When we started discussing ways to celebrate our 10th anniversary last summer, we knew that, whatever the forum or format, we wanted the focus to be on the great digital work being done by our member firms.  From there it was an easy decision to host in-market workshops for the non-profit community, which has always been an important partner to our industry. In a survey of our members last fall, more than 90% of firms indicated that they had active non-profit clients...]]>

This week's contributors:

• •  James M. Krol, Vice President, Xenophon Strategies
• •  Jim Parham, COO, Hirons & Company Communications
• •  Will Spivey, Managing Partner, Trone
• •  Annamarie Saarinen, VP, Public Relations, ASI Communications

To find out how you can best position your agency for government contracts, we spoke with James M. Krol, former deputy associate administrator of communications and marketing at the GSA...]]>

In addition to overall worries about their well‐being, PR professionals face challenges on the client side.

This week's contributors:

• •  Ralph Katz, Principal, CooperKatz
• •  Judith Harrison, VP, Human Resources, Constituency Management Group
• •  Deborah Levy, VP of Talent Recruitment, MS&L
• •  Nikita Davis, VP and Staffing Director, Ketchum
• •  Laura Cubbage, Director of Operations, 360 Media

Are you thinking about eliminating or cutting your internship program this summer? Read this article first!

Recession notwithstanding, every agency leader that we consulted advises against such a move. After all, using interns helps curb labor costs, brings fresh perspective to your agency and its clients—and helps position you for growth and the eventual economic turnaround.

In the March 24th issue, we published the first half of a paper under development called the "Rationale for Hiring a Public Relations Firm." Points 1-4 covered public relations firms' ability to offer clients:

1. Ever Ready service:
2. Objective expertise:
3. Digital know-how:
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Influence:

Here are points 5–9:]]> By Edison Lee, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Spring not only signals the blooming of flowers and a brighter sun, but also the start of the baseball season. No man is happier for opening day than Alex Rodriguez, also known as A-Rod, so he can get back to the game he loves after he exacerbated the current crisis in professional baseball and put in jeopardy his own position as one of sport's all-time greats, after he admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs from 2001-2003.

From executives to managers, business leaders have often told their own employees to "learn from past mistakes." Luckily, A-Rod heeded this advice after a report from Sports Illustrated broke the news that he had tested positive for taking steroids.]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of PR Firms

Over the past few months, we have received inquiries — from members and others — relating to the value of hiring a public relations firm at a time when client organizations are cutting back on spending.

Those conversations were the inspiration behind this column.

What follows is part one of a two-part column. This is not meant to be the last word on the benefits of working with a public relations firm, but rather a thought starter that can be shared with people who might need support in selling in the services of an outside public relations firm (e.g. clients, procurement, prospects, etc.) ...]]> Top 5 answers from in-house communicators (61 respondents):

Survey conducted by Kelton Research for the Council of Public Relations Firms between January 15th and February 4th, 2009 using an email invitation and an online survey.]]>

This week's contributors:

• •   Steve Cody, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Peppercom
• •   Rick Leonard, Managing Director, Stanton Communications
• •   David Carter, SVP of Business Development, Coyne Public Relations
• •   Ken Eudy, CEO, Capstrat
• •   Karen Albritton, President, Capstrat

It's scary out there for your current and potential clients. There's a lot of "fear and trepidation" as they struggle to hold on to their jobs and their budgets, warns Steve Cody, managing partner and co-founder of Peppercom.

One thing is certain: You can't take anything for granted these days. "New business development—whether it's networking, chasing down RFPs, developing proposals or looking for ways to grow existing client business—is literally a full-time job in this challenging economy," says Rick Leonard, managing director, Stanton Communications. "The competition for every new business opportunity is vigorous."

In these challenging economic times, we must all strive to place our best foot forward. The current market conditions place many individuals at risk and job security is a thing of the past. While everyone copes, how can we ensure that diversity in the workforce prevails? We must devote our efforts to recruit, develop and retain talented minorities in these economic times.

Many of us are aware of the facts and shifts in our current demographics. The U.S. Labor Department projects that by 2014, ethnic minorities will account for 36 percent of the workforce. It is also stated that 45 percent of the U.S. population is racially non-white, Hispanic/Latino or foreign born.]]> By George Rosenberg, PR Agency Consultant and Coach, The Rosenberg Group

In today's difficult economic times, firms that boast outstanding agency leadership will come out of this recession faster and stronger than agencies that suffer from "leadership myopia." Leadership myopia—the failure to think clearly, plan ahead and understand the new imperatives of leadership—is endemic right now in the agency world…and for some good reasons.

Budget cuts, client terminations, staff layoffs, salary and other expense reductions dominate agency thinking. Some agency heads are angry, others are depressed, some are afraid and many are simply philosophical, but almost all are doing what they can to withstand the challenges, and to simply stay afloat.]]>

Patrick Ford
U.S. CEO
Burson-Marsteller

Diversity and profit are not mutually exclusive—and agencies are starting to recognize this. And they realize: They ignore diversity at their peril.

To get a deeper understanding of IPG's figures, what they mean to agencies across the board—and what the financial future may hold for other Council of PR Firms members, we checked in with Harris Diamond, CEO of IPG member Weber Shandwick. Here's what he had to say about last year's growth, this year's momentum so far, projections for the year ahead and more:

The hiring of public relations firms by companies receiving financial support from the government has recently been in the news. Some media are asking why these companies are using taxpayer money to retain outside public relations counsel.

Public relations firms are some of the highly specialized consultants helping clients through these tough times. Public relations firms provide valuable market intelligence, research, perspective, expertise in social media, additional manpower and specific industry depth and experience...]]> By Jim Cowen, Vice President, Emergency Risk Communications, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

A sense of urgency shows commitment. That logic sent me speeding down a Pentagon corridor with a folder tucked clumsily under one arm. How vital was the document to my boss' meeting? It didn't matter. He asked for it and I was trying to break a land speed record in getting it to him.

When I neared the entrance to his E-ring office, he stepped out into the hallway and calmly raised his hand. "Never run in the Pentagon, lieutenant," he said.

From January 21 to February 4, 2009, Kelton Research conducted 285 online interviews among PR professionals. The survey sample included 160 agency practitioners, 64 solo PR practitioners, and 61 in‐house PR professionals.]]>

Rick Leonard Managing Director Stanton Communications

"Clients benefit from the fresh perspectives and insights that younger staff bring to their business," says Rick Leonard, managing director, Stanton Communications. "It adds new dimensions to our client relationships and reflects the depth and range of experience and value we can offer."]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Let me start off by saying that this is the most unpredictable year I can remember. Projecting how the year will go is beyond challenging, as it seems the ground beneath us shifts every day.

Client budgets are more fluid than ever before, so getting commitments for sustained PR programs is difficult. RFPs are getting issued — and have picked up, in fact, from the 4th quarter — but they are frequently getting stuck in neutral.]]> Racing through Recession: Downturn Presents Upside to PR's C-Suite Influence]]> "PR people are inherently optimistic," believes Porter Novelli partner and CEO Gary Stockman. "Out of every challenge comes an opportunity. For example, our current recession certainly has brought about a welcome clarity to the practice. It has forced us to focus on those things clients need the most. It has caused us to focus relentlessly on delivering the urgent results clients are looking for—namely, crisis mitigation, policy help and demand generation for products," says Stockman, who was appointed the agency's senior leader last year, when he stepped in for Helen Ostrowski, who had led Porter Novelli for the five years prior.

"The downturn has helped us help clients cut through the clutter and focus on those areas that are going to add the greatest value," continues New York-based Stockman, who has responsibility for the agency's overall growth and development in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as in the Asia Pacific region. "Perhaps more important is that these times are prompting clients to focus on the disciplines that deliver the highest ROI.]]> By Chris Lukach, Vice President and Co-Owner, Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC

Despite PR firms across the globe espousing the value of Web 2.0, precious few executives at these firms have actually begun dipping their toes into social networking. At the same time, many of the junior staff who already are active with social networks limit their application to keeping up with friends and family.

That's about to change, and that's a good thing. People in business have taken to scanning their rolodexes to send out "friend requests," and all social networks have blossoming professional networking audiences. I should know. Social networking for business caught me by surprise, too.]]>

Jillian McDowell
Co-Chair, Social Media
Practice Group
Carmichael Lynch Spong

With digital PR being among the top practice areas seeing growth in a slower economy, almost every agency wants to be perceived as digitally "savvy" among prospects and existing clients alike. But demonstrating your competence involves considerably more than mouthing the right buzzwords and Tweeting every five minutes.

Building a reputation for digital competence—and thereby snagging a bigger slice of the marketing budget—involves learning, listening and never losing sight of your client's goals, as opposed to jumping onto exciting new technologies for their own sake. So, how can you develop that expertise, and get the word out to d rive business once you have? We checked with your firm colleagues for their tips, techniques and tactics—here's the best of their advice:]]> By Matt Shaw, Senior Vice President, Director of Communications, Council of Public Relations Firms

The view from the 38th floor of the Empire State Building did not distract from the sharp, oftentimes expansive, views being shared at last week's NYC breakfast roundtable.

Twenty-seven agency executives turned out for the Council's first member roundtable of the year, hosted by Taylor at their New York City headquarters...]]> Branding's New Power: How Firms Can Capitalize on PR's Rising Influence among CMOs]]> The lines between marketing and PR are blurring, says MaryLee Sachs, who was president and CEO U.S. at Hill & Knowlton for three years prior to her current appointment, and who was based in London as EVP of worldwide marketing communications before that.

According to Sachs, that blurring of distinctions is a good thing for PR firms and their clients—especially during tough times. The reason, in part, she says, is that CMOs are increasingly recognizing the connection between brand (their traditional purview) and reputation (long a PR cornerstone). Here, Sachs spells out that link for Council members—and outlines how agencies can best position themselves to take advantage of ensuing opportunities, even in a down economy:]]> By Kathy Cupper Obert, Chairman and CEO, Edward Howard

Bank failures, frozen credit markets, massive layoffs, congressional gridlock, slashed corporate spending—the bad news just keeps on coming. No question, these are tough times for everyone and PR agencies are no exception. But while you are battening down the hatches, don't fail to recognize the opportunities that are always created by change. Those who can step up and reel in these opportunities—who are willing to go beyond business as usual—will survive, succeed, and emerge stronger.

