Sally Branson, FARLF’s Post

I don't expect clients to know what they want. We are the problem solvers and we will figure out what our clients are trying to solve by hiring us before we start the work. Often people come to us at Heft asking for media strategies- they want to see their stories on Stuff, RNZ, NZHerald. There is a misunderstood weight placed on 'getting media'. But they don't need media. What they need is their audience to listen to them and hear their stories. And that audience is often not best reached through media. So we suggest a different approach. Because I believe there is a responsibility on agencies to properly scope the work and outcomes sought at the start. Victoria Crockford

**Hope you find this article insightful during your quick Monday scroll!** The article simplifies the true essence of PR (Public Relations). PR is often misunderstood as simply making a company's or a brand's activity newsworthy and generating significant media coverage by leveraging a PR agency, but effective PR goes beyond that. Good PR is about building strong relationships with the company's various publics (not just the media) to obtain favorable publicity, build a positive corporate image, and handle or head off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events (as defined by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong). If you're looking to gain a competitive advantage by leveling up your PR game in the fastest-growing markets like Cambodia, this one is for you.

This rings so true Parry Headrick - super post and one that resonates with so much talk around #mentalhealth As agencies, we often feel only as good as our last campaign, aiming to deliver the best within the time allocated, not to over service, to be exceptional, continually impress, be ‘on call’ 24/7, join the dots with often limited info, pick up the pieces (immediately) when a crisis emerges and pull rabbits out of hats! The para highlighted is something that few outside the industry truly understand. 100% effort does not translate to 100% results. The divergence of the media landscape and PESO channels helps to spread your bets but the pressure is still there for the key titles. Totally with you: as agency owners is up to us to set the boundaries, be clear on expectations, prioritise culture and wellbeing, and ensure we work with clients who understand the landscape. It’s a work in progress - I certainly don’t have it sussed - but am determined to keep on trying…

What’s your favourite PR measurement? For us at Shinn Communications, it depends on our clients, what success looks like to them, as well as what their overarching goals are. In a recent #PRDaily article, fellow PR pros detail some of their favourites – they range from spikes in web traffic to publication tier, anecdotal feedback to SME quote inclusion.  What does a successful PR campaign look like to you? https://lnkd.in/eHKbrRFr #PR #mediarelations #PRAgency #Communications #PRinsights #EntertainmentPR #Measurement

Proactive and reactive PR - isn’t it all just the same? Nope. And when you’re set up to focus on both from a media relation’s perspective, the results will be spectacular. With proactive PR you’re taking control of your story and the direction, from announcing exciting news like new products, services or people to positioning yourself or your company as a thought leader in the things that you want to talk about. Proactive PR ultimately gives you more of a steer on the angle (providing you have a good story to begin with of course). Reactive PR on the other hand is about responding to or handling the unexpected - jumping on trending news through newsjacking or managing a crisis, responding fast to media enquiries or using listening tools to find out relevant talking points. Reactive PR can be mega powerful when it comes to having an opinion on topical issues and maintaining public trust in what you have to say. If you have both proactive and reactive PR up your sleeve as part of your strategy, you’ll not only be able to showcase your best bits, you’ll stand a better chance of responding to every opportunity and challenge that comes your way. That’s the PR magic 🌟

FACT: The PR industry is grueling 😩 And PR agency life can be a godforsaken *nightmare* at “spray-and-pray” sweat shops… You know the ones: Places where quantity trumps quality, and where grandiose promises made during the pitch far exceed the reality of modern PR results 🤥 Check out this post below on Reddit, Inc. in r/PublicRelations. It’s heartbreaking, honestly. It reads much like a (career) suicide note, and I suppose that’s what it is. And I get DMs like this on the regular: PR pros hoping I can talk them off the ledge, that I can magically make sense of the nonsensicle. 🪄✨ But consoling words and pep talks can’t fix a fundamentally broken agency model, one built to pocket every dollar at any cost—truth be damned. This dejected soul is the result, in part, of well-heeled agency leaders flexing & boasting about their supposed “deep relationships” with the media. Dropping this name and that name, like they can call in favors. Like the media mafia. And then they pummel junior PR staff who can’t pull enough rabbits from hats to make good on those silly claims. 🙄 Look, I don’t have all the answers. Not by a long shot. All I can do is run an agency whose mouth doesn’t write checks its ASS can’t cash. It’s that simple. And I truly believe if we’re honest about what’s possible—and what isn’t— then we *protect our people, our clients, and our reputation* from the slow-motion tyranny of false expectations. Have a great day ✌️ This is the way ✊

