Earlier this year, the PRSA Counselors Academy and the Corporate Section co-sponsored, with PR News, a survey to better understand the relationships between
agencies and their corporate clients (see PR News, May 17, 2004). As we brace for a new year and (tough) new challenges in agency-client relations we thought it would be a
good idea to see what the PR profession learned from the survey and how it can capitalize on it in 2005 and beyond.
So what did we learn? Mostly that we're not doing a very good job of communicating with each other and that perceptions do not add up to reality.
Most agencies surveyed indicated that, in their estimation, they were providing about a 50/50 mixture of strategy and tactics to clients. Clients, however, estimated that it
was closer to 30% strategic/70% tactical. So, what's causing this apparent disconnect? Partially, it may be the result of a lack of common terminology. In many cases, it may be
that some are simply confusing high-level tactics with strategy.
At any rate, it's crucial to come to a consensus on what constitutes strategy versus tactics because the clients certainly want the strategy mix to be stronger.
There was some indication from the client side that part of the disconnect may be due to the age and experience of the client services teams being assigned.
References were made to the "heavyweights" who come in and sell the business, then leave it to the "12-year-olds" to provide service. Not that some young people aren't
capable of giving solid counsel and developing outstanding strategy, but clients want the comfort factor that more senior people on the team can bring.
On the other hand, the growing trend on the client side to assign agency selection to the bean counters does not improve relationship building, either.
In many instances, those making the decision seem not to be able to tell the difference between an ad agency, a marketing firm and a PR counseling firm and, perhaps more
important, seem as if they could care less.
Is it any wonder then that firms constantly pressured to lower their rates and fees have a tendency to push the work down to a lower level where it's possible to make a
profit? Neither option leads to a worthwhile partner relationship.
Another disappointing aspect of the study was that as the PR profession has grown in stature during the past 50 or so years, the service ranked as most important by corporate
respondents was...publicity and media relations.
When you consider all the services most firms and senior counselors provide, ranging from communications strategy to design and production to crisis communication, investor
relations, and even internal communication, the client's most important measurement of an agency's performance is still publicity.
It was a little more heartening to see that clients seemed more willing now than in the past to invest in behavior and attitude research to determine the success of their
programs. Yet again, clients indicated that the most important measurement in their estimation was the quality of publicity placements.
To my agency friends, I suggest that your New Year's resolution be to educate our client constituency to the reality that it's about more than getting your name in the paper
or even on the air.
And to my corporate friends, I encourage them not to leave the decisions about agency choice to the purchasing department. Be clear in what you expect. Communicate early and
often with your agency partner and explore the options the relationship can provide beyond publicity.
It's about building relationships, building and protecting reputation and, most important, managing the changes - both internal and external - that continuously emerge in
every organization.
Until the agency/client relationship is realized as one that adds value in these three areas, agencies are likely to continue to be judged on their ability to "get ink"
rather than "add ink" to the bottom line.
Contact: Michael Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA, is president and COO of Epley Associates Public Relations. He serves as the 2004 chair of the PRSA Counselors Academy. He can be
reached at 919.877.0877, [email protected]