Start at the top. We have a new administration in Washington whose mantra has been "change." They are pushing a massive stimulus bill and new set of priorities that stand to benefit some and be detrimental to others. Can you help clients better make their case and defend their interests? Are there executives you know who are about to make disastrous decisions because they still don't appreciate how radically things have changed? Are there distressed companies that need help communicating bad news? Is there a brand that is missing a great opportunity to increase awareness or build market share? ]]>

Will Spivey
Managing Partner
Trone

So the challenge isn't convincing the decision makers who sign our checks of the value of PR: It's about demonstrating the value of your counsel, according to the agency leaders we spoke with on this topic. Following are the insights of three of these key sources. Much of their collective wisdom comes down to this: Demonstrate and deliver. Here's how it's done, especially in tough times:]]> PR Firms Beating Recession: How to Grow When Markets Slow—Chaikin Points to IR, Crisis and Health Care as Profit Prospects]]> Despite recession, many PR firms are positioned not only to weather an economic downturn—but to actually succeed under current market conditions. Dix & Eaton is a perfect example. The firm, with a much higher proportion of senior professionals than most agencies, is enjoying a surprisingly high client retention rate (over 90% in 2008), and has held onto many of its top clients for more than ten or even 20 years—surviving waves of turnover within client companies through the decades, according to firm head Scott Chaikin.

"We have a low voluntary turnover among staff, and we generally have a working and often a personal relationship with our client CEOs," offers Chaikin when asked for the secrets of the firm's success. "We're also business people first and communicators second—we're able to help our clients support their business strategies by engaging their most important stakeholders: customers, employees and investors." In addition, "We're employee-owned, which affects all of the above," he says...]]> By Evan Kraus, Senior Vice President, Director of APCO Online

Barack Obama ran a transformational presidential campaign that soared above his rivals in leveraging the power of technology, and there are clear signs that the new Obama administration will utilize technology in new ways as part of its effort to be a transformational presidency.

Use of technology is nothing new in politics, as sophisticated databases and computer systems have been in place for decades to increase the efficiency and sophistication of polling, direct mail and other traditional tactics. But Obama's campaign set a new standard in two ways: He made online a central front in his campaign and heavily utilized new and emerging technologies to raise money to recruit, mobilize and inform supporters...]]>

Jill Schmidt
Chair, Corporate
and IR Group
Carmichael Lynch Spong

Because of greater access to information, namely, the Internet—the average consumer can scrutinize a company's practices, from how it treats its employees to its environmental footprint, more carefully than ever before. The implications are clear: Not only must companies communicate clearly about ethics and social responsibility; they must also live up to their hype. And that's where agencies come in—with corporate social responsibility (CSR) representing both a new business opportunity for firms to step in and counsel clients, and a call to arms.]]> ]]> How to Keep Your Job: Six Secrets of Proving Your Value to Your Boss—No Matter Your Agency Level]]> Hiring, firing and retiring are on a lot of PR practitioners' minds these days. Simply put, the economy has put the freeze on recruiting, layoffs loom and senior execs are wondering when things will rebound so they can finally cash out with some semblance of security.

"Recruiting is for emergency use only right now among PR firms," confirms Don Spetner, who joined Korn/Ferry in 2000 after serving as VP of corporate communications at SunAmerica and Nissan, and who spent ten years with three major advertising and PR agencies before that, including RuderFinn. "It hasn't been taken away—but it's only there for where you really need it. In fact, the only real recruiting going on right now is if you have to replace someone very valuable or if you won a big account and have to staff it—that's about it."]]> By Matt Shaw, Senior Vice President, Director of Communications, Council of Public Relations Firms

Looking down the barrel of a tough 2009, Firm Voice readers predicted that their biggest challenges this year would be: 1.) Building new business, 2.) Retaining client relationships, and 3.) Building your brand, according to our recent Reader survey.

The Council has a few additional surveys in the field right now that will drill down deeper into the current business environment, and will likely confirm these basic themes.]]>

John Bell
Executive Creative Director
360° Digital Influence
Ogilvy PR

"Agencies are particularly clueless about measuring the value of social media in terms of business benefit, I assume because they have English degrees, not MBAs,"...]]> By Jeff Chertack, Vice President, Health Policy, Ogilvy PR

When looking at the potential direction of health policy in the Obama Administration, you're already behind before the ink dries on the page. But even though the situation is dynamic, there are some strong indications for the direction we'll see the new administration take over the next couple of years.

The change in administration holds much opportunity for communicators—especially one that had an unprecedented ability to connect with the American people during the campaign. The White House and Congress will be selling their ideas to the American people—as well as the interests on either side of the issue. Agencies with a mix of solid healthcare expertise and knowledge of how public policy affects their clients' business will be positioned for success in 2009.]]>

Curtis Smith
Director of
Business Development
Carmichael Lynch Spong

So what exactly are the brightest and best of your PR firm colleagues doing to get the word out to clients and prospects today? What new tools and techniques are they embracing—and what tried and true tactics are they revisiting? For the answers, we interviewed several sources to find. Here's how they're handling current challenges—their advice is both simple and profound:

I'm always interested to see what the most viewed or emailed stories are on web sites like nytimes.com, cnn.com, prweek.com or wsj.com. It's a revealing snapshot of what people care about at a given moment in time.

In a similar vein, but with a much larger window, we compiled a list of the 10 most-read Firm Voice articles since we launched last March (41 issues). In this case, ranking is based on the number of click-thrus made from the weekly Firm Voice email...]]> By Abigail Gouverneur Carr, Managing Director, BlissPR

If you are in senior management of an independent, privately-held PR firm, you should tell your employees how the firm is doing financially. And I don't mean vague generalities, as in, "We're holding our own, but it's going to be tough." I mean more like, "We did $649,000 in revenue in November. In December, we were down 5% to $616,500, but we will likely still hit our profit targets."

If you are already making this information known to your employees—congratulations, and you can stop reading. In fact, take the rest of the day off, because you are running your firm in an open and transparent way, which you probably know provides substantial benefits and overall reassurance—to management and employees—and it actually makes your life easier...]]> With a new administration now a week into its work, it seems some of the fog of uncertainty plaguing the public, businesses and even the PR practice these past months may be clearing. But what exactly can we expect to find on the other side of the haze—what specific developments, issues and trends can we and our clients expect to see in the weeks, months and year ahead?

What's going to be hot—from key practice areas to buzzwords—and what's not? How can we be better prepared for what the future holds? What steps should we be taking now to position our firms and clients for growth once the recession breaks? For the answers and clarity you crave in these times, we checked with trends expert and Porter Novelli CMO Marian Salzman, who was named among the "top five trendspotters in the world" in 2004 by global publisher VNU...]]> rEvolution]]> By Melissa Waggener Zorkin, CEO, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

With Waggener Edstrom Worldwide turning 25 last year, I and other leaders at the agency have spent some time reflecting on what a fascinating role innovation has played over the last quarter century … and what a remarkably rapid evolution it has undergone. We called out innovation as a key factor to success in our first business plan, and it's rewarding to see that it was the right bet to place. And today, we're excited to witness innovation evolving once again to help solve some of society's big problems.

The evolution of innovation reflects, in part, how the world is changing. Society is rightfully expecting and demanding more of its corporate citizens—and in turn, companies must conduct business in ways that are not only profitable, but also sustainable and beneficial on a broader scale.]]>

David Wescott
Vice President
APCO Online

"Distractions are distractions, whatever form they take—it could be a phone call, or a television set in the lunchroom, or even that quirky colleague who works down the hall," says David Wescott, vice president, APCO Online.

Likewise, the risks are similar. "Understand that social media tools are just that—tools. We use them for good reasons or bad, but you can embarrass yourself or offend a client just as easily on the phone or in person as you could on a blog," he explains.]]> Save $100 if you register by February 6

By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

I've heard members say over the years that tough times always help them sharpen their focus on business.

This is one of those years. I too am an optimist, and I can't help but remind Council members that the opportunity to advance relationships with current and prospective clients remains strong, as is the need to adhere to your firm's strategic plan.]]> By Sean Martin, Manager, Human Capital Practice, Deloitte Consulting

As you approach the employee cafeteria, you hear Margaret and James, two veteran employees, talking about the economy and its effect on business. "This is not the same company it was when I started ten years ago," says Margaret.

"I know," James replies. "Leadership has done nothing to address the current downsizing."

"As soon as things improve, I'm looking for a new job," says Margaret. "My resume is already up to date."]]> Mark Penn, CEO, Burson-Marsteller

Many assumed a "wait and see" stance these past few weeks as uncertainty continued to drive the markets and outlook for the PR firm business and beyond. Yet that holding pattern may shake out as businesses get a clearer bead on the future, precipitated in part by yesterday's inauguration finally signaling a shift from promising to practicing change.

So what exactly does the future hold for the agency business under an Obama administration? What lessons can we—as a profession and as individual practitioners—learn from President Obama's communications strategies, techniques and tactics? Where will policy and PR intersect in the year ahead—and what does it all mean to you and your day-to-day work?]]> "The Media Savvy Leader":
Are You a Media Savvy Leader? How Agency Heads Can Boost Results in a Tight Economy]]> "As with most of the business world, the majority of agency heads are excellent managers and sales people—not media savvy leaders," believes veteran media strategist, blogger and Emmy Award winning former CBS News correspondent David Henderson, who has worked for several top national agencies and whose new book "The Media Savvy Leader" hit bookstores this month after nearly two years of research and analysis of top corporate leaders. "They know how to sell the business, manage people and work on the bottom line—but they're not leaders who step out in front of the industry and inspire greatness."]]>

Dave Imre Partner and President Imre Communications

What's particularly interesting is that rather than focus on what to cut or trim, the experts consulted focused primarily on what an agency needs to continue doing well. Dave Imre, partner and president, Imre Communications, framed it accordingly: The key to consistent success is to "build smart, work efficiently and constantly deliver results to customers." That's sound counsel, regardless of the economy. Here's the best of the advice we culled from our sources this week:]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

The Council of Public Relations Firms will once again partner with the Arthur W. Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations to present the Public Relations Leadership Forum, an intense seminar for high-performing managers at public relations firms, and Global 1000 corporate communications professionals whose primary responsibilities include working with public relations agencies.

This two-day program takes place on February 4-6, 2009 at the Atlanta Airport Marriott.]]> What's Next: Digital PR Pathfinder Decries Lack of Social Media Strategy Among Agencies—Offers Tips for Tapping New Tools in the New Year]]>

"I'm always asking 'What's next?' I love being the pathfinder and discovering both new and more efficient ways of doing things," says HLB Communications founder Kathy Baughman. "I thrive on fusing seemingly unrelated information, approaches or bits of knowledge to form something fresh and unexpected."

Specifically, Baughman has developed considerable expertise in emerging digital PR—and all things social media. Here, she discusses how these new technologies, tools and techniques are reshaping the way agencies conduct their business, why so few agencies seem to embrace or even grasp their impact…and how to successfully make the leap and incorporate social media into your marketing mix for optimal success in 2009:]]> By Steve Bryant, Executive VP, USA, Publicis Consultants | PR

In this economy, finding new talent may be the last thing on your mind—but not so fast. In times like these, we need to expect much more from our people, and that makes every hire a high-stakes decision.

That's why The Firm Voice asked me to describe my own background as a creative artist and the perspective it can lend to a consideration of non-traditional hires.]]>

Steve Cody
Managing Partner and
Co-Founder
Peppercom

The recession may be hurting your pocketbook, but don't let it hurt your best asset: your stars.

