Seeing Clients Bigger: Integrated Comms is the New Normal

I recently had the opportunity to speak at the virtual edition of the Global PR Summit Canada 6 on integrated communications, and spoke to the audience on how we as PR pros can navigate modern comms by taking an omnichannel approach. At FAULHABER, our secret sauce is seeing our clients bigger and constantly realigning on what success looks like at any given moment.

Industry conferences are a great way to not only connect with other PR professionals, but to learn new ways of approaching our work that helps to challenge our thinking. Here are some key takeaways from my talk and be sure to keep following @faulhabercomm for more insights on seeing clients, bigger.

OMNICHANNEL

PR has changed. Impressions from media wins, an influencer campaign and some product placements used to equal success, but it’s not that simple anymore. Modern PR calls for a more integrated approach across all consumer touchpoints to deliver success, and those touchpoints are changing daily. Social media, experiential, paid digital, affiliate, partnerships, CSR, newsletter strategy, cohesive instore and online experiences just to name a few, are all levers we pull when taking an omnichannel approach to PR.

If a client hires you for an event, what else have you brought to the table? Challenge yourselves to see the event bigger than the client saw themselves. Examples of this could be to add a virtual element to extend geographical reach or hire influencers to take content at the event and then translate it into a paid campaign, driving sales.

When we look at the full picture and all the possible communication touchpoints it is always possible to expand and build upon your clients’ omnichannel experience.

SEEING CLIENTS, BIGGER

If you follow FAULHABER, you’ll know that Seeing You, Bigger, is part of our new purpose. So what does Seeing Clients, Bigger mean? It means creating business opportunities where none existed. Going BEYOND the scope to bring and execute ideas for clients that move the needle.  Leave nothing on the table.

Practical ways you can see your clients bigger include:

Proposing a partnership between two like-minded clients in different industries

•   If a plan isn’t working, why not scrap it and pivot? Too often we’re scared to tell a client something isn’t working, but this transparency will build trust and ultimately, stronger results.
•   Share an interesting article on an industry trend, or what a like-minded brand is doing (don’t forget to think global!).
•   Look at your client roster and ideate how you could partner some of your brands together.
•   Execute and share a digital audit with your client – even if they didn’t ask for one.
•   If you are representing a specific market for a global brand, provide market insights or consumer research to add a deeper understanding of what makes their audience tick in your market

Something I get asked a lot is how to find time to go above and beyond for your clients. While it can be hard to carve out time to be creative, seeing clients, bigger, doesn’t have to be complicated. You can maximize simple activities to showcase your above and beyond thinking for your clients:

•   Soak in as much as possible, from local experiences to industry conferences, you never know what might spark an idea.
•   Network with people at every level. You may uncover a partnership opportunity, cool idea or a new platform to showcase your clients.
•   Schedule in time to think outside the box, both with your team and your clients. Book quarterly check-ins and brainstorms to re-evaluate your plans and think of new ideas to take them to the next level.
•   Technology is your friend! Sign up for industry or trend-focused newsletters and get ideas right to your inbox, book yourself even 15 minutes every Friday to look through your socials for the next trend. Take little steps towards seeing bigger.
  

UNCOVERING WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

If you’re not asking what success looks like, how do you know what is expected?

There are a lot of levers you can pull when it comes to ROI. Understanding what success looks like will help you choose the right measurement to meet expectations. Relationships with clients are important. Expectations from clients have changed. Check in regularly. Implement clear success metrics to make sure you’re hitting the mark.

Have a question about seeing your clients bigger? Send me a DM @cf_faulhaber