When you step off the elevator on the 21st floor of the landmark skyscraper, the L&C Tower, a jaunty, eye-catching, metal sign hovers just above your head that points and states, "Walk this way." Creative direction: exactly what a client should expect when working with a public relations firm.
What else should a client expect when creating a successful PR campaign? Think fit (will you work well together) and process. I talked with Nancy DeKalb, partner with Katcher Vaughn & Bailey public relations (www.kvbpr.com and whose offices I described above) about how they work with clients in the health care and civic growth and development industries.
Fully understanding the client's interests is a critical first step. What the client desires for their target audience is pivotal to developing a strategy that will be successful, and we work to help them define that, DeKalb said.
At the outset, "we delve deeply to understand our clients' goals, business plans and audiences or markets they want to reach. We ask the right questions and listen well," DeKalb said.
What else should the client expect?
"First, we take a step back to begin the creative process of crafting the message for the target market and determine the best way to deliver it. We think about other groups and organizations with similar interests or audiences and decide if they might be appropriate partners for our client.
"It isn't simply implementing tools and tactics. It could be a focused business-to-business program versus one driven solely by media relations," she said.
Then those ideas are posed to ensure they align well with the client's objectives. The natural outcome derived from working closely this way should be a unique and goal-specific strategy that is ready for launch.
Think about resources
Clients should also think about how the agency's resources are aligned to support them. DeKalb shared how their teams are designed to support the specific industries they serve. It reduces the learning curve to understand the clients' needs and expectations. They also source new talent keeping the client's industry top of mind.
At the end, how do you measure success? DeKalb notes that depends on the program strategy of course, yet it can range from the number of media impressions citing the targeted message to any other measurable targets agreed upon with the client.
DeKalb pointed to one case study: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's WalkingWorks for Schools program designed to combat childhood obesity among Tennessee's elementary school children. The idea was to teach children the importance of exercise at an early age.
Measuring the number of schools participating each year and the program's expansion statewide is one of the client's targets. It is also important to continuously re-evaluate the program, making changes to increase its potential, in addition to monitoring results, DeKalb said.
Creative direction, fit, and process: it is a proven foundation designed to ensure successful results for clients.
Laura Copeland of Copeland Consulting, Inc., develops Sales Strategies for Firms on The Grow. She writes a column for The Tennessean on sales and marketing best practices. Contact her at laura@copelandconsultinginc.com.
