Are You TOO Busy for Your Clients?

It happens. We get busy with how to run the business, growing a business, developing our brand, etc. that we forget why we are in business- our customers. I'm listing three ways to tell if you've lost sight of your customers' needs and are cheating them- even without meaning to do so. If so, ask yourself what you can do to correct the situation at hand.

1. You half-ass tasks. Sorry to be so blunt, but it is true. If you perform at your highest level upon first signing a client, but months or years later you could care less if the product/service is amazing or of quality then you've lost focused and are denying your customer what he or she is entitled to.

2. You believe the customer is always right. Um, no. The customer may think he or she is always right, but they're not. You wouldn't sell a standard kitchen oven to someone who wanted to open a bakery would you? No, of course not. If you see a client making a mistake and you don't step in- you're failing that customer.

3. You avoid the evil client. If you ditch a client because he or she is too demanding than you might not be up for the challenge of expansion. Try your best to handle evil clients and resolve inner-conflicts before giving this type of customer the boot.

Dealing with customers isn't always easy. You are not going to have easy clients in life. There will be difficult clients and situations. Remember these three tips and make sure the problem isn't you.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham 

The Top 3 Ways to Improve Your PR Business

People ask me all the time about staying on your game in business. Who has time to really go focus on networking when you have a business to run, right?! Wrong! Here are my three tips to staying on your game.

1. Try to meet one new person every single day. Yes, you never know who you are going to meet so make sure to introduce yourself to one new person at your local coffee store or in your office complex daily.

2. Spend 15 minutes each and every day doing something you hate. Why? It helps you grow your problem solving skills when faced with a challenge.

3. Share photos of your goals on social networks. Yes, your goals. Working for retirement? Share photos of places you want to retire. Working on becoming famous? Share your writing, music, etc. on these mediums. 

Why? Sure, the posts tell people about you but, more importantly, they work as self-affirmation and keep you on track towards these goals.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

Media Control and Michael Brown

This is a really sensitive subject for me as a black woman in the public relations world. Regardless of what you think happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, the center issue at hand is his death is very tragic. I’ve spent the weekend watch CNN and monitoring the related hashtags on social media.  The main stream media isn’t translating the images and thoughts from social media onto their networks.

As a publicist, this tactic infuriates me but I understand it at the same time. The main stream media has to think about their shareholders, their advertisers, liability issues, and the danger of being charged with inciting a riot using the power of the press. So, they are very careful as to who they are interviewing and as to what images they are showing.

Social media, on the other hand, doesn’t have to worry about liability issues or advertisers. Posts are unedited, raw, and opinionated. These types of posts also offer a real perspective as to what people are seeing, feeling, and planning.

Since the audiences for these two types of media are very different, the emotions of the people are very different too! There is no consistent messages going out right now. The corporate communication people for the police department seem to be missing in action. The protesters aren’t aware of how to handle the media so mistakes are being made. The national media is scared to reflect what social media is showing.  Interviews with random sources are being allowed on air without being vetted. And as this media frenzy builds without any crisis communications plan, Michael Brown’s funeral is being planned.

I can only hope that reporters show both sides of the story in a respectful way. I can only hope that people giving interviews tell the truth- whatever it may be. I can only hope that when this boy’s funeral happens, the media handles it with integrity.

Saddened,
Coco the CEO