Keep your stars even more engaged and loyal, advises Steve Cody, managing partner and cofounder of Peppercom. And an economic downturn may provide the opportunity to do just that, believes Tom Coyne, president, Coyne PR. "Time is a wonderful thing if you use it right" to make a difference for your firm and your stars, he suggests, adding that now may be a perfect window to focus on HR issues, training and other housekeeping areas in an effort to get the most out of top talent.]]>
The survey was administered between November 4-10. A total of 54 firms responded, mostly HR executives.]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

The Council and its members are currently running a series of six digital workshops for non-profits as part of our 10th anniversary. I moderated the first workshop, held in Los Angeles last week, which featured digital experts from member firms The Rogers Group, PainePR, Burson-Marsteller and Ketchum.

As noted in Paul Taaffe's interview this week, '09 is going to be a challenging year, but our industry's embrace of digital, our strategic know-how and delivery of digital programs, will be key to our growth as an industry.]]>

Jerry Olszewski Chief Client Officer and Senior Partner Ketchum

Forty clients have been with Ketchum for 5 years or longer—and seven have been with the firm for more than 25 years, says Chief Client Officer and Senior Partner Jerry Olszewski. Among the 40 long-term relationships are Kodak, FedEx, Roche, P&G, IBM, Kikkoman, Hyundai and Nokia.

At age 61, I have been in the public relations industry for 38 years and in the business of politics—mostly doing strategy, advance and press—for 42 years. Yet, when a young advanceman, fresh off the Obama campaign trail, appeared in my office recently asking how he could translate his skills into our business, I still had a difficult time answering the question.

Yes, there clearly is synergy between political campaigns and public relations—and especially public affairs, which is what our firm does. And, in many respects, we have modeled our firm to operate like a political campaign.]]> Forecasting 2009: Global Trends and Opportunities PR Agencies Must Watch to Survive a "Rollercoaster" Year]]> Paul Taaffe, chairman and CEO, Hill & Knowlton, has spent more than 20 years consulting on transnational communications. Before assuming his current position, he was president of Hill and Knowlton in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and before that, chief executive of Hill and Knowlton UK. So when we wanted some insights into global PR and looming market conditions that may impact agencies across the board, he was a prime candidate.

He spoke with The Firm Voice about the impact of the recession, the green revolution and digital media on global PR—and about the top trends, opportunities and challenges agencies will likely see in the year ahead:]]>

Mark Sneider
Managing Director
Reardon Smith
Whittaker

The message to agencies is clear: Clients are going to expect more from their agency, and they will need your cooperation and guidance.]]> By Ray Kotcher, Senior Partner/Chief Executive Officer, Ketchum; 2008-2009 Chair, Council of Public Relations Firms

The Council of Public Relations Firms turned 10 this year, and I think what this organization has achieved is worth celebrating. I also believe those achievements have fortified us for whatever lies ahead.

In 1998, the Council ended its first year with 39 member firms. Today, firm membership stands over 100, and our members represent some 12,000 employees in more than 40 U.S. cities and in 70 countries. That is a testament not only to the role of the Council in our industry, but also to our industry's role in today's global business world...]]> Inaugural Speech Peek: What to Expect -- and How Make Better Executive Speeches]]> Frank Mankiewicz is vice chairman of Hill & Knowlton in Washington, D.C. He has been president of National Public Radio, regional director for the Peace Corps in Latin America, campaign director for 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern, and press secretary to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. He even earned a spot on Nixon's enemies list. He made time recently to speak with The Firm Voice about Barack Obama's inaugural address next month.

Based on what you've heard in the past, what can we expect from Mr. Obama's inaugural speech?]]> By Matt Marcus, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, contributing reporter

A collection of top communications professionals assembled in New York last month for the Council's Client Advisory Committee fall meeting, to discuss and debate the lessons learned from the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Moderated by Peter Campisi (Weber Shandwick), the panel discussion featured guest speakers Jack Daly (SVP, Communications, McDonald's), Gordon Kane (founder, Victory Sports Marketing; former Director of Marketing and Brand Development for the USOC and VP of Olympic Properties), and Erin Weinberg (Managing Partner, Taylor).

Olympic Growth]]> By Jeremy D. Bridgman, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

The Council of Public Relations Firms' Client Advisory Committee gathered last month to discuss the historic presidential election of '08 and its impact on business, with extra attention paid to the credit crisis and energy.

Rasmussen Reports on the Election...]]>

Charlie Kondek
Director of New
Media Relations
MS&L Digital

Thus, it only makes sense that many top agencies have been involved in social media since long before the term began cropping up. From the ubiquitous YouTube to the emerging Yammer, agencies have harnessed social media to their advantage.

We asked leaders from several member agencies about how they use social media. Their insights and advice can help you fine-tune your approach.]]> By Stacy Reyan, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, APCO Worldwide

It may seem counterintuitive, but it's true: The best potential employees for PR firms are often those who have never worked at agencies. While there's no doubt that traditional PR backgrounds and communication skill sets will always be valuable to our industry, more and more firms are realizing that non-traditional hires bring new perspectives and experiences that can jump-start company growth and enhance the value offered to clients.

Firms may consider looking to complement its team of communication professionals with subject-matter experts. Individuals who have worked in corporations or government are often great candidates for agency jobs...]]> Agencies Past, Present and Future: Editor Looks Back as PR Week and Council Celebrate Ten-Year Anniversaries]]> With PR Week and the Council of PR Firms both celebrating ten years of serving the communications industry this year, we have reached a moment of reflection for members and subscribers of the PR trade title alike.

Certainly, much has changed in the way we practice public relations these past ten years—communicators have increasingly earned more respect among clients and influence in the C-suite, and the tactics we employ have witnessed a revolutionary shift grounded in new technologies and Web 2.0 tools. What's more, competing disciplines have fought for more budget and power—and agencies have more than held their own in that regard...]]> By John Ullyot, Senior Vice President for Media Relations and Issues Management, Public Affairs, Hill and Knowlton, Washington D.C.

In today's world, digital and wireless communications have changed how to plan communications in times of crisis. The natural disasters that struck Burma and China earlier this year are instructive and offer some communications lessons.

In Burma, where a military regime tightly controls information, the rest of the world struggled to learn the extent of the impact of the cyclone.]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

I recently attended the Institute for Public Relations' (IPR) annual Distinguished Lecture & Awards Dinner in New York. The headliner that night was Sir Martin Sorrell, Group CEO of WPP. Sir Martin has always had strong opinions on business trends in general and where our industry is heading, specifically, and that night was no different.

Here are some of the most memorable quotes from his speech...]]>

The survey was administered between November 4-10. A total of 54 firms responded, mostly HR executives.]]> Andy Polansky, President, Weber Shandwick

More clients than ever before seem to be expressing real interest in sustainability initiatives—with the upshot that more agencies are building up their green practice areas, or at least considering the possibilities. Similarly, more agencies are crafting long-term corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs pegged in part to environmental social governance or sustainability issues.

Yet despite all this interest and business impetus for such programs, it's not always easy for agencies to successfully break into this burgeoning field of focus—and many, rightly so, are wondering what they can do to successfully make the jump...]]> By John Davies, Chairman & CEO, DAVIES and Chairman, Blaze PR

Managing defining issues of public debate is similar to influencing your 14 year-old son. Without reason, some days it works without conflict, and others it does not. The fun part is that every day you start over.

When issues management works, you feel like a genius. It means your narrative dominated discussion; your allies covered your flank in harmony and your opponents over-stepped...]]>

Mindy S. Gikas
Managing Director,
Human Resources
Ogilvy Public
Relations Worldwide

Compounding these challenges is that each agency manages the arrangement differently. So how do you make it work at your firm? The Firm Voice consulted leaders at three member agencies to find out how they have made telecommuting work.

See Quick Hit chart.]]> Digital PR Pitfalls and Promises: What Agencies Don't Get (But Must) About Social Media ]]> Social media and Internet communications are definite growth vehicles for agencies nationwide, and expertise in these areas could help bolster and sustain firms through tough economic times, according to internationally respected blogger B.L. Ochman, whose "What's Next Blog" about Internet marketing is rated in the top 50 in the world by Ad Age Power 150.

But, Ochman cautions, many in the agency world aren't prepared—or suited—to step into the social media arena and take advantage of these opportunities: "The disconnect I see on the agency side is many traditional shops still seem to think they can create an online or social media platform and direct the nature of the conversation in those channels—that's a fundamental mindset that needs to be changed," says Ochman...]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Retaining your best people will be vital in the coming months. Clients will demand it; your firm's prosperity depends on it.

So what are you doing about it?

The Council is currently offering a webinar series for its members in partnership with Deloitte Consulting on important new workforce planning and compensation trends...]]>

Corey duBrowa
President, North America
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

The Firm Voice consulted both PR and legal experts to help you navigate the terrain. There are myriad risks, but there are also myriad rewards. Here are seven tips to help you avoid the former and reap the latter:

Paul Holmes, editor of the Holmes Report (http://holmesreport.com/), spoke at our recent 10th anniversary dinner celebration at the Bryant Park Grill in New York City. More than 100 members were on hand to hear Paul's always-informed take on the PR business — where it's come from and where it's heading.

Here are some highlights from Paul's remarks:

Globally, 2008 should be the best year in the history of the public relations business, and the outlook for 2009 is pretty good as well. Here's why:]]>

Karen Albritton
President
Capstrat

It's bound to happen eventually: A top client needs some fresh blood and new ideas—or a stellar AE has peaked and craves new opportunities. But when is it the right time to rotate staff off and on accounts? How can you manage the transition to optimize success for all parties involved—and keep the client happy and business bustling?

Regardless of who won the election yesterday, the transition from candidate to 44th President of the United States will be harried at best. New presidents have just three months to make cabinet and other political appointments; draft a first 100 days agenda; reach out to Congress, world leaders and others; and decide which campaign promises to push first.

These decisions will be crucial to defining the new Administration and its overarching messages. But much of this work may take a back seat to addressing the most precarious economy since the Great Depression.]]>

Many people who replied to this question have been unimpressed with the leadership being demonstrated during this crisis. Here are the top responses:

Others receiving votes: Michael Bloomberg, Barack Obama, Barney Frank, Jamie Dimon, Lloyd Blankfein, SNL, Talk Radio, John Boehner

From Council's Q3 2008 Quick Survey]]> By Matt Shaw, Vice President, Council of Public Relations Firms

A clear consensus emerged during the annual Critical Issues Forum sponsored by the Council of Public Relations Firms at the Yale Club last week: dangers and challenges ranging from new tactics and a rapidly shifting media landscape to the impending global economic downturn are significant growth opportunities for clients and PR firms that can adapt to change quickly and master new ways of delivering value.

