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| Image: Sourced from Oxford University |
“Public Relations”
“So what is it that you do?”
This morning I was reminded how
liberating it is to get back to brass tacks.
A first meeting with a local
businessman began with the kind of tumbleweed moment that rolls through your
mind for an instant; how have I found myself in a meeting with someone who
doesn’t seem to know why I’m here?
So I explained myself quickly,
succinctly, with absolutely no jargon, mindful that I had a matter of seconds
before Judgement Day would dawn and I’d be in with a chance of winning Sport
Relief’s fastest ‘walk-in-and-out-of-a-sales-meeting’ mile.
No mention of audiences, engagement
or content strategies.
“Well, every business has
customer groups they want to reach, and we use our communication skills to help
figure out the right messages and the best way to get them out there.”
“OK.” I get a nod; a green light
to continue.
“But it helps if we know which
parts of your business are the most profitable; the areas where you believe you
could achieve even more, if only, dot dot dot. We can tell you a bit about how
we’ve done that for others, and see whether there’s something we can help you
with.”
We went on to have a very
positive and enjoyable meeting, discussing some of the many challenges his
successful and long-standing business faces in the dynamics of a changing
market.
I learned lots about a great
company, but this morning also taught me:
-
Keep it simple - It shouldn’t matter whether we’re meeting a marketing director with decades of experience and an MBA in Marketing Jargon, or the managing director of a business that’s earned its reputation without ever asking about audience segmentation, brand essence, OTH or TGI (it’s a restaurant chain, right?). Be clear. We’re communicators.
- Get straight to the point - We will only stay in business if we make a difference to our clients’ success. That’s the bottom line (whether you’re looking above-the-line, below-the-line or in a wiggly-right-through-the-middle-of-the-line).
- Ask more than you tell - Other people’s businesses are fascinating. Asking questions and sharing common experiences makes for a more interesting and productive encounter than just telling someone all about yourself.
So, we’ll see where simplicity
takes us…
Sarah Bryars
Chief Executive
