getting to know you

The brief we were given was a campaign about legal high’s and its effect while driving within this we had to show links to the Lincolnshire police, Lincolnshire county council, Lincolnshire primary health care trust and the Lincolnshire fire service. When we first got this pitch, it seemed a little intimidating as it was such a big issue with a very specific criterion. Clients get in touch when they want something, they want to launch something, and they have to communicate too many different audiences. Public relations teams are often asked to anticipate issues or to sort out a crisis or to improve public relations on the web.

Timing is extremely important and as a team it should be kept; you need to think about how long things take to do? Do you need to order materials? If so how long do you need to wait for delivery? Are there any projects that coincide? If so can you fit both in? As a team our group took time into consideration because it was important that we had enough time to make our pitch stand out and ensure that we have a good enough knowledge of the pitch and legal highs so that if any questions arise we would not feel under pressure.

When working with a client you should agree the target audience and communication channel, you should know the message prior to talking to the media. We learnt that we should always practice the pitch so that when it comes to presenting, you do not get caught off guard. Within the world of public relations you should always keep researching as there is always something changing. Some examples of this are; email communication instead of faxes, blogs are especially useful these days as it is a form of diary and can show the client how you are getting on, a blog is also an excellent way of gathering information. When gathering information to use in our pitch we looked towards social networking sites such as facebook, myspace and twitter, this was very useful as it helped us to find that legal highs were not as well known as illegal highs, but they were very up and coming.

The way a team is managed reflects upon the reputation of the service it provides, when managing a project you should treat the client as you would like them to treat you, always work to time and within budget, but it is worth nothing unless it is to a high standard. When working on a project you should not let enthusiasm drop or lose objectivity. Always make sure that you manage to keep your focus on delivering great consultancy and great results as if you lose focus for a short while, it can seriously affect the client relationship. It is important that when a crisis could emerge to nip it in the bus as soon as possible. When talking to the client about the issue the team should be upfront and offer solutions rather than just leaving them with a problem to solve. Although you should always stand your ground when it is important, because a wrong decision could look bad on you and your team. Clients are important as they are our business and if you manage to keep them happy then they will invest with you and it will save your team time looking for new business. It is also important to maintain a strong relationship as if a problem arises they will be more forgiving. When trying to make sure that you will be picked by the client do your homework, so you don’t become unstuck when asked questions, always make sure you do as much as possible to make sure you stand out from the crowd as a client will buy the team not the paperwork they read. Always show your enthusiasm and passion for the brief.