"Not only will PR firms survive, I believe the entire profession today is looking at the biggest opportunity to grow both their influence and size since Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays founded modern public relations nearly 100 years ago," said keynote speaker David D'Alessandro...]]> Politics & PR Agencies: Former White House Insider Gives a Peek into the Pressures Faced by McCain and Obama Teams]]> Political PR and PIO work may be the pinnacle of the practice—the public and media scrutiny is unrelenting, and the stakes are incredibly high. The communications techniques, tools and strategies from messaging to issues management employed at such a high level—whether for a presidential campaign or post-election in the White House itself—certainly offer lessons for the rest of us in the agency world.

Nobody knows this better than Jennifer Millerwise Dyck, who before joining APCO served as director of public affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was deputy communication director for Bush-Cheney '04 before that. She also served as press secretary and deputy assistant for communications to VP Cheney from 2001 to 2003—and was White House assistant press secretary during the first ten months of the Bush administration.]]> By Mike Hollywood, Director of New Media, Cone

Social media rule and now everybody wants to be on Facebook. In fact, our recent 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study reveals that 60 percent of Americans are using social media and of those, 59 percent are already interacting with companies online; 25 percent interact more than once per week. Expect your phone to ring any second with your clients demanding you augment their communications campaign with an innovative digital strategy.

While you're waiting for your clients to take a breath so you can interject your opinion, consider two things...]]>

Brett Weiner
Partner
LaunchSquad

A survey conducted last year by the Council and APCO Worldwide was revealing. Although 52 percent of PR execs surveyed agreed with the statement, "Our firm does a good job identifying the specific interests of individual bloggers and sending them relevant information," a full 65 percent of bloggers surveyed disagreed with the corollary: "PR firms do a good job identifying the specific interests of individual bloggers and sending them relevant information."]]>

So how can you make sure your training programs deliver the results you, your staff—and your clients—need? We spoke with agency leaders with a solid track record in these areas to find out their best tactics and strategies. Heed their counsel: Success stories from Burson-Marsteller University, Ketchum College and others can become your success stories, if you follow these ten recommendations:]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Despite the current turbulent economic conditions, the public relations industry looks like it will expand in 2008.

Projecting how the PR industry will perform next year, where the economy’s dark clouds loom large, is proving more difficult.

In a quick survey conducted October 1-10, we asked our members to respond to several questions related to financial performance. The following highlights reflect the aggregated data submitted online by 61 firms.]]>

Taken from a survey of Council members from October 1- 10; 61 firms participated.]]> A Decade of Building Bridges and Business: Reflections on the Council's 10th Anniversary]]>

"I'm thrilled to take part in the Council's tenth anniversary celebration this week," says David Drobis, the founding chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms, who retired full time from Ketchum in 2004 as chairman. "It's important to mark milestones, and this is one worth celebrating."

"It's great to come back and see that the Council is stronger than ever. In the beginning, I certainly wasn't sure it would become an institution," he says. "The membership is very involved and the retention rate is good—it's very satisfying to see," continues Drobis, who in 2000 was named among the top ten most influential people in PR in the 20th century by PR Week, and who was presented a year later with the National Public Relations Professional Achievement Award from Ball State University.]]> By Barb Iverson, President, Financial Services, Weber Shandwick

With the financial sector in a tailspin, maintaining the trust of the baby boom generation is critical for financial services firms and the agencies who work with them. Seventy-four million American boomers—people born between 1946 and 1964—will retire in droves over the next decade. Public relations professionals, especially those specializing in financial services, must tap the tremendous buying power of this group amid unprecedented market upheavals.

Last fall, two distinct trends collided. The first wave of the subprime mortgage failure emerged just as America's first baby boomer, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, applied for Social Security benefits.]]> By Helen Vollmer, CEO, VOLLMER, and Christine Barney, CEO, rbb Public Relations

As we near mid-October and the rest of the country looks forward to cooler days, those of us who live along the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast are still mired in the heart of hurricane season. The last several years have seen almost a dozen of these monsters wash across our shores. As recent survivors of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, we know firsthand that being prepared and communicating often and openly with employees, clients and vendors are the keys to staying operational and functional in even the worse case scenarios.

Of course, it's not just hurricanes we all need to be prepared for—tornadoes, floods, ice storms, health epidemics and the threat of terrorist attacks are just a few more things to keep many of us up at night. As a guide to those whose emergency plans may need a bit of tweaking, we offer the following lessons learned:]]>

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Welcome, opening remarks and video introduction

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Keynote address by David D’Alessandro, former CEO, John Hancock Financial Services

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. A Socratic debate among agency and client leaders will provide the audience with a glimpse into the pivotal discussions that take place behind closed doors. Moderated by Len Schlesinger, president, Babson College; former COO, Limited Brands

Featured speakers include:

• Jack Bergen, SVP, Corporate Affairs and Marketing, Siemens Corporation
• Harris Diamond, CEO, Weber Shandwick
• John Onoda, Sr. Consultant, Fleishman Hillard; formerly head of comms, GM
• Jim Sluzewski, VP, Corporate Communications & External Affairs, Macy's, Inc.

12:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch/Interview: Jeff Hayzlett, Chief Business Development Officer, Eastman Kodak Company interviewed by The Wall Street Journal's Suzanne Vranica

What's more, many agencies say they're "creative," but haven't yet instituted a culture of creativity and management practices that let their staff—senior execs to account coordinators—stretch and flex their creative muscles. Carmichael Lynch Spong certainly breaks that mold—look no further than senior principal and chairperson of brand marketing Dory Anderson's official headshot, and you'll see it's true.]]>

Cord Silverstein
EVP of
Interactive Services
Capstrat

Moreover, competition is fierce. A recent Council of PR Firms survey asked, "When it comes to selling your firm's digital capabilities to clients, barriers include..." Sixty-one percent cited competition from a client's other service firms; only 21% selected, "We are mostly successful when we pitch this capability."

So, how do you package, sell, and present these practice areas to current and potential clients?]]> Presidential PR: Obama, McCain Campaigns Can Teach Agencies Discipline]]> Let's face it: Pigs, lipstick, Palin, bipartisan market bailouts, presidential debates and, well, anything political owns the news hole right now—pushing client announcements, campaigns, news and so on below the fold, digital or otherwise. Fact is, with the election nearing, this is not the best of times for a major media rollout—not if you hope to earn the coverage, attention and buzz your clients deserve. So instead of fighting the political groundswell, roll with it, advises David A. Fuscus, CEO of Xenophon Strategies, which specializes in public affairs, crisis communications and governmental affairs.

His take is there's plenty PR practitioners—political animals or otherwise—can learn from both presidential campaigns (and how the media covers them), if they'll take the time to observe and analyze the race over the next few weeks...]]> By Aaron Uhrmacher, Social Media Consultant, Text 100 Public Relations

There's a lot of talk about the Millennials these days. They're also called Generation Y, Echo Boomers and, sarcastically, Generation Why? (That all came from Wikipedia—the Millennials' utmost authority on everything that can't be found on Facebook.) The Millennial generation encompasses people born roughly between 1982 and 1994. This group is regularly said to be wreaking havoc on corporate life, making supposedly outrageous demands for things like "work/life balance" and "benefits."]]> Jerry Swerling, a PR management consultant with over 35 years of experience as a senior-level communications educator and professional, principal of Swerling & Associates, and director of the Strategic PR Center at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California.

Compounding the problem is the fact that low-quality RFPs don't just hurt agencies—they also hurt clients who don't end up with the right agency for their needs...]]>

So how exactly are agencies and clients alike handling the news? What are firms recommending to their clients—especially those in affected sectors—as they struggle to cope and scope out likely scenarios for their products, services or brands?]]> By Larry Rasky, Chairman, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications; Former Biden Press Secretary

In the waning days of the campaign leading up to the Iowa caucuses in January, credible political blogs were filled with speculation on the possibility of a Caucus Day surprise by Senator Joe Biden. Nobody expected us to beat Barack or Hillary, but a surprising third or solid fourth would not have shocked anyone.

Our crowds were strong in that last week, averaging around 400 to 500 people. But compared to Senator Obama's 10,000-strong rallies, the Biden crowds by themselves could not have convinced the skeptical DC political press to buy into our election eve mirage...]]> Meet the Media: Pulitzer Winner Gives Inside Scoop on Newsroom Trends, Hiring Journalists and Ten Common Mistakes AEs Can Easily Avoid]]> Senior execs down to account coordinators have heard it all before: The media frequently complains that releases and pitches—or any PR crafted communiqué, for that matter—misses the boat. Some journalists say these staples of media relations are poorly written. Others say they contain zero news value. The list goes on and on.

The good news is many savvy, veteran journalists don't see things in such a critical, "us or them" light. In fact, the most pragmatic among these encourage and welcome PR input—and see much of the media's haranguing as useless posturing, downright naïve or both...]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

The meltdown on Wall Street has sent shockwaves around the world, hammering an already bruised global economy. In the world of public relations firms, we absorb hits the same way we experience success — through our clients.

Therefore, we want to use this PR Matters column as a forum for our readers to share their observations about this historic and tumultuous moment and what impact it is having on your business and PR activities in general. Click on the comments button at the end of this column, or send your ideas directly to Kathy Cripps at (kcripps@prfirms.org).

It's a fine balancing act to maintain senior level involvement in accounts—which clients expect at varying degrees—without overshadowing and disempowering account team leaders. I know I haven't always been as graceful or effective in this regard as I would have liked. But over the years, I have found the following approaches to be effective in both positioning and supporting account leaders as the "hero" to their clients while maintaining senior level visibility with clients: ]]>

Marina Maher
President
Marina Maher
Communications

Coined "lateral hiring" in HR circles, poaching "is the reality of a competitive industry like PR where in 2008 we are seeing an increase in the amount of new business prospects and a shortage of qualified talent," confirms Marina Maher, president of Marina Maher Communications...]]> Know Your Social Media Score: Web Guru Tackles Twitter, Advises Agencies Take Quiz]]> No doubt about it: Social media from blogs to podcasts, Twitter to Facebook, Digg to del.icio.us and beyond have changed not only how PR professionals engage client audiences, but also how they work with each other and communicate daily with each other and those same clients. Yet a number of firms remain cautious about jumping into the digital fray—and others, while impressed with the possibilities, remain unsure as to how new tools translate to programs, campaigns and results clients will pay for.

So where do PR agency execs and account coordinators alike turn for clarity on social media? What are the first steps you can take to tap the possibilities? What are the do's and don'ts of engaging Twitter and similar tools in your day-to-day work?]]>

But agency blogs can sometimes backfire and yield less of a return than initially expected. Consider first that there are already many agency blogs out there offering a take on the day's news or latest industry related issues—so agencies offering "more of the same" run the risk of getting lost in the clutter...]]> ]]> What Kind of Leader Are You? Covey Cofounder on Rebuilding Trust through PR]]> At a time when trust in corporate America is at a low, many in the public and PR alike are clamoring for more transparency and candor in communications. In this environment, CSR programs—many supported by, if not outright driven by, PR efforts and strategic guidance—are on the rise. This is a considerable growth area for the communications business, whose mission in part is to build—and rebuild—trust between client corporations and their communities and publics.

