PR Teambuilding 101

We pride ourselves on being a learning organization, focused on finding “teachable moments” and seizing them.  These themes keep coming up in the office as we find ways to constantly improve ourselves, so I thought I’d take a moment to share some of our insights on simple ways that a client can create a highly functioning relationship with their PR firm and see maximum positive results.

1. Say “thank you.” It’s amazing how motivating this is, but also how underused. Saying thank you when it’s well deserved can seriously increase the amount of energy on your account. PR practitioners are often thought of as the people “behind the curtain,” or maybe better put, the thought leaders behind the communications strategy. But when you peel back the layers of media coverage, it’s not the Wizard of Oz working his magic, it’s people who have studied the profession and dedicated their lives to helping individuals and businesses, and believe me… they thrive off of acknowledgment and appreciation.

2. Being likable and cooperative goes a long way. This goes for all areas of life, but in the publicity and communications world, this makes not only your publicist, but also the media, want to use you as a resource.  We get a lot of calls and emails from national media looking for sources, and being easy to work with can assure the PR team that things will go smoothly if they use you as a resource in a pinch.

3. Be generous to your PR team: Invite them in to dine at your restaurant, stay at your hotel, try your new product as often as possible. Never underestimate the value of making sure they are part of your experience – they are your spokespeople and by bringing them into your business as much as possible, they become an emotionally connected advocate… kind of like family! By building a regular fan out of your PR team, you have an off-the-clock spokesperson who is constantly in touch with tastemakers. This is one of the  best financial investments, because it’s not an out of pocket expense.

These golden rules of motivating your PR team and inspiring writers to want to cover you may sound simplistic, but in a complicated world, it’s important to revisit the basics every now and then.  The reality is that occasionally  smart, well-intentioned people forget that it’s more than their business’s innovation or the monthly retainer they spend on PR that makes our work enjoyable.

So, if you are considering hiring a PR firm, or currently work with one, remember these three simple rules and you can look forward to a happy, long relationship.

Also, check out a complementary and related blog on the PR Squared blog:

http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2010/03/pr-pros-are-people-too/comment-page-1#comment-22132