4 Ways to Set Up Client Relationships for Mutual Success
Easy tips to establish trust and credibility
When beginning a new client relationship, it’s important to have a plan. An in-depth brand brief can be the difference between delivering the results your client wants and coming up short against what your client deems successful.
Here are some of the questions we sort through with our new clients in our PR briefs to ensure all parties are on the same page.
1. Understand Their Objectives
What is your client ultimately trying to accomplish from a communications perspective?
Grow brand awareness?
Launch a new product, service, or location?
Establish the brand (or individual) as a thought leader within their industry?
There isn’t always one right answer to this question, but there needs to be a primary objective to lead the direction.
2. Learn About Their Business & Needs
In order to deliver the results your client wants, you need to get up to speed on the in’s and out’s of their business as quickly as possible.
Who is the client’s target audience? This is a huge question to have a crystal clear answer to because without this information, the best communications plan will not be effective.
Are there key markets to focus on? Do the audiences differ from market to market?
What other marketing initiatives are taking place simultaneously? Understanding the other marketing elements can offer you other opportunities to tell the brand story.
What’s the timeline? Are your client’s goals feasible within their ideal timeline? Does their ideal timeline match up with your realistic timeline?
Last but not least, budget. Make sure both parties are on the same page when it comes to what can be executed successfully on the given budget. There always is a creative solution, but if activities need to be prioritized because of budget limitations, it’s better to have those conversations sooner than later.
3. Form a Strategic Plan
What additional pieces do you need from your client in order to form a successful PR plan ? Knowing key timeframes that are important to your client and their industry.
For example, if the client is a pie brand, winter holidays are likely a big selling season for them. Focusing on pitching media coverage around Thanksgiving will likely prove more successful than during the middle of August. Similarly, June is an important time for health insurance companies since employers finalize employee plans at that time.
Are there other time-sensitive pieces (events, company milestones, etc) within the timeline that can strengthen the story?
Developing a strategic plan is a crucial step before executing any activities.
4. Communication is Vital
Creating a strategic plan using the information your client shared with you helps ensure everyone is on the same page. Taking the time to slow down and lay the groundwork for a positive contractor/client relationship and set yourselves up for success.
If you're ready for more insight and refined strategies when it comes to your brand, you're in luck!
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It will help you think more broadly about your pitching approach and what to do before you start, who to pitch, when to pitch, and what your reason is for pitching in the first place! Just fill out out the form below and keep an eye on your inbox!