give you the best campaign it can, to come up with the best releases, come up with creative pitches, effectively utilize its media contacts, make follow-up calls and develop an effective and successful campaign for you and your business. You in turn have only one obligation to pay your retainer fee on time. But, if you're serious about this and want the most successful campaign you can have, your list of obligations begins to grow. These are obligations that you owe to yourself. This is your business, this is your shot. Do your homework, be practical, and leave your ego at the door. You need to learn patience. Develop realistic expectations and let your firm do its job. And speaking of keeping realistic expectations, also watch out for misconceptions.
Misconception #1: Some business owners believe that they should never work with a company who represents any of their competitors, or companies in their same general field. Whereas this may seem to make sense at first glance and I understand that logic, it's actually not the case. Sure you might not want to be represented by a company that represents a competitor who is a carbon copy of you; but, working with a firm that is known for representing others in your field can have a huge upside. Think about it, if the media sees the company as a go-to company for a certain type of story, chances are they're going to listen when your firm pitches your story. They'll have the ear of certain valuable editors and producers and that's often what you need. Although that is not a reason to pick a firm, it is also not a valid reason to negate a particular company.
Whether they're specialists or generalists, what it comes down to is whether the company you choose knows PR and whether you feel they are a good fit. Communication is the name of the game. You need a firm that understands your story and has the savvy and know-how to pitch it effectively.
To be continued…
Copyright © Anthony Mora 2008
Working With Your Media Relations Firm Realistic Expectations and Avoiding Misconceptions - To learn more about this author, visit Anthony Mora's Website.
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You've hired a firm and are excited, but anxious. You've paid them the first month's retainer fee in advance. You've signed a letter of agreement, and now you're committed. What if they don't do their job? What if they're just smoke and mirrors? What if it doesn't work? What the heck have you done?
Relax. You signed with the firm five minutes ago, and you're already scrambling for the
lifeboats. I have had clients begin to panic within days of signing because we hadn't yet placed them on the cover of Time magazine. You may not have a story placed for awhile. One of our most successful campaigns began with a three-month drought. We were unable to place a story anywhere for the first few months. Then it completely turned around. We placed the client on national talk shows, news shows, and radio programs, as well as in major national magazines and major newspapers.
You and your firm are a team. You are working towards the same goal. And just as there are expectations and demands that you will make on the firm, you too have to fulfill your part of the bargain, if the team is going to work and meet its objective. The firm's obligations are to give you the best campaign it can, to come up with the best releases, come up with creative pitches, effectively utilize its media contacts, make follow-up calls and develop an effective and successful campaign for you and your business. You in turn have only one obligation to pay your retainer fee on time. But, if you're serious about this and want the most successful campaign you can have, your list of obligations begins to grow. These are obligations that you owe to yourself. This is your business, this is your shot. Do your homework, be practical, and leave your ego at the door. You need to learn patience. Develop realistic expectations and let your firm do its job. And speaking of keeping realistic expectations, also watch out for misconceptions.
Misconception #1: Some business owners believe that they should never work with a company who represents any of their competitors, or companies in their same general field. Whereas this may seem to make sense at first glance and I understand that logic, it's actually not the case. Sure you might not want to be represented by a company that represents a competitor who is a carbon copy of you; but, working with a firm that is known for representing others in your field can have a huge upside. Think about it, if the media sees the company as a go-to company for a certain type of story, chances are they're going to listen when your firm pitches your story. They'll have the ear of certain valuable editors and producers and that's often what you need. Although that is not a reason to pick a firm, it is also not a valid reason to negate a particular company.
Whether they're specialists or generalists, what it comes down to is whether the company you choose knows PR and whether you feel they are a good fit. Communication is the name of the game. You need a firm that understands your story and has the savvy and know-how to pitch it effectively.
To be continued…
Copyright © Anthony Mora 2008
Working With Your Media Relations Firm Realistic Expectations and Avoiding Misconceptions - To learn more about this author, visit Anthony Mora's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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