Today I’m going public with my ‘second pr career’. My ‘announcement’ in the News section explains what I’m on about. Also take a peek at the e-brochure to the right.
A variety of friends and colleagues have known exactly what I’ve been on about since before I closed the Sydney office of Network PR at the end of August.
However, old habits die hard I suppose. As the good PR professional would tell you the key is preparation. You don’t ‘announce’ or ‘launch’ until you’ve done your homework – and got your collateral ready. Until then you keep your powder dry!
Therefore I’ve used the last couple of months to do my homework. This has involved considerable research to make sure I have a suite of products, services and solutions. I also needed the time to work up this site and produce a brochure.
Some have asked – “are you ready to ‘dump’ on the PR agency business? Are there lots of secrets you want to tell about PR agencies?” The answer is No, and No – well only a little bit! I guess over coming months a little will seep out. So watch this space.
Rather, my focus is on bringing my experience and insights to the client side of the business – and to act as an advisor, coach, mentor to the PR Director and PR Manager. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate what a tough job they have; and how often, because PR is almost an island in many organisations, they simply don’t have people to lean on for advice and perspective.
PR is maturing – but we need to do better. Our advertising cousins are much more sophisticated in how they manage agency-client relations, and are much more deliberate in how they go about the agency selection process.
Advertising is also better understood within the organisation. PR often struggles to be understood – often because PR Directors and Managers who are newer in their positions just don’t have the experience and knowledge about how to win the arguments with those that matter.
I don’t have all the answers. But after 30 years I have some – and because of how I think and approach PR and issues surrounding it and sheer volume of experience I have accumulated- more than many.
I’m not looking to build another organisation. In fact quite the reverse; my aim is to never employ another staff member. I’m about imparting my personal knowledge to, and working one-on-one with, a few up-and-coming and receptive professionals, preferably discreetly behind-the-scenes.
After all, I’ve always subscribed to the view that the client is the hero!
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