The most important role of the PR firm CEO is choosing the right people to be on a given client team. I’m looking for a match in terms of team member experience, expertise, andalwayschemistry. In my firm, I write plans as a means of securing new business, with the help of strategic staff members and support staff. What’s interesting is that even though we do a good deal of homework, we still feel like we’re in a vacuum when we craft these plans; at best, we’ve had a briefing or two before developing a detailed plan of action. It’s a snapshot of our thinking, and that’s often enough to give clients a sense of comfort. Prospective team members contribute to this process.
Our client base tends to consist of young companies just starting to develop a brand identity. Typically, they call us in to launch a company or move a product. Some have worked with agencies beforeat least in previous positionsand some are on the rebound from an unsuccessful experience.
PR firms generally work with a liaison in the client’s marketing department, although they also sometimes work with the client company’s CEO. PR is much more effective when the CEO is highly engaged in the communications process. I think about two recent clients. One company was just starting out online. The CEO was a brilliant idea guy with no real concept of the online world. He essentially threw out his ideas and let the marketing people clean up the mess. The lack of direction - which started at the top and flowed throughout his organization and into ours - severely hampered our collective efforts. This back-and-forth, start-and-stop style of management simply isn’t conducive to formulating and conveying a clear, powerful company message.
At the same time, we began working with another company whose CEO had extensive, high-level experience with online companies. He came up with a vision and is working with us and his own internal PR team to refine and implement that vision. We obtain real-time feedback and work in an atmosphere of collaboration. That is the right way to lay the groundwork for a successful PR campaign.
