Category Archives: Public Relations

Self-publishing Is a Good Option for Ad Agency Principals

Ad agency principals who either are in the process of writing a book or are seriously thinking about writing one should consider self-publishing. (In the interests of full disclosure, I’ve represented both traditional and self-publishing concerns.)

Self-publishing is one of the fastest-growing industries and with good reason.

Traditional publishing houses are difficult to crack, and you can spend months pitching your book with nothing to show but a string of rejection letters. They’re typically more interested in established authors who are proven money makers, and the chances of a large publisher testing the waters with a new author are pretty slim.

Self-publishing gives you greater control with a higher royalty. Costs are relatively inexpensive, and you can get your books on the market faster. And with print on demand digital technology, you don’t need a lot of storage space.

Ad agencies with specific niches are especially good candidates.

According to Aaron Martin, director of self-publishing and manufacturing on demand at Amazon, “A lot of…niche content is doing fairly well relative to the rest of the economy because it’s very useful to people who have a very specific need.” Mr. Martin was quoted earlier this year in a New York Times article about the growth of self-publishing.

Of course, there are drawbacks to self-publishing, but on balance I believe it is a better option for most new authors than traditional publishers, and is something that could be beneficial for agency principals who already know how to market a product.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Paper Opens Its Doors to Readers

A Nashville TV station’s recent report about high fees a PR firm charged the city for its attempts to obtain favorable publicity for a planned new convention center evidently touched a nerve with Tennessean Editor Mark Silverman.

In a column titled “Tennessean coverage isn’t for sale,” Mr. Silverman noted that the TV report and subsequent comments on blogs “suggested that the firm coaxed favorable coverage about the civic center from The Tennessean; some bloggers and story chat participants even suggested that a Tennessean staffer was paid to write positive reports. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our stories and opinion columns cannot be bought.”

I’ll have more to say about paying reporters for favorable coverage in my next post, but for now I’m going to focus on another aspect of his column.

Mr. Silverman went on to explain how his paper works with PR firms and its commitment to ethics. He also described the lengths the paper went to in raising questions and digging for facts related to the convention center proposal. You can read his full column here: http://tennessean.com/article/20090809/COLUMNIST0113/908090331/1748

What especially caught my eye was the last paragraph, where he made an offer I wish more newspaper editors would make to their readers: Anyone interested in seeing how news decisions are made is welcome to attend a news meeting. All a person has to do is e-mail him to make arrangements.

I hope there are many who take him up on his offer, which he says he’s made before, because it would be an enlightening experience for those not familiar with this process. Reporters likely will be on their best behavior with outsiders observing them, but seeing how stories are chosen and what factors play into the news-selection process can only help strengthen relationships with the paper’s readers.

I applaud Mr. Silverman for his openness and his efforts to educate readers. Sounds like something a PR person might come up, doesn’t it?

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Celebrity Endorsements Can Be Problematic for Ad Agencies

Michael Vick, the former NFL quarterback who recently was released from prison for a dog-fighting conviction, is having a hard time finding a team that wants him. No doubt one of the reasons is the public relations baggage he’d bring and the controversy he’d generate.

If he ever plays football again, it’s hard to imagine companies lining up with endorsement offers. At one time Vick was an admired athlete and an attractive endorsement prospect. But, once his criminal activities came to light, public admiration quickly turned to revulsion.

Even though Vick has served his time, his tarnished image will be difficult, if not impossible, to repair. No company wants to be tied into a PR nightmare like animal cruelty or have its product or service associated with someone who committed such heinous acts.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Ad Agency Discounts May Hurt Long-term Image

A July 13 article in Advertising Age discusses how some ad agencies are getting creative to land new business. According to the article, which is titled “Shops Give Away the Shop as Recession Buster,” a number of agencies are offering big discounts on their rates or even free work.

One promotion that particularly caught my eye was the Brainstorm Group in Toronto, which ran a full-page ad of a coupon offering new clients a discount of $40,000 on a $250,000 retainer.

The agency had a spike of 1,600 Web site hits the day it ran the coupon and was invited to participate in five new business pitches. No takers, however, on the coupon.

I’m all for creative ideas, but I can’t help but wonder what the long-term effect will be for agencies that use such tactics. Whatever happened to emphasizing value rather than positioning oneself as the Wal-Mart of adverting agencies?

Besides, there are some things that just don’t seem appropriate for discounts. For example, in recent years I’ve seen ads from LASIK eye surgeons offering reduced fees for a limited time. I don’t know about other people, but if someone is going to be doing surgery on my eyes, I’m far more interested in getting the most competent doctor than in getting the cheapest one.

While ad agencies that offer discounts for new business may have some short-term gain, the damage to their image will, I believe, be hard to shake. Of course, if an agency needs business now to survive, the long-term isn’t the most pressing concern. But for those agencies that intend to grow rather than just survive, discounting services now may end up having a higher price tag later.

If a retainer was worth $250,000 a year ago, it ought to be worth that today.

For clients who can’t afford to pay as much as in the past, the better approach is to reduce value (i.e. agency time spent on the account) commensurate with the reduced fee.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Careless Newspaper Burns Ad Agency

Earlier today I received a phone call from David Jacobs, senior vice president and director of interactive at The Tombras Group. He called in response to my recent post about a spacing error and typo in a full-page ad announcing the agency had earned top honors at the national 2009 ADDY Awards Show. What he shared was interesting and disturbing.