So how can PR agencies tap this opportunity? What initial steps must be taken at the agency level to begin to build that trust for clients? And how can agency owners or execs build a culture of trust within...]]> By Jennifer Prosek, CEO, Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek Communications

When my daughter was born in 2007, I was overjoyed and terrified. Of course, I was nervous about being a first-time mom. But what really scared me was the possibility that the company I had spent ten years building might sputter, shrink and fail if I diverted my focus, even for an instant. I wasn't one hundred percent sure my management team could fill my shoes. I knew, in some respects, this was the moment of truth.

As it happened, my concerns were unfounded. Just over a year later, I am celebrating my daughter's first birthday and another year of double-digit growth. But what I am really celebrating is the fact that...]]> By Matt Shaw, Vice President, Council of Public Relations Firms

What will the public relations firm of the future look like?

This was one of the more provocative questions posed during the recent "Public Relations Leadership Forum", co-sponsored by the Council, the Institute for Public Relations and the Arthur W. Page Society.

Attendees to the San Francisco event were equally divided between PR firms pros and corporate communicators. They came from all over the country as well as from Poland and Turkey...]]> ]]> Wired magazine's Chris Anderson posted hundreds of email addresses he claimed had "spammed" him with unsolicited pitches on his "Long Tail" blog last year. The fallout was significant, with many in PR and even media crying foul (one comment, for example, stated that his posting the emails was "mean spirited"). Ultimately, many in PR began to take a second look at the media lists they bought out of the box — and others began double and triple checking their own propriety media lists.]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Ten years ago, in the fall of 1998, 39 firms came together to create the Council of Public Relations Firms.

As a former owner of a healthcare public relations firm and a founding Council Board member, it gives me great satisfaction to celebrate the 10th anniversary with our 100-plus member firms and the many thousands of employees they represent. This is a time to celebrate, which we will. In addition, to commemorating this milestone, we will be rolling out member-led workshops for non-profit organizations in several U.S. markets starting later this fall and continuing through the first quarter of '09.]]> Speaking CFO: How Financial Literacy Can Improve Performance from Execs to AEs]]> Do you speak CFO? You'd better if you want to keep your biggest and most profitable clients. After all, a seat at the proverbial table is really only possible for agencies, execs and even account coordinators who grasp and speak the language of the client CFO, which is grounded in the world of finance and operations. While few in PR would advocate agency financial literacy at Sarbox or IR levels, there's no doubt that becoming fluent in the metrics, financials and accounting principles that make clients happy when evaluating returns and ROI can help careers, client retention and ultimately the bottom line.

Where do you start — what business metrics and finances do client CEOs and CFOs really care about? How can you train your staff to speak the lingo to improve client service and communication — while proving your value?]]> By Peter Himler, Principal, Flatiron Communications LLC

The well-intentioned, but ill-conceived New Yorker magazine cover featuring Senator and Mrs. Obama as terrorist and radical, respectively, was a powerful illustration that was meant as satire. For some, that is how it was received. For others, however, it struck a resonant sour chord prompting a maelstrom of criticism and, incidentally, robust newsstand sales.

I posted about the cover at the time, attempting to look past the controversy at the motivations of the magazine's proprietors, and how their quest for edginess — even in questionable taste — sparked a media firestorm.]]> Happy Staff Means Happy Clients: How to Create the Best PR Workplace Possible]]> Plenty has been written in the industry trade publications about the seemingly high rate of churn among entry level account execs at agencies. But the truth is the brightest and best agencies, many of them Council members, manage to not only retain top talent but also to become "destination agencies" for PR job seekers, senior executives and managers. What's more, agencies that hold onto superstar talent also hold onto clients. Translation: A happy workplace is a profitable workplace.

Take Council member firm rbb Public Relations, which was recently lauded as PR Week's Agency of the Year and also recognized as one of 35 finalists in The Wall Street Journal's "Top Small Workplaces" listing, done in conjunction with the Evanston, Ill. non-profit Winning Workplaces, which evaluated firms for inclusion. In fact, the agency has turned the art of keeping staff — and clients — happy and on board into a science, due in no small part to several key management practices...]]> ]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

What are you hearing about the economy? How are PR firms doing? Will they make their numbers? The economy and its uncertain trajectory is part of almost every business conversation these days. The media certainly feeds this appetite by reporting many variations on the same theme ("Staycations" anyone?).

I'll start by reporting that the PR firm business through the end of the second quarter was quite healthy, and there continues to be considerable momentum in the industry...]]> By Vivian Deuschl, Corporate Vice President, Public Relations, The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company

Kermit the Frog summed up the current state of eco-tourism public relations when he lamented "It's not that easy being green" on Sesame Street. Public relations practitioners eager to find something positive to pitch to the media are finding that, Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio notwithstanding, it's a growing challenge generating eco-tourism coverage with a press corps increasingly suffering from "green fatigue."

The symptoms — including skepticism about claims of sustainability and cutting edge technology — are something all PR practitioners should take care to avoid with a constant reality check (and not just when tying clients to the "green" movement, but with all major trends)...]]>

Mark Beal
Managing Partner
Taylor

That's why clients are turning to integrated planning and projects. "Different clients call it different things — holistic planning, integrated planning and 360° planning are just a few examples," says Julie Batliner, managing principal and chief client relations officer at member firm Carmichael Lynch Spong...]]>

Scott Friedman
Regional director,
North America
Text 100 Global
Public Relations

Yet one of the biggest challenges for PR firms is pressing clients for more business without alienating longterm clients. The wrong approach to offering additional services could get a "no" from a client every time, whether it's now or in the future when you'll want to leverage a stable of steady clients against continued growth...]]> Are You a Great Facilitator? Traits That Make Agencies More Productive, Creative and Profitable]]> It's easy to believe great leaders are born that way. But the truth is great leadership is more a science than art, or even natural ability. In fact, while many stellar agency heads, VPs and execs may share certain key traits, most adhere to certain key practices and principles to bring out the best in their teams and agency work. In other words: They work at it.

Ralph Katz is a perfect example. But he's taken the disciplined pursuit of effective leadership to an even higher level that most. As the Principal of Council member agency CooperKatz, he received training as a facilitator during his 18 years at Burson-Marsteller, starting in the late 1970s. He carried those skills with him when he co-founded CooperKatz.

Good facilitation, he tells us, is a combination of directly hitting the problem and taking "excursions." It involves everything from organizing the meeting to asking the right questions and recording all the contributions, to shaping everything into workable ideas. It requires discipline, creativity and enthusiasm...]]> ]]> By Gerald S. Schwartz, President, G.S. Schwartz & Co.; Co-Founder, Digital Power and Light

Words create perceptions. They make and break reputations. They lend resonance to our deeds — and they're the building blocks of our work in this field. As such, they can be very powerful.

No one recognized this reality more profoundly — or put it to practice more effectively — these past several months than all-American regular guy, Randy Pausch, who died July 25th at age 47. The father of two and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, his life, and death, story has been well publicized since he was terminally diagnosed last August, after which he delivered his "The Last Lecture" speech on September 18 at Carnegie Mellon...]]> Why Agency Growth Matters and How to Drive It (Even During Down Times)]]> WeissComm Partners, founded in 2001, has become the 16th largest independent firm in the PR business, according to O’Dwyer’s 2007 survey. Similarly, the agency was recently ranked 20th in PRWeek’s 2008 Agency Rankings. These rankings are particularly remarkable because the agency specializes exclusively in healthcare accounts. Founded by Chairman and CEO Jim Weiss, WeissComm is headquartered in San Francisco, with additional offices in New York; Chicago; Washington, DC; and London.

O'Dwyer's ranked WeissComm the fastest growing agency among top 100 independent agencies in the U.S., based on 77% billings growth between 2006 and 2007. The firm expects 2008 billings to reach $17 million. To find out how the firm created—and managed—such aggressive growth, we spoke with President and COO Diane Weiser in San Francisco. Her secrets of success:]]> The Firm Voice highlighted what are expected to be the strongest industry sectors in 2008. This week we offer the weakest, led by the beleaguered financial services industry.

Earlier this year, my colleagues got a bit of a start — especially those in our firm's hometown of St. Louis — when a posting on my internal blog carried the headline: "Fleishman-Hillard Moving Headquarters..."

It had been on my mind for some time: To temporarily "move" our headquarters operations to other regions of the world. With that in mind, the CEO's office moved to Asia-Pacific in March/April; in June, Europe became the headquarters, following a varied itinerary that was heavy on visits with staff, as well as conversations with clients about their issues and priorities...]]>

Jason Mandell
Partner and Co-Founder
LaunchSquad

We checked with several Council members for a look into how they negotiate these sometimes tricky transitions. We boiled the best of their practices and tips into these four key steps: ]]>

Jenny Dervin Corporate Communications Director JetBlue Airways.

When there's a disconnect between what the client expects in the way of service and what the PR firm delivers, the account can go south — slowly, almost imperceptibly, or in a big hurry — but almost always culminating in a break up. On the other hand, when the agency understands what the client wants and produces it consistently, this heaven-made marriage can last for decades.

While communication is obviously key to understanding specific client needs, some PR firms get client service institutionally — great service is bred to the bone, part of the agency's very fabric and culture...]]> ]]> By Ed Menninger, founding partner, Communicating@CulturalContext

If I were to quickly rate and generalize about our agency business, I'd say that in managing clients most agencies get an "A" or "A-". We care. It shows and more often than not, the results go from very good to outstanding. If I were then to go on to the financial scorecard, I suspect we don't do as well—but certainly good enough to average a "B" to "B+". OK there some "A" grades. But if I were to go the people equation or, how well do we develop and retain our people, the number of "Cs" that show up wouldn't really surprise anyone.

People development is one of the hardest tasks for the agency world. A perspective: I've talked to a number of people who have come to the agency world from other disciplines and other parts of the PR world—corporation, government—nutrition—environment...]]> Helping Clients Communicate with Customers in a Consumer-Driven World]]> One day in 2006, a man named Vincent Ferrari had a disturbing, argumentative telephone conversation with an AOL sales rep. Ferrari recorded it and posted it on YouTube. More than 62,827 viewings later, AOL's reputation was irretrievably damaged. Pete Blackshaw, executive vice president of Nielsen Online digital Strategic Services in Covington, KY, argues that in today's age of instantaneous consumer-generated media, customers can now inalterably influence marketing communications.

Blackshaw's new book, "Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business in Today's Consumer-Driven World," discusses the impact of consumers' new freedom to blow off steam about bad service or deficient products...]]> By Julia Weede, vice president, Vollmer Public Relations

2008 may be the year that we saw the passing of an era. For the last several years, PR professionals have followed the occasional news reports of staff cuts at the nation's large and small newspapers. We have known that we are experiencing change in American print journalism.

