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How to Keep Your PR Clients Happy in a Tough Economy

Written by: Elizabeth Robinson

Article Overview: As potential clients struggle with dwindling budgets, PR practitioners must deliver more bang for the buck. This requires walking a fine line to create value for clients without falling into the trap of over-servicing the squeaky wheels.

How to Keep Your PR Clients Happy in a Tough Economy

Competition in the PR business is fierce these days, which is a good thing because PR programs are now more creative than ever. As potential clients struggle with dwindling budgets, PR practitioners must deliver more bang for the buck. This requires walking a fine line to create value for clients without falling into the trap of over-servicing the squeaky wheels.

Step 1

Clarify the scope of work. Too often contracts are written vaguely with a lot of wiggle room for both parties. The beauty of the launch of a campaign is that both parties can set solid expectations and timelines to mitigate surprises later. Refer to the contract as needed and use it as a roadmap for service.

Step 2

Over-communicate with the client. It’s important to be able to read people and their communication styles, but as a precaution it is better to be too visible than missing in action with a client. Do not rely too much on email, pick up the phone and have a conversation to get your finger on the pulse of where their business is and how they are feeling about the PR program. Always make sure though, that you have something of value to say once you reach them. Strategic counsel is what makes you an expert and is what your clients want and need.

Step 3

Manage expectations and set benchmarks for analytics. It is important to discuss expected outcomes and challenges before processes get underway. Never promise something that you cannot deliver, whether it is an optimistic deadline or an item beyond your control, such as a placement in a particular outlet. Agree beforehand how you will measure the success of the PR program. Will you measure message pick-up in media outlets? Media impressions? An uptick in website traffic? Share of voice in the competitive landscape?

Step 4

Be transparent with your reporting and budget consumption. Every PR professional uses different reporting methods. Make sure the client understands how to read these properly and produce a weekly or a monthly report, which illustrates how many hours are spent on each particular component of the communications program. If you are close to reaching budget in the second week of the month, that is when you call to have a conversation with the client. You may need to ratchet down your activities, increase the budget, or allocate your time elsewhere.

Step 5

Maintain the agility to change the strategic course of the program based on results or lack thereof. Many people resist change and do not want to admit a certain strategy is not working until it is way too late. Do not take it as a personal failure when things do not turn out as expected. Identify the problem and come up with some solutions. If a particular campaign is weak, nip it in the bud and have that conversation with the client. Come up with more creative ideas and change the course of direction to achieve more desirable results.

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Article Tags: analytics, communication styles, finger on the pulse, launch, media outlets, missing in action, pr business, pr practitioners, pr professional, pr program, pr programs, precaution, roadmap, scope of work, share of voice, squeaky wheels, step 3, strategic counsel, uptick, wiggle room



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