The ad, which only ran in The Tennessean, was initiated by the paper to congratulate The Tombras Group on its award. According to David, The Tennessean sent the agency a suggested ad that contained typos. The Tombras Group corrected the typos, including the spacing error and misspelling of “mountain,” and sent the revised copy back to the paper.

David and his colleagues were expecting The Tennessean to send a copy of the corrected version back for approval, but the next thing they knew the ad was in the paper’s Sunday edition.

These errors not only reflect poorly on the agency, but also unfairly diminish its achievement. This is a real injustice to The Tombras Group, and I hope The Tennessean will do the right thing by publicly acknowledging its errors.

Of course, if someone from The Tennessean has additional information to share about this or another perspective, I invite that person to either comment on this post or get in touch with me. If someone from the paper does contact me, I’ll report the results here.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Spell Check Works Wonders for Ad Agency Ads

Yesterday when I opened the main section of our newspaper, The Tennessean, I saw a full-page ad for The Tombras Group touting its national 2009 ADDY Award. I’m guessing this same ad ran in markets other than Nashville as the agency has several locations.

A national ADDY Award certainly is an honor worthy of tooting one’s own horn. However, although there was little copy, the agency managed to run two words together without a space (theSmoky) and misspell Mountain as “Mountian.”

I’ve certainly made my share of typos over the years, but how does it affect your confidence in an agency’s competence when you see something like this in an expensive ad?

There should have been a small army of proof readers going over the copy before the ad was ever released to the paper, and speaking of the paper, how come no one there caught these errors, either?!

Just running spell check would have caught these mistakes, but apparently no one took the time to bother. So, an expensive ad buy is tarnished, as is the reputation of an agency that should have been basking in the limelight for its accomplishment rather than facing embarrassment over careless mistakes that undermine the confidence it is trying to establish.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

PR Brings Credibility to Ad Agencies

One of the reasons public relations is such an effective tool for ad agencies is because of the credibility it brings.  When your agency or one of your clients is the subject of a news story, people know the story has gone through a third-party filtering process.

Although you lack control of what’s reported, that’s precisely why news media coverage is so much more credible than an advertisement – people know the message wasn’t purchased.

In an integrated campaign, having coverage from an objective news source brings more credibility to the advertising message itself.  Credibility also enhances your agency’s reputation, and when it comes down to it, what’s more important than your reputation?

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Consistency a Must for Ad Agency PR to Be Effective

Sporadic PR is a lot like sporadic exercise – it’s better than none at all, but not nearly as effective as when there’s a consistent effort.  And, as is the case with having a disciplined exercise program, the results are noticeable.

One of the most galling things for agency principals is to watch from the sidelines as competitors are quoted and featured in the news media. Even worse, agencies that were not part of the story often have more experience and expertise than the agency that got the exposure.

Of course, the impression people get is that the folks quoted are the cream of the crop in their profession, which may or may not be true.  But you can be sure it’s no accident that some agencies get more ink and air time than others.  It’s because they have an intentional, ongoing effort to get their names in the marketplace, and they have made PR a priority.

In fact, many small- to medium-sized ad agencies have discovered they can run rings around larger competitors through an on-going public relations program.

From commentary about current marketing issues and guest columns to recognition for community involvement and winning awards, a consistent PR program can help ad agencies get more exposure to important audiences and compliment their new business efforts.

If your agency doesn’t have one in place, what’s stopping you?

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Media Training Helps Ad Agencies Avoid Missteps

Whenever you see or hear someone say something that comes back to bite them, there’s a good chance the gaffe could have been avoided by undergoing media training prior to the interview.

Media training helps agencies and their clients learn how to take control of an interview and effectively deliver key messages.

In an age of sound bite communications, companies need articulate spokespersons that are prepared to deal with the unexpected and can deliver clear, concise and consistent messages to a variety of audiences. How well you communicate, and the degree of credibility you maintain with important audiences, will likely affect your company’s image for months or even years to come.

Practicing answers to difficult questions before an interview can be extremely helpful in formulating proper responses and avoiding saying something you’ll regret later. Media training also helps identify key issues, recognize public relations pitfalls and enables you to make the most of opportunities to promote your product or service.

It’s worth the time to properly prepare for an interview – otherwise, you might end up spending a lot more time trying to undo the damage.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.

Ad Agencies Need to Develop Relationships with News Media

One of the best ways to get mentioned regularly in news stories is to become a trusted source for reporters. The way to begin that process is to develop relationships with key journalists so they know you are someone they can trust to provide a knowledgeable response or suggest other contacts for them.

Reporters are busy people, and making their jobs easier will win you points every time.

When I start working with a client in a new industry, one of the first things I do is identify the reporters who cover that industry. I’ve found it helpful to make an introductory phone call (making sure the reporter is not on deadline) and ask what types of stories are of particular interest. Sometimes, I even ask for the reporter’s advice on where to learn more about the industry and the best way to work with him or her.

Like everyone else, reporters enjoy talking about their work and what interests them, yet few people take time to ask these types of questions before making a pitch.

It’s also a good idea to write a brief note from time to time to the reporter when you see a story he or she has done in your area of interest. It may even be appropriate to offer ideas for a follow-up story or make the reporter aware of helpful resources.

By focusing on reporters’ needs rather than yours, you’ll build stronger relationships and improve your changes for positive media coverage.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.