1. What area(s) of client relations are top-of-mind for you?
Securing new clients 32.0%
Retaining clients 18.0%
Providing strategic counsel 14.0%
Demonstrating ROI 10.0%
Billing/agency fees 8.0%
Relationship-building with clients 8.0%
Upselling clients 6.0%
Expanding client network 2.0%
2. What type of training is most important to you/are you most in need of?
Leveraging social media 24.5%
Digital PR tools/SEO 16.3%
Measurement 14.3%
Developing strategic partnerships 10.2%
How to pitch 10.2%
Managing creative talent 10.2%
Other 10.2%
Writing RFPs 4.1%
3. What are your greatest challenges in terms of internal management?
Retaining top talent 15.8%
Managing my employees’ time 15.8%
Building well-rounded teams 13.2%
Establishing billing structures 13.2%
Managing my own time 13.2%
Developing/maintaining strong culture 7.9%
Implementing social media internally 7.9%
Recruiting top talent 7.9%
Building morale 5.3%
4. If you had $50,000 to spend on your agency tomorrow, what would you use it for?
Marketing my agency 39.1%
Improving/expanding agency’s online presence 17.4%
Other/not sure 17.2%
Giving small raises/bonuses to current employees/top performers 8.7%
Acquiring another agency/creating a new service area 4.3%
Buying new/better computers/office supplies/office space 4.3%
Hiring a Web/IT specialist 4.3%
Hiring a creative director 4.3%
Wellness/Recreational Perks 4.3%
Source: PR News
The economy may have begun its slow upswing but, judging by the results of an informal PR News survey conducted during July and early August, agency executives are still focusing most of their efforts on securing and protecting the assets they already have rather than on looking for ways to expand.
Not surprisingly, respondents cited securing new clients (32%) and retaining clients (18%) as the two most top-of-mind areas of client relations, suggesting that they are still feeling the effects of the downturn. Likewise, internal management challenges centered around retaining top talent and managing employees’ time (both at 15.8%), with recruiting top talent landing much lower on the totem pole (7.9%).
This approach of cultivating strength from within their agencies is wise given the climate of uncertainty, as is taking advantage of free and cost-effective social media tools, though that seems to be an area in which agency executives could use some help. When asked what type of training they were most in need of, survey respondents’ top two were leveraging social media (24.5%) and digital PR tools/search engine optimization (16.3%).
Given today’s tight budgets, investing big bucks in robust social media training programs isn’t realistic, nor is hiring a Web specialist; when asked what they would do if they were given $50,000 to spend on their agencies, respondents placed “hiring a Web/IT specialist” at the bottom of the list. Marketing their agencies (39.1%) topped the list, followed by improving/expanding their agencies’ online presence (17.4%).
Social media seems to be the common denominator in all of the concerns, challenges and opportunities felt by agency executives, and for good reason. It is a way to market one’s own agency more effectively (cost-wise and otherwise), engage and empower employees, bring more value to client campaigns and differentiate the agency’s offerings. Execs can start small by experimenting with different platforms internally that can then scale to fit more initiatives as needs—and bigger budgets—arise. PRN
[Editor’s Note: PR News is hosting its first-ever agency-centric conference, “Client Leadership Across All Communications Platforms,” on November 17, 2009, in New York City. For more information and to register for the event, visit www.prnewsonline.com.]www.prnewsonline.com.]