“Who does a CEO call first in crisis? Now it’s the PR” (Evening Standard 15th March 2010)

This article highlights the renaissance of the PR industry as it has bucked the trend of depleted budgets and spending during the recession. Chime Communications has recently unveiled a 15% increase in profits and Martin Sorrell concurs with the uplift, emphasising the rise in financial importance of his portfolio of PR agencies.

Undoubtedly, there has been, as the article explains, an increase in the importance of PR for corporations and high-profile individuals. Danny Rogers of PR Week (as he should) believes the discipline has “moved up the food chain” over the past 5 years. We would agree. Ten years ago, a high proportion of the Alchemis client base consisted of PR agencies of varying size, stature and sector experience. Since then we have seen a marked dip in the number of clients in this industry, and it has been a much smaller proportion of our turnover for some time. Whereas we used to work in financial, corporate, technology, manufacturing and pharmaceutical markets, more recent PR clients have been consumer focused and even here, it has been a tough environment to be working and driving business development. However, I believe the recession has helped the PR industry. Agencies are often viewed as a cost effective alternative to advertising and we have seen this, with several PR clients in varying markets enjoying successful new business campaigns over the past 12 months.

This perceived cost benefit is just one side of the coin. More importantly, corporate reputations are far more fragile with the rise of the internet, digital media and almost instant worldwide coverage. PR agencies have adapted in recent years to embrace a digital offer. Whilst a reputation can be damaged at the click of a mouse button, they can also be protected and enhanced. PR agencies that will survive and thrive will understand the importance of the digital space and be equipped to use it to good effect for their clients.

What is very interesting from a new business agency perspective is the identification that, despite prominent PR agencies being full of talent, the power and hence profits remain with the founders. This, Rogers believes, will result in the emergence of many breakaway agencies. I believe that this has always been the case to a degree as we have worked with many PR agency start-ups utilising that “big agency” experience as a key selling point. Additional agencies entering the market should only be positive news for a specialist business development agency such as Alchemis. We have always built strong relationships with PR people who tend to be extremely loyal taking us from agency to agency throughout their careers. The offers are diverse and the very nature of the discipline lends itself to more in-depth, engaging and interesting conversations for our New Business Managers. Not every sales person “gets” how to sell PR as it is not as tangible or quantifiable as other disciplines, but we have a real heritage in the area and a bank of highly capable people ready to fill a PR gap in their client portfolios.

Another solid performance from the sales team in February. We had several new clients start this month and even the most veteran business development professional gets a buzz from setting that first great meeting for their new client.

Having so many new clients come on board can make life complicated so I’m glad to report the sales team have risen admirably to the challenge.

The other challenge we faced in February was a five-a-side football match against another new business agency. As the pre match hype reached fever pitch the significance of this game grew to unbelievable proportions so it was with considerable apprehension that we learned the other team was comprised of one business development guy and 4 ringers. Worse still, this five-some was actually a regular five-a-side team that play in a league every week.

I knew my guys talked a good game. As a company we punch well above our weight when it comes to knowing football trivia and I’d been treated to several beer fuelled accounts of people’s glory days on the pitch when they were younger but I was convinced a team used to playing together would soundly thrash us.

This didn’t stop us buying football kit for everyone in the company and a very gaudy trophy to be presented to the winning team.

As kick-off approached the mood among our fans was, I felt, unreasonably hopeful. This possibly owed much to the fact that the ban on drinking spirits common in the professional leagues was not being observed. Among the players on the pitch the sense of impending humiliation was palpable. But then something strange happened. As we kicked the ball around during the warm-up it became clear that there was some real talent in the team, but would we have the stamina or organisation to win a competitive match?

Actually we won convincingly. As one of the star players, the leading goal scorer, main creative force and the defensive rock from which our victory was chiselled it’s probably fairer I let someone else write the match report. What I will say is that the way we gelled together so quickly and went about our task of dismantling the opposition was phenomenal.

I’m also happy to report that the crowd were impeccably behaved despite the presence of known troublemakers. And that this Corinthian spirit continued in the pub afterwards where both teams gathered. We became more gracious in victory the more we drank….A rematch has been demanded by the opposition and we shall oblige but first we have the Alchemis Sponsored Run for Sport Relief in March.

