“I have to like you to want to work with you.” Simply put and an interesting way to do business, but if the chemistry is not there a relationship will never blossom as it should and the PR will be stilted and insincere.
Despite the supposed need for strategy, messaging and other clever nonsense, it is people and their interactions that can make or break a communications campaign.
Client and media relationships are key. Both are equally vital to the overall success of any PR campaign. I build long-lasting partnerships with my clients as well as with the media. I have known and worked with several journalists for well over a decade and it makes a huge difference to the service offering.
There is not only a mutual understanding but also a great deal of trust. This is not something a PR consultant can just buy off the shelf; it takes years and years of hard work and most important, delivery. Only then are your emails read, your stories placed and proactive opportunities offered to you.
Things are starting to slowly change in the South African public relations space. This is good news for us because it means the market is becoming more aware of the value of PR and the roles it plays within the marketing, communications and digital mix. Of course it is a double-edged sword because we need to ensure they understand what PR is and how it works. Some seem to think that advertising is expensive and PR is for free.
I offer clients a complete business solution to PR because we’ve established ourselves both in the industry and with the media, we’re in the perfect position to identify the best opportunities for our clients and suggest traditional and/or off-the-wall ways for them to reach the public.
Another part of our multi-faceted approach to PR is the agency’s ability to offer clients an integrated offering. We’re a one-stop shop here – the perfect combination of strategy across traditional and new media, and creative. This gives us an edge in that we’re not limited to ‘traditional’ PR solutions. In this way our clients get the best offering out there.