Yet for the last several years even as staffs were cut, someone has always been at the end of the phone when we called a daily paper with a pitch. That "someone" was usually a senior beat reporter who managed to use their 20 years' experience to know a good story, report and write it to fit into an ever-shrinking news hole. My admiration grew for the daily miracle of thoughtful, well-written pieces by experienced newspaper journalists...]]>

With the sharp increase in competitive pitches and RFPs, public relations firms are doing more and more work in speculative pitches in the hope of landing the assignment. But that is no reason why public relation firms should give away their creative concepts and strategies. (See last week's op-ed by Jerry Johnson for more on protecting your creative intellectual property)

Public relations firms can and should take a series of steps to protect their intellectual property when pitching prospective clients, or even seeking new projects from existing clients. The more public relations practitioners act as if their intellectual property is valuable, the greater value it will have — and the more PR firms will be valued for their marketing strategy and expertise...]]>

Christine Barney
CEO
rbb Public Relations

Yet competition is fierce and the threshold for entry is high. So how can you win recognition for your agency's exemplary work? What key PR industry awards should you consider budgeting for — and how can you make your entries stand head and shoulders above the rest? What traits do repeat agency winners' campaigns and submissions share? What tangible results, support materials and metrics impress judges the most? For the answers to these questions and more, we spoke with industry executives to learn their secrets of winning awards that can earn industry kudos and greater client or prospect visibility for your agency's good work...]]> Diversity, Dollars, Done Right: New Ways Agencies Can Grab a Piece of the Growing Hispanic Market]]> Hispanics now make up more than 14 percent of the U.S. population — and that number is projected to reach 102.6 million people by the year 2050. Indeed, as a result, many companies are looking to customize their marketing efforts for this growing and increasingly prosperous group. But how effective is a marketing strategy explicitly targeting Latinos? What mistakes do agencies make when they try to target this demographic? How successful are PR agencies that have developed Hispanic divisions?]]>

Damian Rintelmann
Director of Web
operations
MS&L Digital

What's more: What are the elements of an outstanding PR agency site? Which optimization tools and techniques do the best agencies use? What do clients look for when they visit your site — from case studies and client lists, to specialty areas, agency marketing philosophies, leadership profiles and more? We interviewed several agency executives for the answers while viewing and studying their sites. Here are their secrets of building websites that woo and wow prospects without fail:]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

When it comes to the profession of public relations—the business models, traditions and assumptions — what is the most dangerous idea?

Dangerous ideas challenge popular conceptions and, if true, threaten to cause major shifts in what people do and how they think.

On October 23, 2008, the Council will probe this provocative notion at this year's Critical Issues Forum, which will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Council...]]> By Jerry Johnson, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning, Brodeur

Perhaps one of the more nettlesome issues among public relations firms is how to handle the creative pitch process. Specifically, to what extent should an agency "give away" creative?

This issue always leads to heated discussion because it touches both emotion and the pocketbook.

Let's start with the pocketbook. As we all know, creative pitches are expensive. In a lean economy where money is tight and new budgets are rare, gambling with dollars on creative that may or may not do the trick is a risky proposition indeed...]]> Getting Your Agency in Top Shape to Be Sold]]> Most agency principals love to practice PR. Their primary job is doing great marketing for their clients. For this reason, they often don't think about their career end game — their exit strategy from their firm. However, a failure to build and structure your agency in the correct way can cost you hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars when it comes to selling out. Buyers look for a business that is managed in a certain way; a business that offers certain kinds of potential; and one that demonstrates certain characteristics of stability. So, what are the key steps that an agency principal should take to ensure that he or she garners the highest possible price when it comes time to sell?]]> ]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

In a service-focused environment such as a public relations firm, understanding all the issues connected with clients is of paramount importance. But with so much bandwidth occupied with the daily demands of client activities, agencies may not always have time to consider all the tangential issues, many of which originate in Washington, D.C., that may impact the PR business.]]> By Lloyd P. Trufelman, President & CEO, Trylon SMR

From a new media perspective, there is little difference from the way the industry was five years ago. It's more a question of how information dissemination has evolved.

Things are moving faster and the news hole is larger. The old days of sending press releases to fax machines are long gone. Now it's all about the Internet and e-mail. The challenge with fax machines was always "the last 10-feet" — how would the paper make it from the machine to a reporter's desk. That problem has disappeared. Now it's all done by e-mail and even instant messenger.]]>

Stan Levenson
CEO
Levenson & Brinker
Public Relations

But, how do you insure that your account managers understand the fine art of account service?]]> ]]> Why Your Agency Should Offer a Profit-Sharing Plan]]> One of the hallmarks of a great PR firm is continuity of its staff, and especially top management. When a great agency finds great performers, it is able to keep them. After all, that consistency of quality is what clients expect in their business partners—and its absence is actually a leading reason many clients shop around for other agencies.

Because they understand this requirement, many more forward-thinking and competitive agencies have tried a variety of creative ways to keep outstanding performers on the reservation—from extravagant salaries, benefits and perks to stock options. But one of the most popular employee enticements remains profit sharing...]]> By Lynn Casey, Chair & CEO, Padilla Speer Beardsley

My firm is employee owned, the result of its former leaders' interest in remaining independent and its current leaders' disinterest in taking on large amounts of debt to purchase the firm.

We created our Employee Stock Ownership Plan in 1993. For the next eight years, the company contributed the equivalent of nearly 15 percent of employee salaries to the ESOP trust. As a result, we were able to retire our previous leadership debt free.]]> By Melinda Zurich, Member Services Coordinator, Council of Public Relations Firms

People refer to them as Gen Y-ers, Millennials or digital natives. They are the generation that grew up on the Internet. They have computer and online skills that far exceed any other generation before it. They use online social networking sites such as Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, and Twitter everyday to connect with their peer groups, and to chronicle their lives in the world's biggest fishbowl...]]>

Thomas Amberg
President
Cushman/Amberg
Communications

But one thing is clear: When the client doesn't understand how its PR firm produces its best work, the relationship can founder. When agency staff feel abused, they can become frustrated and cynical, setting up an "us-them" relationship, which leads to a cascade of tension on both sides, and even the loss of the account.]]> ]]> Managing your PR Firm By the Numbers to Increase Profit]]> Some of the best-managed PR firms can typically generate net profits of 20-30%. Yet many settle for less, while others don’t even make it to either ballpark. Although great strides have been made industry-wide in the past several years — as the business has grown, so too has the financial acumen and sophistication of PR firms — the fact remains that a significant number of agency principals put so much in their business, practicing the craft of PR, that there’s little time left for working on their businesses to push for exceptional profit margins.

How can you join the elite agencies and start hitting the upper registers in terms of net profit? Put simply, the secret to generating such profit margins is being able to manage your firm by the numbers — by following a few key ratios and doing what they "tell" you to do. To help push your firm to the next level of profitability, even amidst an economic downturn, we spoke with Ron Weiner, president of Perelsen Weiner, a New York City-based Certified Public Accounting firm that has represented (and continues to represent) many public relations firms over the past 40 years in addition to a wide range of other professional service firms. Weiner has also honed his skills on this topic as it applies to PR by working with the Council of Public Relations Firms on its Benchmark survey for the past two years.]]> By Matt Shaw, Vice President, Council of Public Relations Firms

A week ago Tuesday — at 3:15 a.m. Eastern Time, to be precise — Willie Randolph was fired as manager of the New York Mets after months of speculation and much twisting in the wind. Was he ultimately to blame for the team's lackluster performance? It's hard to know that, but the overwhelming consensus was that management handled his termination poorly.]]> By Darryl Salerno, president, Second Quadrant Solutions

As we approach what many believe will be an economic slide, your actions as an agency leader will determine how well you perform through the downturn and after the economy rebounds. Many agencies assume that if the economy takes a turn for the worse, it inevitably means they will also feel the pain and therefore should take measures in anticipation of the reduction of income. However, many of the steps taken by agencies will actually increase the odds they will become victims of the downturn, rather than protect them against it.]]> Ed Moed
Managing Partner
& Co-Founder
Peppercom Have you ever had a client request additional services from you in a distant city? Has a prospect ever guaranteed a chunk of business to get you jump-started in a "foreign" market? Or how about this: Does your agency have special expertise that would perfectly suit business in, say, Silicon Valley or Boise or Miami?

If so, then you've already recognized that opening a satellite office can be a heady proposition. It means you're growing or going to grow. And it can be your first step to becoming a national (or international) powerhouse.]]>
]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

When you run Procter & Gamble (P&G), lots of people take note of what you do. When A.G. Lafley took over as CEO in June 2000, he admits in his new book "The Game-Changer," that "P&G was struggling." Business was performing "below expectation."]]> A Professional Service Industry Expert Analyzes, Compares and Offers Advice to the Public Relations Industry]]> When it comes to leadership training, sometimes the best learning opportunities come from observing industries other than your own. While they may seem like night and day, a PR firm and an investment bank, for example, may have more in common than you think.

That's because there are several similarities across disparate professional service industries. Delivering client service, for example, is one common denominator. The distinguishing characteristic, however, is that the most valuable assets of professional service organizations are their people.]]> By David Morse, Vice President for Communications, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Puzzlement #1—what's the brand?
I'm a sap for musical theater--Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I is one of my favorites and always brings a tear to my eye. I even played a song from the musical at my wedding. But my favorite scene from the movie version is when Yul Brynner, the King, muses to Anna about how he's to rule his kingdom and how will he know what he's doing is right: "Is a puzzlement!," he roars. ]]>

Anne Klein
President
Anne Klein
Communications Group

The public relations industry had a strong first quarter, and the outlook for the rest of the year remains mostly upbeat, although a slowing economy, and its impact overall, cannot be discounted.

This analysis is based on the Council's recent annual benchmark survey, which was conducted in March and April and was completed by 70 public relations firms.

Mike Moran
Content Discovery
Engineer
IBM Software Group

As a growing number of companies search for revenues outside the U.S. corridors, there's an expectation for PR to provide air cover. Unfortunately, the same pitfalls handicap international PR time and time again. With acknowledgement to David Letterman, here's our top-10 list of international PR mistakes.]]>

Larry Kamer
Senior Partner/Co-Chair
Corporate Practice Group
Fleishman-Hillard

Then came social media—and all bets were suddenly off. Today's typical PR agency faces numerous new challenges when it comes to managing client reputations. For starters, social media has changed where and how an organization's reputation is fostered and, increasingly, damaged. What's more, the last 10 years have seen trust in corporate America decline drastically, with the upshot that the public is more cynical than ever before when it comes to a brand's reputation—and PR's role in communicating it. As a result, many agencies are moving into monitoring and contributing to social media channels—while also initiating cause marketing and CSR efforts for clients … all in an effort to stay one step ahead of potential brand detractors and online "badvocates."]]> Lasky Edelman Keen

By Michael C. Lasky, Partner/Co-Chair, Litigation Chair, Public Relations Law Practice, Sara Edelman, Partner, Litigation, and Shirin Keen, Associate, Litigation, Davis & Gilbert, LLP

Every day, public relations firms distribute copyright-protected material. You may be unintentionally violating the federal copyright law when you photocopy a magazine article and share it with your clients by e-mail, post an industry newsletter on your company's intranet site or distribute a research report at a client presentation. As technology makes distributing works easier and easier, it is even more important to be mindful of copyright issues because the penalties can be severe – no matter how innocent the infringement may seem. This article provides a brief overview of copyright law and some tips about how to copy "right" and copy "wrong."]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

As you may have heard, CBS "legal analyst" Andrew Cohen went on the air this past Sunday morning and delivered an uninformed and mean-spirited commentary about the public relations business. Under the guise of reviewing Scott McClellan's new book "What Happened," Cohen wantonly attacked thousands of honest professionals who proudly work in the public relations field.]]>

Sherri Fallin
CEO
Duffey Communications

The increasing use of procurement means agencies need to learn to deal with this trend, understand the role and values of procurement professionals, and, in turn, learn to educate procurement officers about the business of PR and marketing communications.

