Beware Dollar Store Diamonds
by Frank L. Williams
President Dwight D. Eisenhower is quoted as saying, “Some people wanted champagne and caviar when they should have had beer and hot dogs.”
I’ve encountered this thought process on numerous occasions throughout my 30-year career as a professional communicator. A client or potential client outlines a grandiose vision for what they want to accomplish. When I tell them how much it will cost, they balk at the price. They often ask, “Can you do it for less?”
To put my own spin on this idea: some people want high-quality diamonds at dollar store prices.
In some instances, they try to do it in-house, relying on one person with a limited skillset to do the work of a diverse team. In other cases they shop for the lowest price, sacrificing quality and the strategic insight gained from years of experience in the process.
Years ago, one client assigned public relations and marketing tasks to their receptionist. While she had a communication degree, she was fresh out of college and had no experience to draw from in working with what was often a very challenging client. To make matters worse, she never had time to do the marketing and communication work because the phone never stopped ringing. Then they fired her for not completing the marketing tasks.
In another case, a client wanted to run a digital ad campaign promoting multiple retail outlets, but barely allocated enough funds to promote one location, much less all of them. The campaign was not successful.
Public relations is a challenging profession that is not for the faint of heart. Professional communicators are pulled in a million different directions every day. They jump between putting out fires and planning future campaigns. They manage multiple projects at a time while trying to please clients who often have unrealistic expectations.
Good PR people also have skills that others simply lack. In an age where writing skills often seem to be a relic of the past, effective communicators excel in putting ideas into words that resonate with the intended audience.
At Pioneer Strategies, our mission is “Building Success through Effective, Strategic Communication.” We define building success as helping our clients achieve their business goals. Strategic communication is how we do it.
Every PR person I know wants to do a good job for their client. When I develop a proposal, it’s based on the amount of time, resources, and bandwidth I believe are required to help the client achieve their goals.
When I’m asked if we can do it for less, my answer is “What do you want us to leave out?”
Effective communication work requires time, focus, and hard work. We can’t give you a high-quality diamond at a dollar-store price.
Ready to invest in a communication campaign that will help you achieve your goals? Drop us a line!
