I love building teams. Witnessing good teamwork is not only one of the joys of my job, but it's also the clearest way to success in doing just about anything. One of the best parts of my job is watching my team work together and get results for our clients.
It's so satisfying, because I have seen the downside. I had that job that tied my stomach in knots, where every morning I regretted having to go to work. So, one of my goals in building my company was to ensure that no one who was on my team would ever feel that way. That's why, when I see them succeed, and the excitement and joy they get from doing so, it not only makes me proud – it also makes me happy.
The way our team works is actually quite simple, with very few moving parts. When our clients sign on, they complete a questionnaire that sheds light on the issues they care most about, and then we gather the team with the client on a conference call so we can walk them through how we operate.
Our senior strategist is always there, along with the appropriate campaign managers from the different mediums we cover – TV, radio and print. When we get together with the client, sometimes we just talk for a little while about the areas of their expertise they feel most passionate about, and then we describe our process: Our senior strategist pours over their material and then researches what the media is covering regarding their topic, and he writes the appropriate pitches or articles that match up with the campaigns our clients have purchased. Then, the different campaign managers walk them through the logistics of each campaign and we're off to the races.
The beauty of this process becomes evident when we see some of the results of our teamwork and last week demonstrated it best. For instance, one of our clients is a firm that investigates worker's comp fraud. They wanted to use the mass media to establish their company name and get in front of other potential clients from the insurance industry. In one of our first meetings, our strategist saw great media potential in the hidden camera videos they take to catch scammers cheating, so we based our campaign around the stories of extreme fraudsters who wind up costing the average consumer about $950 each year.
Our TV campaign manager then booked the client on six local TV shows around the country. Not long after, she connected with the producer from "Stossel," the Fox News network's weekly news show. And just last week she confirmed an interview for our client with John Stossel.
Last week our print campaign manager also scored big hits in big news outlets, including an interview with the Chicago Tribune for one of our author clients, and two separate placements in the Los Angeles Times for an author client and a corporate client. She was also able to place a column about the book business with an editor at Forbes.com, who ran the column the very next day. And she heard from a New York Times reporter to develop a piece for another client as well.
On radio, we booked a different client on a Sirius XM show after coaching that client on how to conduct his interview. Then just last week, a VP of Talent for Sirius XM booked him on a tour of the satellite radio company's top three shows as a result of the first interview he gave.
Last week was very exciting around here for everyone because all of these placements were derived from the teamwork ethic that we've developed. Whenever we score these kinds of placements for clients, it's truly a team win, because everyone has a hand in making them happen. It's gotten to the point where I am no longer surprised that they can deliver at that level, but rather, I'm simply gratified that my team is succeeding and having a good time doing it.
I think that's what they call a win-win.
Thanks to Marsha Friedman / EMS Incorporated
http://emsincorporated.com/joy-teamwork-peek-solid-pr-campaigns/
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