What does all this mean to you, and how will it affect your business model moving forward? What kind of weight will client procurement specialists really have in determining which agency a client chooses in the future? Will this affect your bottom line in terms of retainer fees?]]> By Krista Pilot, Senior Vice President, DKC

"CSR purists" tend to have a negative view of PR, seeing spin in place of substance. It is as if they fear that some will think that CSR is only PR, a nice story presented to off-set bigger problems.

To counter the image of CSR as fluff or spin, these purists proclaim the value of metrics. If it doesn't have metrics, or isn't prescribed by the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative – a standard for reporting CSR externally), then they turn up their collective noses at it. Of course metrics are important – for CSR or PR. Companies have to back up claims of environmental or social goodness. ]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

So, how's your business doing this year? Have all the clients you need? Is the pipeline strong? These are great questions to get when you can respond: "We're kicking butt; we have all the business we can handle."

But there may be times when client activity slows and the pipeline needs extra fortification. It's during those times firms often shift into a different gear. It becomes time to re-focus on new business strategies, redouble firm marketing efforts, all the while maintaining high-quality service with your existing clients.]]> Lisa Sepulveda
CEO, North America
Euro RSCG Worldwide PR The decision to go "global" and expand your business will most likely be based on your client's international presence or intentions. Or it may be driven by a strategic push to leverage your practice areas and expertise in exciting, burgeoning markets ranging from Dubai to India and even the EU. But is going global really right for you?

If so, which markets are most suited to which of your core specialties—and how can you best break into them? For example, is it better to partner with an existing shop in that market—or should you hire a staffer there with on-the-ground, local experience? What are the biggest opportunities and pitfalls of going global?

While global PR is often the territory of larger agencies, there are a few agencies doing international PR that have 20, 30, or even 40 employees and don't have offices in foreign countries. But clearly, international PR is not for everyone. We asked leaders in the field for an assessment of the opportunities and pitfalls.]]> ]]> Client Retention Magic: How to Create Long-Term Relationships]]> Ken Makovsky
Chairman
Makovsky & Company Client retention is the big buzzword of the day among agencies seeking new ways to stem loss during challenging economic times. After all, it's far easier to drive additional revenue through existing clients than to drive prospects through your door. Even so, retaining clients is a darned difficult task—and the masters of account renewal have traditionally been very reluctant to reveal the methods behind their magic.

Enter Ken Makovsky, chairman of New York City-based Makovsky & Company (www.makovsky.com), which currently enjoys an extremely high client-retention rate. His goal is 80 percent this year—and he's on track to make it. Here, for Firm Voice readers, he breaks his silence and offers his prescription for transforming the miracle of superior client retention into an everyday practice at your agency:]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Yes, the first two letters in procurement are PR, but that's where similarities in these two functions diverge. And yet…

We first started seeing procurement's influence on the PR firm business in earnest at the beginning of this decade, when the economy faltered and companies across the board were tightening their belts.

There was much we didn't know at the time, but we learned, painfully sometimes, that this new client constituent would indeed be making an impact on the margins of PR firms. Negotiation with procurement managers tended to be exasperating, due in large part to their lack of understanding of what PR is and what firms did for their companies.]]> Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross
Chief Reputation
Strategist
Weber Shandwick Elizabeth Rizzo
VP, Reputation Research
Weber Shandwick By Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief reputation strategist and Elizabeth Rizzo, vice president, reputation research, Weber Shandwick

A new and more complex corporate communications landscape is presenting companies of all sizes and types with never-before-seen business challenges. Whether mastering revolutionary technologies that instantaneously spread news and opinions to audiences across geographic borders or satisfying an ever-growing group of demanding stakeholders, the role of the chief communications officer (CCO) has changed dramatically. As one Fortune 500 company CCO said: "The function's strength will be enhanced -- not diluted by bringing together a wider range of constituents --messaging/activities to shareholders, customers, government entities, analysts, employees, media, etc. -- all under one umbrella."]]> David Miller
U.S. Talent
Acquisition Manager
Hill & Knowlton

Every agency knows it's true: PR campaigns seeking to build brand and communicate with key client publics can no longer overlook new social media tools and channels. Put simply, there is a conversation going on right now about your client online—and chances are that you will need to be a part of it (or at least, aware of it) if your next product launch, program or messaging platform is to be successful.

But, how interested are clients really in social media, and what are they demanding in the way of social media PR efforts? In response, how are traditional agencies making the leap from social media neophytes to digerati elite? How can you ensure that your team is skilled in using new media tools ranging from blogs and podcasts to social networks, twitter, forums, virtual worlds and beyond? Read on for a review of how other PR firms are rising to the challenge of social media...]]> By Ron Loch, Senior Vice President, Gibbs & Soell Public Relations

An interesting thing happened when Barack Obama shocked the political world with his decisive win in the Iowa Democratic caucuses with a message of "change." Presidential candidates from both political parties claimed the message as their own. Hillary Clinton said she had been creating change for 35 years, John Edwards called himself an agent of change, Mitt Romney said he spent a lifetime making change and Mike Huckabee claimed to be the Republican's agent of change.]]> Holy Hit! What You Learn When You Handle PR for the Pope]]> You may have worked with a top-tier celebrity, a world-renowned CEO, even a super-model? But how many PR firms get to work with the Pope—and what's that like?

On Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the U.S., Stanton Communications (www.stantoncomm.com) of Washington, D.C., was part of a comprehensive media team directed by the Catholic Archdiocese, which included Catholic communicators from around the country.

What was it like to be involved in such a once-in-a-lifetime PR opportunity? How was Stanton Communications chosen to participate? What did they learn? We spoke with Peter Stanton, president of Stanton Communications to find out.

FV: What did you learn about the Pope from this experience?]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

If a client asked your PR firm to sell them an influencer list that you had assembled for another client, what would you do? Whom, or what do you consult to make a decision on a thorny, not-so-clear-cut issue?

While many decisions in the public relations domain may reside in a grayish area, where one's sound judgment is the truest and best guide, it would be a mistake to assume that there aren't also laws and regulations that can be applied to PR activities. (The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has primary responsibility for regulating marketing and advertising activities and claims, with the overall goal to protect consumers against unfair, false or deceptive practices.)]]>

Social media capabilities are either extremely or moderately important to 83% of clients, according to this survey question. When this same question was asked about a year ago, that percentage was 78%. Considering the rush to all-things digital, we don't see this number declining anytime soon.

Public relations firms are expected to prosper in 2008, even though the overall U.S. economy is facing the prospects of a down year. This forecast is based on recent survey data from the Council of Public Relations Firms, and, most recently, from comments made by experts participating in a Council-sponsored event: “Briefing on the Economy and Its Implications on Public Relations Firms.”

Panelists for the Council’s February 29^th webinar included David Wyss, chief economist for Standard & Poor’s, Alan Gottesman, managing director of West End Communications/Consulting; and Bruce Bishop, CFO, Next Fifteen U.S., a parent company to many leading PR companies such as Text 100, Bite Communications and Outcast Communications.

Tim Marklein EVP, General Manager Measurement Weber Shandwick

Measurement research is an unquestionable component of agency strategy when it comes to proving the value of public relations to your clients. However, the wide diversity of media targets and gamut of client industries require different forms of measurement. Mix in the even wider variety of now-conventional media forms, such as video, podcasts, webcasts, blogs, etc., and the advanced technologies behind SEO, and the complexity of measurement is further intensified.

Not surprisingly, the methods and strategies used to measure results vary widely from firm to firm. "No two organizations define results in the same way ...]]> Most important, you need a disciplined business development and brand building strategy, consistently targeting key prospect companies in your core industry areas, according to Brandon Edwards, president and chief operating officer of DAVIES Public Affairs (www.daviespublicaffairs.com) in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Jack Modzelewski President, Client Relations Senior Partner Fleishman-Hillard

"It all starts out with the right people and the right expertise. If we meet with a prospective client and they are looking for something very specific from us, we will introduce them to the people with the expertise they are looking for. If they, for example, are getting bad financial media coverage, we will sit down with them and our experts who deal with the financial media every day. We discuss their needs and they see if they want our firm to put together a plan for them," explains Jack Modzelewski, president, client relations and a senior partner with St. Louis-based Fleishman-Hillard (www.fleishman.com). ]]> Brad Schwartzberg
Partner and Co-Chairman
Davis & Gilbert, LLCVery few PR firms are employee owned, and for good reason — the approach does not work across the board — but execs at firms that do incorporate shares of ownership for employees say their programs have proved beneficial and profitable. But these programs need to be finely tuned to an agency's overall mission and then monitored closely to make sure the ROI — both for firms and participants — is substantial and sustainable.

The primary purpose of employee ownership is that it serves as a device for attracting and retaining talent in preparation for a sale, explains Brad Schwartzberg, a partner and co-chairman of the corporate department of the New York-based law firm of Davis & Gilbert, LLC.

"There are two sides to a plan," Schwartzberg says...]]> Brandon Edwards
President and COO
Davies Public Affairs The most successful PR firm leaders in the business will tell you that their number one criterion for building an exciting, prosperous, constantly growing agency is people — outstanding people. The formula sounds so easy, it's almost a cliché.

But why do some firms grow into behemoths and some languish near the bottom of the standings? Why are some consistently thriving and many in a constant struggle for solvency?

If hiring great people is the key, just how do you do that . . . and why do so many agencies fall short? What are the "rules" and processes that successful agencies follow to increase their success rate in hiring?

And once you are able to hire that great account manager or media relations director, how do you hold on to him or her? So many PR firms seem capable of hiring one or two — or even a string of — great people, but they fail to build a lasting team. How do the great agencies keep their outstanding performers year in and year out?]]>

Ron Sachs
President, CEO
Ron Sachs Communications

For this reason, Xenophon Strategies, Inc. (www.xenophonstrategies.com) of Washington, D.C., offers a number of different types of training ...]]>

Joseph Clayton
CEO
Widmeyer Communications

There is no question that election years impact PR campaigns. During a time when coverage in major media is dominated by the candidates — and their platforms, which target a wealth of PR-informed topics such as healthcare, education, personal finance and rising prices — revamped strategies are required to raise the visibility of your PR efforts. And with those strategies come opportunities — if you work smartly to be part of the larger story.

