How To Manage a Client’s Expectations
*This post is part of Bailey Gardiner’s Public Relations Tactics series, which highlights tools and best practices to ensure a successful public relations campaign. The series will run weekly.
We have all had a client that wants to be on Oprah or wants a full-page feature in the Wall Street Journal, whether they are a fit or not. And wants it tomorrow. PR pros often encounter a client with unrealistic expectations, and it is the public relations firm’s responsibility to properly manage a client’s expectations. When starting a new public relations campaign or a new relationship with a client, an agency should remember:
Don’t over-promise.
When you are pitching new business or planning a new campaign, don’t promise the moon if you cannot deliver. Be realistic about what outcomes and successes can be expected for your public relations campaign and it won’t come back and bite you in the butt later when you cannot achieve what you said you could.
Explain the public relations process to your client.
Not all clients understand how public relations works, what is a normal time frame for getting press, and what is a reasonable outcome. Share the process with your client. Explain the details of your strategy, objectives and tactics. It could also be beneficial to share case studies with your client to help frame reasonable expectations for a public relations campaign.
Set and agree upon your scope of work, goals and benchmarks in advance.
Establish in advance how your success will be measured. Write down how you will be evaluated, discuss with your client and get approval. Make sure your client knows what falls under your scope of work and what they are responsible for doing. This should all be agreed upon before work begins. Once work does begin, always provide your client with detailed reports on your progress and report your benchmarks clearly.
Communicate with your client, and communicate with them often.
This is most important, as the key to a great client relationship is communication. Having consistent communication ensures everyone is on the same page and your client is not in the dark about what you are doing, when they can expect results, and what those results might be.
Any other tips for managing client expectations?
I’ve always found that some clients think they know where their audience is (IE: Oprah), but creating more fine-tuned targets is usually more effective. While getting in WSJ or Oprah will surely boost awareness, perhaps there is a better audience in a smaller niche outlet, an audience likely seeking that information already. Many times when you do get a hit in these large publications, the general public is more likely to remember the big headlines over a mention, or even a notable feature.
Thanks Annie. I agree, clients don’t always know what type of placements will have the best ROI for them, and the PR team has to educate the client. This is where case studies can be really effective. Sometimes being on Oprah won’t get the results a brand is looking to achieve. We have seen countless times that a post on a really niche blog can have a much bigger impact on a business in terms of sales, brand awareness or brand loyalty than being on Oprah or another media giant.
[...] From the very first time you meet a potential client, you are setting the standard for how your client/agency relationship will go. People often forget that these early stages are key in both winning the account and [...]