Having been bowled over by our performance in the football match I’ll not be surprised now if this motley crew don’t churn out 4-minute miles one after the other.

It’s the old cliché of you get out what you put in, but it is all too true when working with almost any supplier, and this is amplified if you engage with a business development agency. You have budgeted for a significant amount of money and taken the bold step of handing over a core business activity to an outside company.

However, it is not that simple. We can’t conjure new business from thin air. Cold new business is a tough process and we, along with any other new business agency, are only as good as the effort both parties put in. There is no doubt that a collaborative approach works the best, not only in terms of results, but also as an enjoyable working experience. Communication and relationship are everything. After working with c.500 marketing agencies over 11 years, these are my top tips for maximising your new business agency:

1. Get off on the right foot:

Set the partnership up from day one. You will have shared some business objectives and goals before making your decision to use us, but be open with your designated New Business Manager. We are genuinely interested in how your business is structured, your core vision for the future and your objectives from the relationship. You would share this with an internal recruit, so why not your agency.

2. Invest time in the briefing process:

Inducting your New Business Manager into your agency is key. Take them around to meet and talk to key personnel as hearing about your company from a number of viewpoints gives a well-rounded picture. Your caller needs to feel part of the team and this undoubtedly helps.

Really take the time to give a full briefing on your company. We know you have been through it a thousand times before, but we haven’t. It is new and exciting and we want to hear about why you set the company up and the ethos and philosophy behind it. Often there are gems, which can work wonders on the phone. Give us as much as you can and we will take the relevant “sales” parts from it.

3. Case studies, case studies, case studies:

These are the most important sales tools we have. We will guide you as to the ideal format, and as always, quantifiable results are gold dust. It is well worth spending time in creating great looking case studies, which can be used as a sales tool for your caller and also by you in new business meetings.

4. Be passionate:

All our clients are passionate about their work and achievements and this really filters through to your New Business Manager. It is a requirement of both parties, but getting the enthusiasm you feel for your company and your work to manifest itself in your caller can only come from you. They need to leave that initial briefing feeling inspired to sell your business.

5. Communicate:

The briefing is the starting point. We will keep you updated of progress, but you need to commit to do the same. It is rare, but occasionally we have worked with agencies who have been “too busy” to take our calls for weeks on end. We can’t work effectively like that. We never lose sight of two things.

• You are paying us to do a good job
• We are taking responsibility for your business growth and frankly, personal success

6. Keep your agency updated:

It is the hardest thing to do. You have just finished a great project and moved onto the next. The former is confined to history. Take time to tell us about it and write up a case study. We love going back to prospects with something fresh to say and it gives your agency the air of vibrancy and success.

7. Feedback:

It is not always 100% positive, but we need to know in order to change or develop our approach. Once you have been on a meeting, let us know straight away if it was good, bad or ugly. Let us know why and let us know what the next step is. A good meeting needs to be followed up on and we need to agree when and by whom. That way we can drive the process.

More importantly, your New Business Manager likes a pat on the back for a job well done, so make sure you send that email or make that call after a great appointment.

8. Honesty:

We give you total permission to be honest with us (you are paying us after all), but we need the same. If you have concerns, we want to nip them in the bud. If something is not working on the phone, we want to let you know and agree a new strategy or direction. We don’t like surprises, so please tell us if something is keeping you awake at night.

We don’t always get it right first time, but if we don’t know, we can’t fix it.

9. Manners:

It costs nothing. Treat us, and your caller as you would treat your own staff. Rudeness and disrespectful behaviour will not get the results you are looking for. It adds an additional pressure that can only be detrimental. As previously mentioned, if things aren’t going as well as they might, one thing you can be assured of is that we will die trying to change that. Work collaboratively with us and we will both reap the rewards.

10. Enjoy it:

We create a fun and rewarding environment at Alchemis and a big part of that is the quality of the clients we work with. We enjoy working with a diverse range of interesting clients and we want you to enjoy working with us. If together we ensure all points above are covered, I assure you that will be the case.