Comments on: Fire A Client Today

By: This Halloween, Dress Like a Marketing Moron « Needling the Haystack

This Halloween, Dress Like a Marketing Moron « Needling the Haystack — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:06:30 +0000

[...] Halloween, Dress Like a Marketing Moron After my Fire a Client Today post, I got to thinking about the issue of “yes” people in the PR business, especially on the [...]

By: Edie

Edie — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:02:01 +0000

Julie, I enjoy your blog a great deal. Truth is an important element in PR. In order to truly benefit the client and to make the PR story a great story – good clients usually are glad to learn how they can improve their business. They spend thousands of dollars to find out how the get ahead of the competition on market research. As a PR person you have a chance to hear quickly and first hand what questions you should be able to answer. I usually try to find out the questions that will invariably come up. Then the client has a chance to fix the various problems – before the company does the press release. It is more work and it makes for better and more well-rounded stories. Client’s who don’t want to effectively compete in their chosen market place aren’t going to be able to pay their bills for very long anyway. So your point is very well-taken.

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:30:26 +0000

Thanks, Colleen – I guess my question comes up again when you have provided honest counsel and they just don’t take heed. At what point are you kinda a “yes-man” after you’ve tried to no avail?

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:29:04 +0000

Not sure how many folks will talk publicly about wanting to fire a client but in the 24 hours after posting this I got at least 10 tweets, IMs, texts from folks telling me their dirty little secret of which client they wish they could send packing. We can’t always admit it but just about everyone knows the client they would say bye to if they could. Even an anonymous guest can join us for the podcast… right, Mark?

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:27:03 +0000

Love that alternate title, Kelly – keep ‘em coming…

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:26:25 +0000

Thanks, Matt – while I don’t agree re never ending a client relationship unless they are abusive, I do agree that PR firms that engage with a client need to work hard to produce great results and communicate roadblocks every step of the way. To me, never ending a client relationship unless they abuse the team is like never breaking up with a person unless they abuse you, let’s face, even good relationships sometimes run their course. And, a quick look at just about every PR agency out there (and other creative agencies as well), shows that they are happy to break up to trade up (revenue or brand name wise). So, again, this shows the cash-driven desperation of PR agencies. I know money is key to business but it seems like this business has blinders on to everything but cash.

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:21:20 +0000

Jo, I LOVE the answer of “I don’t” – if every PR person could say this we would have a more credible industry, happier media and, most importantly, companies with crap stories would quickly figure it out when no PR folks would touch them. Utopian, perhaps – but damn if a girl can’t dream.

By: Julie Crabill

Julie Crabill — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:18:19 +0000

Jill, thanks for your comment (and thanks to everyone else too!). I completely agree it is a hard thing to do – and don’t mean to imply it is easy. But, in every other type of business, companies make tough cuts (sometimes even ones that cost them money short term) to be better focused on long term gains & vision. This is where I feel PR agencies fall down – penny wise, pound foolish – it’s a big part of what is ruining the profitability, credibillity and reputation of this business.

By: Melissa C.

Melissa C. — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:16:17 +0000

Great post, Julie, and totally agree with everyone about the final thoughts. I consider myself a “consultant,” meaning I need to provide the counsel I truly believe in.

By: Jill Coomber

Jill Coomber — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:07:11 +0000

So easy to write….so hard to do….when it is your bottom line you have to think about. The harsh, but true, reality.