#PRChurch: The Humble Practitioner
#PRChurch “The humble practitioner”
1. The PR Practioner
I attend a lot of talks and webinars and read up constantly on my industry. I am a life long student and learning energises me. I have written before about my failed experiment at removing traditional titles in one agency, and giving the team freedom to create their own (“But how will that look on my CV?”, “How do I then ladder up in my career and salary if you take away the boxes?”). Anyhoo. It’s also brought some wry smiles to my face when I see CV’s filled with some lofty titles when you know the person has barely mustered up the skills of being an AE in a big-ass agency. However, I digress. Last year a VERY senior person working on VERY senior clients (and for the life of me I can’t remember who) said, “I am a PR Practioner. That’s it.” And I thought, how wonderful, how levelling.
Here was someone that said, call me what you want, I am a practitioner. I practice the art of PR.
I have long held the view you should take on work, or pitch on work that you can execute yourself. If the proverbial hits the fan, and all that. It’s all well and good that I can write a beautiful 65-slide strategy. But I must also know I can write the content, build the media lists, pitch successfully, manage client expectations, come in on budget, keep everybody aligned and sailing towards the same goal … I am a practitioner. Not a professional outsourcer. Or a master delegator. Or a hands-off owner. How very simpler life would be if we all simply said we were practitioners? And then set about practicing our craft and art.
2. When, where, why, what, how?
Just a reminder that a strategy can be as simple as that.
3. “My client is introducing new people to the team that may work me out – what do I do?”
You have a couple of choices here:
· Ride it out … new blood is not always a good chemistry fit and once they are in the belly of the beast (of the client) they may run screaming into the night …
· Embrace it … what can you learn from them? What you can share with them? This is for high EQ people, though, with zero insecurity and big open hearts – disclaimer!
· Put the brand first. You will be surprised at how many times this has to be pointed out. If it’s good and right for the brand, then sit back down. And take a long hard look at yourself – is this something you should have been doing? Could have been doing? Then check yourself before you wreck yourself. And if it’s not and it’s something out your scope of expertise – there is more than enough cake for everyone. Tsek!
4. “How would you fire a client that is just a toxic human, politely?”
I am all for the honest conversation. I want into be very clear to the client why I am resigning the account. But I hear you. So you could simply say:
I have been approached to do a really big project that I simply cannot say no to and thus I won’t have capacity to do your work justice. Thank you for trusting me thus far on your journey and please let me know if you would like me to recommend some consultants with capacity.
Or you can say, due to unforeseen circumstances I am having to scale back on my work commitments for the foreseeable future. Please let me know who you would like me to handover too.
Just make sure they pay you before you resign them!
5. Google the hashtag babe
Do you have a hashtag for your campaign? Do you know why you have a hashtag? Have you checked who else uses the hashtag? Before you take the full-page, full-colour print ads in the Sunday papers? With thanks to Cath, who pointed out this should really be a PR101 in the #PRChurch. Rolls eyes heavily.
6. Everyday I’m shuffling…
I watched more than one media exchange like this last year that blew my mind, it went something like this:
· Me to editor: here’s the pitch
· Editor to me: like it, speak to this journo xyz
· Me to publicist: here, go forth
Journo does nothing. Publicist goes: where are the questions? Journo says nothing. Publicist goes: where are the questions? At which point I intervene and go: here are some possible questions, here are the bios and pics and links – if you are happy I can get these answered. Journo tweaks and says go ahead. Boom, we have an article.
We’re all busy. Stop the shuffling.
I also got a VIDEO RESPONSE from a small production company to a brief. A video where they interrogated my brief, referenced examples, threw ideas back at me (IN THE MEDIUM WE WILL BE USING) and linked the costings. I mean. Is this not smart? Yes. They stopped the shuffling.
And now that I have earwormed your Sunday.
I am off with a date in the pool with a llama, some newspapers and a big ol daydreamy nap.
2022 – the year of shedding things that don’t work, and taking time for big chunks of joy.
KA
Oh and PS: agility is not speed.