Susan Young, writing at p.r. newsletter Ragan.com last week, lists ten things clients say that scare public relations people. It's a good list with some client comments and requests that will seem all too familiar to many of us in the agency world.
I have a running joke with my contact at one of my clients, echoing the CEO's frequent request to get him on Oprah. And what do you think is the #1 item on Susan's list? Yes, it is "I want to be on Oprah."
Few media personalities seem to have the clout with the public that Oprah has. Years ago, a p.r. person would have been lamenting the phrase "Get me on Carson," referring to late-night king Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. These days, though, the late-night audience is split into small pieces between Letterman, Conan, Nightline, Seinfeld reruns, quality first-run shows on cable and what are probably the vast majority who are online, texting or tweeting.
Yes, it's a very different media world today. But it doesn't stop clients from making outlandish or unrealistic demands.
Beyond "Get me on Oprah," here are a few I've heard...
* Let's make a video that will go viral on YouTube
* Put me on Twitter (or Facebook) and get me as many followers (or friends) as Ashton Kutcher
* Get me on the cover of (fill in the blank -- any major magazine will do)
* Lie about the numbers. No one will know.
Part of an agency person's job is managing expectations. There's a lot we can do, especially in this fast-changing media marketplace. But there are still some things we simply can't accomplish, and some we simply shouldn't even try to do because they're not ethical.
Setting the level of expectations at a realistic and honest level is an important part of client relations and if it's done as soon as the first offbeat request is made, chances are you will be a lot happier. Maybe not as rich, because some clients don't want to be told no and they'll fire you. But in the long run, you'll survive and -- most important of all -- you'll be able to look at yourself in the mirror.
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