Why Consistent Communication is Key with Client Partnerships
By Amanda Delgado
Published August 18, 2020
A foundational cornerstone in our creation of long-term client relationships is Carve’s belief and dedication to consistent communication. As we always say, it all starts with a narrative, and with certain guidelines in place, our partners can always feel assured about how we’re sharing their brand messaging with the media. It is our job as PR professionals to proactively demonstrate transparency within the partnership, allowing clients to recognize what success looks like down the line. We do this by highlighting the uniqueness of each client, designating specific goals and KPIs, and steady communication. This is not only key for a work relationship, but also at the start of the partnership when the agency is strategizing the best methods for building brand awareness.
Here are some ways Carve implements consistent communication with our clients:
WHAT’S THE 411?: When presenting a new media opportunity, whether from a trade or top-tier publication, Carve acts as an educator to our clients in order to illustrate the process of media relations. We keep it exciting, concise and informative when reiterating the “why” behind what makes certain story angles and announcements more newsworthy than others. We avoid PR jargon and ensure our clients understand what the opportunity entails, what publication or journalist is involved, explain the value proposition, and outline the potential story timing and deadline.
SHARE RESULTS IN REAL TIME: We amp up typical performance reports by generating an outline of what is being accomplished on a weekly basis. This ensures all client stakeholders are fully informed of our activities. At the end of the month, our 30-day coverage report feels so much better to share when our clients are aware of how each and every opportunity came to fruition. When highlighting the weekly or monthly results, we include the status on pending placements, observations, and learnings from the past month.
BI-WEEKLY CATCH UPS: When taking time to break down the PR efforts on client calls, it gives us and our client a chance to regroup, converse and brainstorm. In a world where we’ve all gone virtual, we’re not afraid to suggest an informal virtual happy hour every now and then to chat together aside from work-related objectives.
TAILORED METRICS: Carve’s development of the exclusive “Carve Scoring System” for traditional media coverage is beneficial in communicating the value of each placement. This system offers our clients a better understanding of the role of public relations in building brand awareness and going beyond the total amount of impressions or unique monthly visitors.
Although finding the storyline for clients can be tedious and thought-provoking, knowing their specificities and communicating effectively with each client is where success lies, leading to meaningful engagement and accomplishments. Providing strategic guidance to clients paves the way for their brands and products to be seen by a wide range of audiences. We strive to continuously create a positive impact for their clients. With the agency and client consistently voicing the strategy and objectives, we are the connectors toward generating the utmost engagement and awareness.