5 Things My Clients Have Taught Me About Public Relations

Throughout my career as a public relations consultant, sure I’ve taught my clients a lot. But what’s been most surprising is how much they’ve taught me in return! Working in a wide range of industries has afforded me the ability to track some powerful trends and spot inconsistencies that require us to rethink strategies.

It should be obvious, yet all too often it’s overlooked at larger firms, that every single organization must have its own unique public relations strategy if they want to see the best return on their investment. Even for businesses in the very same industry, no two strategies should be identical. It simply doesn’t work!

So what are the most valuable PR lessons my clients have taught me along the way? Here are the top PR “best practices” I have learned, not from a textbook, classroom or industry group, but from my clients!

1. Public Relations is a lot more than writing.

When earning my Public Relations degree it felt like the vast majority of what I was doing was creating content in some form or another – pitches, press release, op-eds, video scripts, media talking points, website content, social media content – and the list goes on infinitely!

However, now as a PR consultant in “the real world” I see that content is only the starting point. My clients have taught me that the real value I bring to the table is what I do with the content I create for them. Never should this fall on their shoulders! Rather, I take the lead with our dissemination strategy, never giving up until we get the full attention the content deserves.

2. You don’t know what you don’t know.

My clients have also taught me that I cannot be (nor should I desire to be) a one-man-band of solutions. Rather, I’ve learned to rely on my network of fellow contractors and consultant who serve in a variety of fields and specialties. These counterparts lend advice and expertise to the unique challenges my clients face from time to time. Whether that’s monitoring new SEO trends, understanding advertising best practices or learning how to save some money on the way we design and print a marketing piece, having a network of trusted professionals is what allows me to see my own blind spots. After all, we don’t know what we don’t know!

3. There is no template or formula that works for everyone.

I love the vast variety of industries my clients expose me to. It’s challenging yet rewarding to be able to develop a mini expertise in so many different categories.  What this has taught me, more than anything else, is that there will never be a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to creating a public relations strategy. Everything I do must be custom built. Sure, some similar tactics may carry over, but they will be heavily tailored so that no two email blasts, no two direct mail pieces and no two press releases will ever be the same.

Even the same event for the same client, year-after-year will continue to morph until it’s almost unrecognizable from its first year. That’s a good thing! Through this, my clients teach me that there are no shortcuts, no templates and no magic formula. The value of what I provide is complete customization in everything I do.

4. Complacency will kill your business.

I love when clients come to me with new ideas for how they can revamp their communications efforts! It shows they value the power of communications and also that they’re keeping their eyes and ears open to new trends. What they’re also teaching me is that complacency is a business’s worst enemy. I learn from example. This same passion and drive for trying new things is what inspires me to also try new things! It’s the kick in the butt I need to always strive to take my offering of services to the next level, to forge power partnerships and to restructure business relationships so that everyone benefits.

5. Persistence is key.

Finally and most importantly, I’ve learned that in order to see the greatest return on your investment when it comes to public relations strategy, you have to remain persistent and consistent with your efforts. We live in a society where instant results and instant gratification are expected. However, communication takes time! It also takes many touch points with your target audience for them to really start to pay attention to what you’re saying.

Through having many of my clients serve as examples, I’ve been reminded time and time again that investing in forming real, meaningful relationships with your target audience always yields the great return – and this simply takes persistence!

In your own industry, have you found that your clients or customers have actually helped you to learn things you didn’t know before? Share your story by leaving a comment below!

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9 Tips for Planning a Successful Golf Outing Fundraiser

If you’ve ever planned a golf outing fundraiser, you know they can take up a lot of time and resources. However, they can also help your organization raise a good amount of cash…that is if you’re smart about it.

I’ve personally seen golf outings net tens of thousands of dollars in a single day, and others that seem to barely break even. The core differences between these two extremes can be boiled down into nine pieces of simple event planning advice.

Check out my tried and true tips for planning a successful golf outing fundraiser!

#1 Choose a golf course who is flexible and reasonable

Hopefully you have the power to choose among several golf courses. While yes, you want a course that people desire to golf, from the event planning perspective, you also want one that is flexible and reasonable with how the handle their golf outings.

Most recently I worked with a course that allowed us to bring in our own breakfast foods, coffee, beer and beverages for golfers to stock up on before hitting the course. They also provided catering on-site for the picnic afterword that was extremely affordable. While I gave them an estimated headcount, they only charged us based upon who actually showed up that day. Now that’s service! This level of flexibility may not be possible for everyone to find, based upon your location, but at least go in ready to negotiate!

#2 Coffee and donuts go a long way

If you can find that course that allows you to bring in coffee and donuts for your outing, do it! I’ve seen firsthand as to how this small gesture really welcomes your golfers and encourages them to stand around and chat with each other before hitting the green.

