PR Agency Success: How to Set Client Expectations & Build Trust

Okay, let's get real for a hot second - if you're in PR, you've definitely had that client who thinks throwing money at you means instant Wall Street Journal coverage. Like, sweetie, that's not how this works. That's not how any of this works. And you know what? Every time someone says 'But we're paying you!' I have to remind myself that this is actually the perfect opportunity to explain how PR partnerships really work. It's less about the monthly retainer and more about building something amazing together.

WHEN THINGS GO SIDEWAYS (AND WHY IT'S PROBABLY OUR FAULT)

Listen, I've been there - sitting in a meeting while a client is passionate about getting on CNBC, and we realize we could have done a better job setting expectations from the start. Total rookie move on our part, honestly. It's like when you don't tell your friend that the restaurant you picked is actually a hole in the wall, and they show up in stilettos expecting fine dining. That's on you, bestie. 

Those first client conversations should be about building excitement while mapping out a realistic journey together. Like, let's sit down and chat about what makes stories irresistible to journalists, how we can build meaningful media relationships over time, and all the wins we'll celebrate along the way. Trust me, taking an hour to walk through this stuff early on helps us create this amazing collaborative energy that makes the whole PR journey so much more rewarding.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL DEAL

Alright, let's dig into the three key ingredients that make PR campaigns work (and why just sprinkling money on them isn't enough). Think of this as your behind-the-scenes tour of what makes headlines happen - it's not as glamorous as you might think, but it's way more interesting.

TIME AND MONEY (BECAUSE DUH)

You know how people don't blink when their lawyer needs like, eight hours to prepare for court? But somehow they expect PR magic to happen while they ghost our emails? Make it make sense! 

It's wild how business people totally get that their accountant needs actual numbers to file taxes, but think PR can just manifest coverage out of thin air. Like, hello? We need your expertise, your time, and your brain juice to make this work. You can't just Venmo us money each month and expect miracles.

And don't even get me started on the whole "set it and forget it" mentality. This isn't a rotisserie chicken, people! PR is more like making a soufflé - it needs attention, care, and perfect timing, or the whole thing falls flat.

The Whole "Marketing Strategy" Situation

Getting into the Wall Street Journal is super cute and all, but it's like getting dressed up with nowhere to go if you don't have a plan for what to do with that coverage. It's 2024, people - one media hit isn't going to break the internet anymore. Even if you get on the Today Show, that segment is literally yesterday's news by tomorrow.

Here's the deal: you need to figure out how to work that coverage into your whole vibe:

• Make it website content that slaps
• Turn it into social posts that aren't boring
• Use it to boost your SEO game (because algorithms are life now)
• Actually tell your other marketing people about it (revolutionary, I know)
• Create some snazzy email content about it
• Maybe even - gasp - print it out for your lobby

MESSAGE CHECK: ARE YOU ACTUALLY SAYING ANYTHING INTERESTING?

True story: we once had this tech client who wanted coverage but their message was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Did we get them coverage? Yeah. Was it the slay they were hoping for? Not exactly. Could we have avoided this by having an awkward conversation about their boring messaging upfront? Absolutely.

Listen, not every brand is ready for their main character moment, and that's okay! But we need to be honest about that. If your biggest selling point is that you're "innovative" (aren't we all?), we need to dig deeper. Like, way deeper. Marianas Trench deeper.

THE REALITY CHECK NO ONE ASKED FOR

Here's something that keeps me up at night: we're all so scared of losing clients that we promise them the moon, stars, and a feature in Forbes without actually explaining what that takes. It's like promising someone you can teach them to do a perfect cat-eye in five minutes - technically possible, but highly unlikely without some serious prep work.

THE PLOT TWIST: ACTUALLY LOVE WHEN CLIENTS DON'T KNOW THINGS

Hear me out - when clients don't know everything about PR, it's actually kind of perfect? Because if they knew everything we knew, they wouldn't need us. But here's the thing: we need to stop complaining about it at happy hour and start using it as our superpower.

Think about it - every time a client comes in completely clueless about PR, that's our chance to show them the ropes, build trust, and maybe even blow their minds a little. It's like being a PR fairy godmother, but instead of a pumpkin carriage, we're creating media opportunities.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Being upfront about all this stuff might feel awkward at first, but I promise it does these absolutely game-changing things when you're starting new PR relationships:

1. The good clients are like "Yes, teach me your ways!"
2. The nightmare clients run away screaming
3. And the ones in the middle? They at least know what they're getting into

And honestly? All of those outcomes are a win in my book.

THE HAPPY ENDING (MAYBE)

So maybe instead of rolling our eyes when clients don't get it, we should take a second to realize that we're the ones who need to spell it out. Because at the end of the day, if we're not willing to have these conversations upfront, we can't act shocked when it all goes sideways.

Think of it this way - we're not just PR professionals, we're educators, therapists, and sometimes miracle workers. But mostly, we're just people trying to make magic happen while managing expectations and maintaining our sanity. And maybe, just maybe, if we start being more honest about what it really takes to make PR work, we'll all end up a little happier.

And that's the truth tea on PR relationships. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk! 

sips coffee while aggressively updating client expectations document