The Bailey Blog

This Potential Client Could Have Been “Sheet” Outta Luck

We can Tweet.

We can Twitter.

We can Text.

But to Joan Rivers’ point, “Can we TALK?” Seems that last one is a lost art…at least it almost was to a cold-call prospect I got this week.

The guy owns a fine European linen shop in Birmingham, Mich. If you ain’t from here, couple bucks in that town…very high end on the demographic meter.

In other words, I know “fine Euro linen” about as well as Keith Richards does about doing decathlons.

But, this shop owner wanted to learn more about PR. Now that I know…most days.

He went to the phone book, and called four local firms to ask them what they do. We were one of them.

I went out to meet with the owner recently. We hung out for an hour or so to discuss what he did, what he wanted to do, what we did and how we do it.

Bottom line is the guy probably can’t afford some of our services on a regular basis.

But, I gave him some ideas that he really liked, promised I send over a menu of some ideas/tactics with fee ranges if he wanted to go to the next step or get some counsel in the future.

He was very appreciative.

We were the only firm to come out to meet him.

Others assessed his lack of full PR knowledge …and budget to some extent…and treated him like one of those guys that call you during dinner to find out if you need your gutters cleaned.

Here’s what those other PR firms forgot:

1) We are in “communications” - not a lot of people really know what that is outside the field. By making the assumption that “everyone gets it” we miss the opportunity of allowing potential clients to know how we can help or that certain services/products are even available.

2) I learned what “fine Euro linen” means. It means this gent works with people who are cool with spending $100,000 plus on interior decorating projects alone. Heck, maybe even just one room. They are movers and shakers in this town that during business hours, do other stuff. That stuff could be a business in need of PR services and products.

When our shop owner works with these well-heeled individuals and hears about some potential PR need a customer is dealing with at work (see? now the shop owner has a way to determine what a PR issue is because someone told him), who will he suggest to his customer? The firm that blew them off for lack of budget…or the guys who took an hour out of their day to “talk” and do a bit of brainstorming?

3) Marketing one’s firm isn’t only checking the boxes when about buying an ad in the PRSA directory or golf outing program. It’s not even just about a cool blog or website. It’s about getting out in the community where you not only work, but live. It’s about seeing PR as a true service…one where “counseling” and “consultation” is involved. It’s about “relations” with the “public.”

Are we doctors curing cancer or even lawyers upholding constitutional principles?

Well, no….are britches aren’t quite that big.

However, when a firm forgets that the word “service” doesn’t start with a “$,” they are already communicating.

But the message isn’t as pretty as fine Euro linens.

And, that smell isn’t potpourri.