Especially if you’re planning a golf outing when whether tends to be cooler, a warm cup of coffee is more welcoming than a hug (and I don’t recommend you hug each golfer upon arrival). So, take the extra 20 minutes to grab a few dozen donuts and boxes of coffee. It won’t go unnoticed. Extras? Offer them to the golf course staff. Another win!

#3 Sponsorships, sponsorships, sponsorships

If this isn’t the first golf outing that you are planning, then you already know that sponsorships are really what make or break the event. Long before the day of golf arrives, you should have a pretty good amount of money committed to your outing by way of sponsorships.

Commonly, you’ll set various levels of sponsorships from Gold-level down to holes sponsors. Basically, make your sponsorship packages so attractive that no business sends a single golfer, but always sponsors a hole and a foursome (or more). Be sure to clearly communicate all the marketing benefits they’ll receive and make good on your promise.

What I’ve seen to be most effective is finding the person who has a personal connection to the business to make the sponsorship ask. Engage your board members (if you have them) to lend their hand in this way. Shooting off a few emails from the right people can result in thousands of extra dollars for your organization.

#4 Ask golf companies for charitable donations

Next, do your online research and compile a list of local, regional and national golf companies that offer charitable donations or sponsorships. You’ll be surprised by how many do! For example, you can request a free copy of Golf Magazine to give out to your golfers in their swag bags. Or Dixon Golf will send a rep along with a ton of free giveaways to enhance your outing with contests and prizes. Be sure to send in your charitable requests early. Some ask as much as 6 months in advance. This will also give you a good indication of what you can count on and where you may need to supplement your giveaways and door prizes.

#5 Sell Mulligans

At registration, be sure to hit your golfers up for a little extra cash by selling mulligans. I’ve found the pretty much every single person will buy them! For example, if you sell a mulligan for $5 each and each golfer in a foursome purchases 4 each (believe me, if one does they all will), then you’re standing to make an extra $80 in cash per foursome. The benefit to the golfer? A mulligan is a second chance to perform an action, usually after the first chance went wrong. Essentially, the golfer is allowed to replay a stroke (even though this is against the formal rules of golf). Hey, it’s earning money for a good cause, right?

#6 Everyone loves free stuff

So we’ve talked about the free donuts and coffee and anything else you might get donated from golf companies. Don’t forget about providing a bag of snacks and other small items for golfers to load up on before hitting the green. Prepack a small bag of items like crackers, chips, trail mix, granola bars, non-meltable candy and gum. You can also put any of your organization’s marketing materials into these bags to ensure they’re received. Golfers will always appreciate a new sleeve of golf balls, tees, a t-shirt or hat. Know your audience and what they would most likely appreciate and focus your budget on these items.

#7 Cash is the best prize

Are you struggling to think of what the winning foursome, closest to the pin golfer or longest drive golfer will appreciate as their prize? Keep it simple for everyone and give out cash. This way, the golfers can put that money toward what they really want and need and aren’t stuck with something they’ll just look to give away. There’s no lack of use for cash! Plus getting out cash from the bank is the easiest gift shopping you’ll ever do.

#8 Run an efficient agenda

A golf outing is a long day for everyone. No matter how you slice it, a round of golf will pretty much take four hours. When your golfers come off the green, they’ll be tired, hungry and starting to think about hitting the road.

As part of your outing, you’ll likely want to provide them with an afternoon picnic or evening dinner. Plus this is your opportunity to share news and updates about your organization and bring everyone together one last time before saying “see you next year.” My advice is to run a very efficient agenda to keep people engaged. This means have the food ready to go as soon as people start filtering back in. Buffets are great because those who arrive first can get a head start and you aren’t waiting on the stragglers. Then, when most are seated and eating, kick off the program portion of your event. Announce the winners, draw the door prizes, make your announcements and share your thanks for those who helped to make the event a success. If your event gets the reputation that the dinner runs long and dry, more and more people will start to skip it altogether.

#9 Follow-up with unpaid sponsors and golfers

Finally, and most importantly to making your golf outing fundraiser a success is collecting 100% of the funds people have committed to you. You’ve paid all your invoices, so your golfers and sponsors need to make good on theirs.

Wait until after the golf outing, so that you can see who arrives with checks in hand, and then start your follow-up on unpaid accounts right away. Usually a friendly reminder email is all it takes, but sometimes it will take several forms of follow-up from phone calls to mailed invoices. This I promise you, if you don’t follow-up you will never have 100% of your commitments magically role in. Yes, it’s a pain, but when an email can ensure you get an extra $1,000 – do it!

Have you planned a golf outing fundraiser? Share your biggest challenges or secrets for success by leaving a comment below!