Help us help you: five things we need from clients to thrive

There have been a few recent client meetings where I’ve had a client stop and ask, “What can we be doing to make our relationship more productive?” That kind of question is music to any PR person’s ears.

After all, it takes two to tango, as they say, and any relationship is better when all parties are working to make sure that it’s as effective as possible. If you work with a PR firm or you’re considering working with a partner on PR efforts in the future, here are five ways you can help your collective PR efforts thrive:

Help us stay in the know

All too often, clients don’t feel the need to share some of their internal workings with us – for a variety of reasons. But this kind of information can be critical is we are to understand how to best support your efforts.  Look, we can all get overwhelmed sometimes with tons of emails flying around, and you might ask yourselves, “do they really need to know that?” Maybe it’s a crisis in another department or there are layoffs at the factory or the CFO was caught in a financial scandal. Or they could be things far more relevant.  But as your partner, it’s always better to be over-informed than under-informed. This communication doesn’t need to be formal; it can just be a running list of whatever is on your mind.

Think about your assets – and then pass them along

Have a brand book or a Dropbox folder full of media-friendly images? Maybe some high-quality headshots for your team? Those are things we can use day in and day out as we work to help you raise awareness and tell your story, so please don’t hesitate to pass them along.

How do you need us to report back?

We develop reports to align with our clients’ needs. This can be anything from monthly recaps to more formal board reports. We want to make sure we’re capturing things in a way that that makes the most sense for your team, so let us know what works for you.

Communication is key

We work with a lot of clients here at Hodges, but I can guarantee that no two of those relationships operates in the exact same way. If there’s a certain communication style that works best for you (weekly calls vs. checking in for a few minutes once a day), let us know. We’re flexible, and we often adjust to what works best for our clients.

Help us manage expectations and advocate for PR within your own organization

I saved the best for last. Truly, the best thing you can help a PR firm do is manage expectations and serve as an advocate for us within your own organization. Everyone appreciates knowing that their work is valued, and when we have clients that help us shine, it’s a win-win for everyone. In other words, help us help you.

Fellow PR professionals, what would you add to the list? And if you’re a client – or you’ve ever been one – we’d love for you to chime in with ideas on how we can make things easier for you, too!

Megan Irvin

Megan spends her days doing media relations, community relations, content creation and events for clients like Kroger Mid-Atlantic, Federal Realty and Mercy Chefs. Her favorite part of her job is working with clients and providing strategic counsel — and garnering media attention for clients in outlets like TODAY, Esquire, USA Today and Bon Appetit.

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