Politics are the greatest PR case study we all can learn from. 🇺🇸 This morning I heard from a few outlets looking for hypothetical PR advice I could give based on last night's presidential debate. They're thoughts all leaders can benefit from so here's a general hot take on where we can all learn something. 1. Perception is everything. PR is the ultimate chess-game of perception. It is the reason you hire a PR firm, and why you never see a big organization without one. PR is meant to control and shape a brand narrative before the *other* guy (aka the public, your competitor, the market etc) can do it. The public perception of a brand is a very real thing - and the Presidency is it's own brand, with it's own "brand book" so to speak, with certain public expectations around that brand. It has nothing to do with the job itself. Just like a successful PR campaign for your company is separate than the work you do. Well-meaning is not enough to ward off negative press coverage. In fact, it fuels it. 2. The media will solidify (not counter) the leading perception. It doesn't matter what the other guy did. It doesn't matter what your competitor is doing. If it's your *brand* in the limelight, and you did not live up to brand expectations - you are first in line for criticism, not the other guy. It's the President's job to uphold the brand expectations - just like it's your job as founder to uphold brand expectations around your company. Again, we can see an example of this play out via today's headlines. 3. If you're compromised in any way, postpone. Most damning PR mistakes I've seen have been made when a founder or executive was not feeling well. If you have a cold, flu, migraine - that is not the time to interview with WSJ or NYT. It's better to reschedule than to say something off, or not be at your best. You'll never regret the things you didn't accidentally say to the New York Times. 4. Aggressively prepare in that same the medium Probably my biggest note, and if I was a PR rep for the President or any other politician, and they needed to slay a debate, I would aggressively prepare them ahead of time with smaller, but similar opportunities. Especially if I know you're a little nervous about the medium you'll be expected to perform in. For example, if you have a huge speaking gig coming up - and you are a bit nervous and avoid-public speaking, in the months prior I'm going to have you doing nothing but podcast interviews, virtual summits, small speaking gigs, local news - anything that gets you so comfortable with the medium. The idea is by the time your "big" interview or event comes up - you're so comfortable it feels small. I'll be very interested to see how the PR side of this presidential campaign plays out post-debate. P.S. Thanks for reading! If you've enjoyed this content, please subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter where we're cooking up all kinds of actionable PR advice. Link to sub is in the bio 🔥

Why do clients switch PR agencies so often? My recent conversations reinforced one glaring fact: most clients aren’t clear about what they want from PR. Prospect 1: “We’re unhappy with our current agency and want a change.” Prospect 2: “Our agency isn’t delivering. How can you help?” I asked both, “What exactly is the current agency lacking?” The responses were vague: “They’re poor in strategy.” “They can’t connect with top journalists.” “They don’t know how to create stories.” But when I dug deeper, things got murkier: “They’re delivering stories, but we want something different.” “It’s a good agency, but we’re not satisfied.” “We need someone with fresh ideas.” The truth is out in the open: - Clients often expect results without defining what success looks like - And agencies overpromise without clarifying what’s possible This cycle leads to frustration and agency churn. To break free, here’s what clients can do: - Define what PR means for your brand and what outcomes you expect - Be crystal clear on the agency’s KRAs - Partner with your agency to co-create stories And here’s what agencies must do: - Set realistic expectations and communicate PR’s scope upfront - Avoid overpromising to win business - Ask deeper questions to uncover client insights Jumping agencies won’t fix unclear goals. Building clarity and collaboration will. Because successful PR isn’t about switching partners—it’s about building the right one.

Just got an email from another PR expert saying "No PR firm can guarantee earned media." Whenever I hear this, I think, "If it's impossible, then how come we've been doing it Canvas PR for almost 10 years?" I don't usually write back to PR pros when they trot out the "You can't guarantee PR" line but this time I did. Here's my response: Hi _____, we guarantee earned media and we've delivered it for years so I know it's possible :) The client chooses the publication. The client approves the headline and topic. The client approves the article. We pitch our network of contacts, just like any other PR firm (we NEVER pay for placement). We get the article placed within 90 days or the client can get a full refund. Our success rate is 99% or higher. Clients know what they're getting, when they're getting it, and what it will cost. Maybe we're using the word "guarantee" differently, but for us a guarantee is different than a promise. When you promise to do something that means you'll do it no matter what. It's going to happen. A guarantee is when you say, "We will do X or else we will do Y to make up for it." In this case we guarantee placement or the client gets their money back. Some think it's too good to be true but it's what we've done for years and we've gotten clients into almost every major outlet this way. Have a great day and look forward to partnering in the future!

I don’t have all the answers, but I have learned what makes a better scope/deliverable mix to clients. Overpromising and no guard rails on results is a huge burn out factor for almost every junior person I talk to. I hold high standards for delivering results, but they are results with a purpose — where everyone, client and team, are working from the same blueprint. Everyone can see, daily, the top priories, and if something needs to change or get bumped, we see what has to give instead. PR works — but not if you try to do all the things for everyone all the time.