I thought rather than me talking about my thoughts (for what they are worth; I have manged to make references to The Stones and Led Zep and now Buffalo Springfield in the last week or two) I would spend August looking at what everyone else is saying.
If you have controversial, interesting or curious entries on your blog about PR, marketing, communications and technology during August - please leave a comment here and I will try to cover them.
The answer to the question is as diverse as the number of people that answer it.
I know of some PR freelancers and agencies that give you the time allotted and not a second more. At 5pm or when the time has been accounted for it is pens down. If you want anymore pay for it. They might be competitive on rates, but they are strict and professional on the service they deliver in return.
On the other hand I know of a creative agency that purposely over services. This has enabled them to retain clients and must act as a defence against clients being poached or looking elsewhere.
The question is, “Do clients realise and appreciate the change from agency to agency and freelancer to freelancer?”
When a supplier over services by some length and then follows by delivering what was agreed or asks for a higher payment to cover the additional hours, do clients see this as a way to extract more fees?
And over servicing or not?
There is no definitive answer, except that if you deliver results and value it becomes less of an issue. It is though the basis of a feature with survey for PR Week.
The Manchester Blog comments on the north south divide according to business coach Robert Craven.
The key points of difference he feels are:
I am not really sure about this. I am a professional northerner with the best of them, but you can get some right difficult ones up here. I mean Joey Barton and Edwina Curry are northerners (Scousers to be precise, known for being friendly, funny and down to earth) and I am sure there must be a few friendlier people in the south than them.
Having worked in the south there are differences in culture and outlook. In business, well there is more money around and that makes a difference. In terms of people, generalisations are always dangerous. When you think you have a fool proof formula, an exception comes along to challenge it.
Can fictional brands make it in the real world?
The Guardian tries to answer that question in it’s weekend Guide although it is all a little tongue in cheek.
Among the brands considered is Duff Beer, which has already been copied until it was pulled owing to infringement on copyright.
You have the feeling some of the Simpson brands and Willa Wonka, providing the Oompa Loompas are kept happy, could make it.
In fact there are 11 Kwik E Marts across North America as part of the Simpson Movie promotion that sell Simpson own brands, I haven’t time to write this when there are Squishees to be drunk.
A volatile day on the stock market.
Things are looking good for the PR and indeed marketing industry in the North West and I am sure across the country.
If you have a look at How Do for instance it never seems to be short of major account wins.
In the 90s I was working in IT and the golden days were predicted by some to be never ending. One managing director of an Internet agency predicted in a trade magazine that it would be, to paraphrase, “stupid” to even ask if the Internet industry could encounter a downturn. That was about a month before the dotcom crash.
PR in Manchester is highly competitive and new agencies and new expansion plans seem to gather pace.
But what if we have another downturn?
PR and marketing budgets will be slashed and the predictable marketing strategy of if we can demonstrate a return then we will keep it. Hence, direct marketing and call centres become a little more popular. It is not what good marketing and PR is about: relationships and not “mud against the wall and something will stick” approach.
Interest rates are up , borrowing is high, the US has had a property crash - is tomorrow another sunny day?
If we do have a downturn in 2008 or 2009, who will survive? Will it be good for the industry to have a correction?
I do not have the answers but my experience of the dotcom crash tells me never take for granted a comfortable set of economic statistics.
I posted an entry yesterday about how you can drop from view very, very quickly when you turn off your publicity.
I mentioned Doug Richard, a former dragon on Dragons’ Den to illustrate the point.
The entry moved Rachel Elnaugh, a former BBC dragon to post a comment explaining that Doug was still very much involved in the business community and generates his profile through other opportunities, which seem to be more focussed.
The point for me is that blogs can open up channels of communication between parties that a few years ago would not have happened. The same point is illustrated by the communication with US correspondent Toby Harden (30th January) who entered into communication with me after I quoted a story about him in The Guardian that proved misleading.
Blogging has and is changing the communication playing field: more democratic and interactive than could have been imagined a few years ago.
Do you remember Doug Richard?
No? Yes? Cannot place him?
Doug was one of the original dragons on Dragon’s Den.
I came across his name this morning, a mention in the paper - the first in a long time.
When Doug was a regular on Dragon’s Den his picture if not name would have been familiar. Now, he has faded from view and from interest. To slightly paraphrase the Rolling Stones said, “Who reads yesterday’s papers? Nobody in the world.”
PR has to be a continual process, just like networking and blogging. Companies that engage a PR then let it go are wasting the initial efforts.
It is still amazing how quickly you fall out of sight and how hard it is to regain that capital.
This year cash prizes for the best of Manchester blogging.
What is more you can nominate yourself, which might be useful for a few of us.
Full details on the Manchizzle blog.
Take note 7th September for all entires and the chance to be a star at the awards in October.
Just because you are a marketer does not mean you can do everything in what is a wide field to say the least. Yet, some companies believe just that.
I have seen adverts for “marketers” that expect them to be proficient in Photoshop and by implication they must be graphic designers as well.
I have also come across the same circumstances for marketers that are expected to be PR proficient as well.
It is possible to be multi-tasking? Some general marketers can have a special talent for PR or branding or another aspect of their profession. However, in a field such as marketing there are so many facets to understand and master that surely a general marketer cannot handle them all to a standard they or their company can be pleased without outside help.
For instance, Internet marketing in itself is a very specialised discipline and one that is essential to any marketing effort. For me there is only one answer: hire an Internet agency if you want to really achieve anything.
Why am I bringing this up now?
I have come across a recent example that reminded me of a pitch I went on that demonstrates this point.
I was talking to a professional services company of some size and the marketer was interested in using my services: only 3 pieces or so of scrappy coverage in 5 months.
When the marketing officer approached the managing partner the retort was along the lines, “You do the PR, we pay you, why are you suggesting spending more money? “
A complete lack of understanding from management.
Another example was many years ago when I was briefed on a marketing position. They had originally given the position in-house to the graphic designer. He had walked into a management meeting one day when he had to present his marketing plan and admitted he was clueless and he wanted to give up the marketing and so the position was on the market.
I could give you other examples.
The point is that a profession as essential as marketing is not understood by many directors.
Is that newsworthy? Maybe not. But it still comes up again and again.
By the way the image is a stock photo and is no way designed to be taken as a real case study nor, as far is known, does the subject of the image have any views on congestion charges.
The 24:7 Theatre Festival is running from the 23rd to 29th July at The Midland Hotel and Pure in The Printworks.
David Slack helps organise the event that provides real opportunities for those looking to forge a career in the dramatic arts.
Full listings can be found on the 24:7 website. With a range of plays and a very fair entry price it should be well-supported.
