By Vishaal Shah
Managing Partner and Executive Editor, Moe’s Art
A few days ago, a friend who recently turned entrepreneur grumbled, “I always felt it’s better to work with clients who do not know how an agency works as opposed to clients who know practically everything. But I am not sure if that is the best way to go any more.”
During my early days of starting a PR agency, I too held a similar notion where I felt it might be better for us to work with companies who had scant understanding of the media, let alone public relations. As an agency, what more could you ask for, than a client who really does not know your industry and relies heavily on you to drive the entire communication?
The experience of working with one of our initial clients greatly altered my beliefs. The client was the sole national distributor of one of the biggest international photo-film brands for the past four decades (apparently responsible for promoting the product in India too, when required) and wanted to publicize the brand in India via PR.
At the second meeting itself, he was convinced with our media plan to get him publicity and within a day he featured on our client list. The first month started off fairly well with his brand getting visibility in some online media and magazines. After about 45 days of working on the brand, I met him to give the updates regarding the media coverage his brand had got lately.
“All this (read coverage) is fine but how can I get into Times of India or Hindustan Times?” was the first thing he said unapprovingly. I replied in a surprised tone, “Why will they write about your brand? Currently, what your brand is doing is not at all relevant to the nature of these publications.”
While the discussion went on for quite some time, his mind remained fixated on the solitary thought, “I need to be on the front page of the largest newspaper for it to impact my brand’s sales. Else why would I need PR?” And, he concluded the meeting by saying, “Aap kuch karo…”
Yes, the objective of PR is to help both people and brands get publicity in media vehicles, but not without a reason. PR is ultimately a derivative from the actual developments on the client’s end. And, if you have to do your job as a professional, you need the people around you (especially clients) to understand what you do, why you do it and most importantly – why it works!
Though it may seem tricky to work with a client who knows the trade as well as you do (you cannot bluff your way out of situations!), in the long run, it is an advantage. When clients know the possibilities and limitations of PR, their expectations are realistic and their inputs are most likely to help the agency to perform better.
The last thing you would want as an agency is dealing with a client where more time is consumed in setting realistic expectations rather than delivering on the task at hand.
However, it would be unfair to say that unless a client already knows about PR, he will always make unreasonable demands. As PR professionals, the onus lies with us to collaborate with clients such that they know how the agency can help their brand.
Ignorance is never blissful - irrespective of whether it is on the client’s end in understanding PR or on the part of an agency assuming that an ignorant client can induce bliss…
Feedback: vishaal@moes-art.com
