Alt. Public Relations

Happy Friday,

You know its cost to the penny. But its value? Well… spending real dollars on PR requires a leap of faith.  

Most organizations do PR pretty much the same way—blowing their own horn through the same channels, using the same formulaic approach, and even the same words as everyone else. Think, “We’re thrilled… We’re excited…We’re proud… “ Sigh…

But self-promotion and self-aggrandizement are obviously self-serving. As such, people apply a 90% credibility discount (if they even read it), delivering little benefit per PR dollar spent.

Here’s an alternative to self-promotion that we used with great success:

Promote your clients instead of yourself. 

The premise is simple: In business, as in life, you must give before you get. So, spend PR$ to make your clients look and feel good (both), and they’ll return the favor by keeping you busy.

Clients pay close attention and care far more when PR portrays them positively, especially in their local newspaper, where friends and family will see it. It shows you're genuinely invested in their success, not just your own, which builds trust and goodwill fast. 

Tangible Benefits:

1.     Clients are likelier to retain the firm that acknowledges and celebrates their accomplishments, leading to increased loyalty and long-term partnerships.

2.     Projects that elevate the clients’ profile also enhance the firm’s reputation in the industry. Success stories can still be shared at conferences, in publications, and through awards.

3.     When you consistently promote your client’s success, you demonstrate a strong confidence that stands out from self-promoting competitors. This differentiation can attract new clients intrigued by a firm's willingness to put them first.

4.     Clients who feel valued are likelier to become advocates and refer your firm to their peers—the very best kind of BD.

5.     By elevating your client, your firm indirectly elevates itself, with no credibility discount applied. It's full-power PR.

Use more of your PR dollars to promote your clients, and you’ll get more sole-source work, earn the all-important ‘comfort-level’ advantage on proposals, build a bigger moat, and reduce the risk of misunderstandings or conflicts. It’s still a leap of faith, but the benefits are far more tangible and predictable. Plus, it just feels better to be quietly confident than braggy. 

Counterintuitive, yes. But a client-centric approach to PR is dollar-for-PR-dollar more beneficial to your bottom line than blowing your own horn. 

That's it.

I’m thrilled, excited, and proud to wish you a terrific weekend. 😄

Dave out

Feedback and blowback welcome: dave@goodnewsfriday.com

All past topics are still available at @goodnewsfriday.com

Written by me, not ChatGPT, with speed assist by Grammarly.