“Public affairs and policy campaigns are all about advocacy and raising issues,” explains Joseph Clayton, CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Widmeyer Communications (www.widmeyer.com). “For PR professionals working on those campaigns, elections represent huge opportunities to raise visibility and put issues squarely on the front page and the evening news,” Clayton observed...

John Bell
Managing Director
Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide

That is the opinion of John Bell, managing director and executive creative director at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (www.ogilvypr.com) in the Washington, D.C. office of the New York-based firm.

And he's not alone in that opinion.

According to a recent Council survey of its members, 60% of participating firms currently have a dedicated digital group, up from 49% a year ago. Further, 78% of participating firms claimed that their clients are either "extremely or moderately interested" in their digital/web 2.0 capabilities."]]> Jens Bang
President and CEO,
Cone, Inc. In-house employee development programs have been used by PR firms for some time, but the importance of such programs has been amplified by the growing need for more sophisticated preparation and campaign implementation across a swath of media forms and technological advances. While these programs vary from firm to firm, they all target the same results — properly trained staff members who understand their firm's culture, clients, and processes and procedures that need to be applied in the daily conduction of a firm's business.

How do PR firms create and implement these programs in ways that foster success? Agency leaders offer the following tips and insights ...]]> David S. Chartock

Fred Cook CEO GolinHarris

Innovative thought leadership and out-of-the-box creative strategy were the hallmarks of the award-winning Dow Chemical campaign conducted by GolinHarris and its advertising-firm partner Draft FCB. The campaign incorporated a notable “human element” theme—one that aimed to help people understand the connection between chemistry and humanity to show how Dow is mobilizing its resources to facilitate human progress, explained GolinHarris CEO Fred Cook... ]]> Aedhmar Hynes is citizen of the world. She and her family moved to the U.S. several years ago; she now holds dual citizenship in Ireland and the United States. Aedhmar lists "mother of four" with her other important title of Text 100 CEO, the $60 million multinational firm grew over 12% last year. Text 100 includes among its new accounts an exciting pro bono client that the management team agreed to take on.

Q: How did Text 100 get involved in a pro bono project?

Aedhmar: We had a meeting of the Text 100 leadership team across the agency's 31 offices. The firm is at a great place in its growth and maturity; it has lots of momentum. We started discussing the importance of doing things outside of the day-to-day work. The managers put several pro bono ideas on the table; we looked at six individual NGOs to determine which would be a good fit with the work, values and culture of Text 100 and where public relations would help the cause. Whatever we did, it needed to be global.]]> By David S. Chartock

Laura Tomasetti Managing Partner 360 Public Relations

Finding that "right" person to fill an account executive (AE) position is a task that just keeps getting tougher for agency leaders, given all the complexities of modern PR. And as the hiring process gets tougher, the time investment becomes more significant —on the part of the agency seeking help as well as its prospects. A laundry list of qualifications — such as ample experience, administrative and people skills, and some modicum of "street cred" — are combed over prior to interviews, but it’s often a more intangible and elusive "chemistry" that agencies truly seek.]]>

Steve Cody
Managing Partner
Peppercom

Steve talked with the Firm Voice earlier this week.

How can your firm tap into its key strengths to build relationships with potential new clients and seal the deal — and then deliver successful results to achieve a perpetual growth mode? Leading firm execs offer the following tactical and strategic insights:

But what should the role of the PR firm be in driving Corporate Social Responsibility? What qualities should a company look for in a CSR initiative? What mistakes do organizations make when formulating a CSR strategy? Can or should CSR be used to help a company with a bad reputation for, say, product quality?]]> Helen Ostrowski, Chairman of Porter Novelli, was the first female CEO of a top-ten public relations firm. She has clients around the world and travels to far-flung regions to meet with them and the global staff of Porter Novelli. She recently shared her take on all this traveling with The Firm Voice.

How many miles a year and how many countries do you cover?

Helen: Normally about 70,000 - 75,000 miles, and maybe 12 to 15 countries.

What's the hardest part of travel?

Helen: Internet connectivity is not as easy as you think...]]>

Jerry Schwartz
President
G.S. Schwartz and Co.

How do PR firms put together successful prospective client proposals to sign that tough new client? Leading execs offer the following advice...]]> By Kathy Cripps, President, Council of Public Relations Firms

Internship programs at Council-member firms are flourishing. Students eager to get practical, hands-on experience realize the competitive advantage gained by securing one of these valuable positions.

Despite a shaky economy, very few firms are planning to cut back on professional development this year. In fact, more plan to bolster the staff they have, and take the opportunity to strengthen from within.]]> By Ron Sachs, President, Ron Sachs Communications

Recently, I posed a simple challenge to the smart graduate students in a packed college classroom: "Raise your hand if you've written a letter to someone who is important to you, with your own hand, within the past year?" Only a few hands were raised in response — and some of them were only referring to greeting cards.

The answer is largely the same among other adults – and pre-college-age youth. We don't really 'write' in our own hand anymore. We type it, text it, speak it through a portable device. Satellite, Skype and techno-hype have become today's "communications."]]> Doug Spong
President
Carmichael Lynch Spong Let's face it: It's a natural inclination during an economic slowdown for management to cut back on marketing expenses. For decades, marketing pros have been pushing back to that with an argument that boils down to this: Economic slowdowns (or recessions or depressions, call them what you will) are precisely the time to keep the marketing pedal to the metal. While competitors are slowing down, this is our chance to capture market share and come out on top when things finally turn around. The PR pro's variation on this theme is typically this: While we may have to cut back on some of our marketing, public relations consistently delivers more bang for the buck than any other marketing discipline, so the PR budget should remain steady (in fact, the more we think about it, we should probably increase PR spending!).

What are you hearing from your clients about this year's budgets . . . and what are you advising them to do in the face of a slowdown? How can we protect our clients and how can we protect our budgets? We asked some of PR's most successful leaders how they're dealing with tougher economic times:]]>

One week after we celebrated Earth Day, we recognize the growing "green" practices of America's Leading Firms, which according to a recent Council survey are springing up at a steady rate. The Council will benchmark this data on an annual basis.]]> By Ken Eudy, CEO, Capstrat

A few years ago, our agency was kicking off work for a new client, which promised to be our largest. I was meeting with the CEO. We were having what I thought was a productive chat, discussing the issue that had prompted them to hire us. Innocently enough, I asked, "What do you think….?"

He didn't let me finish the question. "What do I think?" he tersely repeated my question. "That's not why I hired you. I hired you to find out what you think."]]> By Kathy Cripps
President
Council of PR Firms

If you are hiring at the mid or senior level at a PR firm, how important is it that candidates have agency experience? Most hiring managers will say it's certainly desirable, but that it shouldn't be a deal-breaker. As long as they have certain skills and are motivated, talent is talent.

However, putting these words into practice is not always easy. According to the Department of Labor's O-Net Web site (http://online.onetcenter.org/) there are some 50 (!) transferrable skills/work activities/knowledge/abilities/work styles that are applicable to a public relations manager, from the obvious (writing and problem solving) to the esoteric (speech recognition and social perceptiveness).]]>

Most agency leaders think that either it does not matter who wins the presidential election, or that Republican John McCain would be better for business. The two Democratic nominees finished a distant third and fourth in this survey.]]> ]]> By Kenneth D. Makovsky, President, Makovsky + Company
kmakovsky@makovsky.com
www.makovsky.com

Nearly half a century ago, television transformed the presidential election. Our current national election is also undergoing a radical reshaping … as a direct result of the rise of the new social media.

Senator John Kennedy of Massachusetts joined Vice President Richard Nixon for the first-ever televised presidential debate in 1960. People who listened on the radio believed that Nixon won the debate; television viewers credited Kennedy with the win. It was the dramatic visual contrast between the two that made all the difference. On TV, Nixon looked pale, sweaty and uncomfortable; Kennedy was young, polished and confident. It was his television persona that may have cost Nixon the White House.]]>
By Kathy Cripps,
President,
Council of PR Firms

Diversity is an important topic at public relations firms, and many are actively addressing the subject. This week's Firm Voice video comes courtesy of Howard University, and was taken during last month's Council-Howard Career Fair.

Turnout for our annual spring event was impressive. Seventy students from 13 different colleges and universities* participated in interviews with 16 different Council member firms*.

I asked Heather Flynn, senior staffing partner at Waggener Edstrom, why her firm attends every year...]]> ]]> By Kathy Cripps,
President,
Council of PR Firms

The Council of Public Relations Firms and the Arthur W. Page Society recently held a dinner and interactive roundtable to address...

Nick Ragone
SVP and Director of
Client Development
Ketchum PR

Just as the Internet is transitioning from "Web 2.0" to "Web 3.0," public relations is making a similar sort of transition.

If PR in the mid-1990's gave rise to enhanced one-way communication through the mass adoption of email and the Internet, and more recently new technologies like blogs, podcasts and other online tools have spurred something

Chris Kooluris Head of Disruptive Media Ketchum PR

resembling two-way communications, then what's on the horizon?

We don't believe it will be driven by new technology so much as it will be a change in mindset. We call it "disruptive PR," or to state it more accurately: companies and brands engaging their enthusiasts and stakeholders on their terms, not the companies'. In reality, it means ceding a little bit of the brand's identity to the enthusiasts who love it most by looking at the world through a new set of eyes: the enthusiasts...]]>

Country	2007: Revenue Growth vs. Prior Year	Average for Grouping	2008 Revenue Prediction
US	12%	---	up
UK	17%	---	up 8%
Denmark	15%	Nordics: 16%	up 10%
Finland	19%		up 7%
Norway	10%		up 10%
Sweden	14%		up 10-15%
Austria	8%	Western Europe: 7%	stable / up
Belgium	10%		(unsure)
France	2%		stable
Germany	(N/A)		stable / up
Ireland	4%		stable
Italy	5%		up 5%
Spain	15%		up 8%
Switzerland	8%		up 5-10%
Bulgaria	15%	Eastern Europe: 16%	(unsure)
Czech Republic	22%		up 12%
Slovenia	10%		stable
Russia	20%	Emerging Markets: 23%	up 20%
Turkey	27%		up
United Arab Emirates	20%		up 20%
India	25%		up 25-30%
Australia	17%	---	up

This Chart reflects the 2007 reporting and 2008 forecasts from 22 different national trade associations.

The growth leaders in 2007 were found in emerging markets such as Turkey, Czech Republic, India, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Western Europe, as a region had the slowest growth.

The projections around the globe for 2008 are for slightly slower growth than 2007, but still up across the board

Source: ICCO Global Report