As a public relations professional, I’m much more than a consultant; I’m a listening ear, a supportive shoulder, and—truly—a trusted friend to every client I serve. I even joke that I should have studied psychology since so many of my clients bring deeply personal dreams and fears to our conversations.
The personal relationships I build with each client form the foundations of our professional engagements and act as invaluable stabilizing forces when navigating a PR crisis. With a real relationship at the heart of every engagement, my clients are assured that they don’t have to worry. I have their back, day in and day out—even when they have a need that isn’t directly related to PR.
Whether they realize it or not, I know that when someone chooses Goodwin for PR consulting, they want more than a transactional engagement; they want a personal relationship, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Public Relations, Personalized
High-quality, change-making PR isn’t a one-size-fits-all pre-packaged product. The only public relations strategy worth investing in is one that’s 100% personalized to your company’s needs, goals, and brand.
But you can’t achieve real personalization with a quiz or survey. Personalized PR grows from a genuine relationship that recognizes you as a person and your business as your passion.
By taking the time to genuinely understand my clients as people as well as business owners, I’m better equipped to unearth those beautiful gems of authenticity that lead to huge public relations wins!
Personalized PR goes above and beyond
I’ve always been drawn to the belief that to do good business, I must be willing to walk the extra mile—and that extra mile should have a purpose: improving my client’s results, giving my client peace of mind, or helping my client achieve a goal. The point is to build a values-based relationship rooted in mutually aligned priorities.
I hate to admit it, but I know many PR professionals who never pick up their phones on the weekend—period. But when any of my clients are under pressure or neck-deep in crisis management, I’m always available, day or night, because I’m purpose-driven to take care of their needs quickly, the way a friend would.
(If personal service matters in your business, too, I highly recommend Will Guidara’s book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.)
Personalized PR is engaging
Clients trust me not because I tell them to but because I show them who I am. I think it’s tremendously important to have fun with my clients and allow them to know me on a more personal level.
A few years ago, client Catania Oils hosted a booth at the Boston Pizza Festival on a painfully hot July day. We were stationed on City Hall Plaza (which is all red brick), so there was no relief except for the small tent over our heads. The company’s owners decided to have fun with the crowd—secretly squirting them with a stream of cold water as they walked by.
When people caught on, they came to the booth requesting more of a cool-down, and we invited them to sample the company’s oil and enter a social media contest to win a year’s supply of their favorite oil.
We spent the day laughing and engaging with the crowds in a totally different, offbeat way that illustrated the personality behind the brand and its owners. Moments like that build brand awareness and organic engagement better than any fancy brochure or formal sales pitch.
Personalized PR solves problems
When a client had to terminate an employee under unpleasant circumstances, she knew I was there to help her team reset. Two weeks before the separation, we sat down together to address the challenges inherent to a team shake-up.
What work had the former employee left unfinished? What information should be communicated to the company’s board of directors? How would the other employees feel when told they would need to pick up their colleague’s slack until a replacement could be identified?
We then developed a communications strategy that was executed flawlessly, and the company did not miss a beat.
Because I’d established trust with my client, she was not only willing but also relieved to leverage my support and assistance during a challenging time.
Personalized PR knows your needs
I’m always elated when my PR consulting clients receive awards! One client, however, called me in a panic after learning that they needed to provide a brand video for their award reception.
I was able to tell them, “Don’t even worry about it.” I had worked with their videographer, I knew exactly what footage existed, and I could help the videographer make an impactful video without any extra effort on my client’s part.
Personalized PR knows your brand
A former PR client reached out to me recently to request that I write the author bio for the book he was writing. “I had to come to you for my bio,” he said, “because you’re the only one who has ever captured my voice.”
I’d love to claim some sort of magical bio-writing power, but the truth is that I’d worked with the CEO for years, listening to his stories and building a trusted, personal relationship. And that authentic connection made me the perfect candidate to write the highlights of his life and career story.
Personalized PR is sustainable
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again: having strong client relationships matters more to me than having a huge client list. Give me a choice between more and meaningful, and I’ll choose meaningful every time.
If you’re looking for personalized public relations strategies, successful PR campaigns, and a long-lasting connection to a PR consultant who truly wants to know you, make Goodwin your go-to team.
