Miles to go before I sleep…..
Nearly two decades ago, on April 1, 1999, I took up my first ever day job. At that instant I could have scarcely imagined what lay in store. Every year since has been a milestone, an opportunity to learn new things and rediscover myself. Along the way, I had the opportunity to lead firms part of two of the world’s largest communications conglomerates Publicis and WPP. It has been an incredible run.
Guided by an insatiable hunger to do things better and differently, I have now taken the entrepreneurial plunge with like-minded professionals and friends as fellow travelers. I finally feel ready to trade certainty and familiarity with agility and purpose. Luckily, the PR industry has space for combining tradition with innovation, and legacy with fresh ideas.
Rolling with the times
As we charter further into challenging times where it is almost impossible to keep pace with the changes, sharper focus, extreme agility and extraordinary attention to detail will become critical navigation tools. Clients are looking at agencies that can be an extension of their teams and not just execution arms. This, of course, means the agencies need to think of themselves as niche consulting and execution firms rolled into one to deliver real value to their clients. In an increasingly complex, global and digitally-driven world, success for a business is akin to climbing the eight-thousanders. Clients want from their consulting partners more than just a roadmap. The new age PR firm now has to be the reconnaissance team, the advance party, and the hardy Sherpas who walk alongside the clients wearing crampons, axing the ice and lugging sleeping bags right to the top of the summit. That is the level of commitment that would cut it in today’s world.
Clients are looking at agencies that will have them at the center of their universe rather than merely as one of the many sources of revenue.
To be able to live up to the changed client expectations, talent needs to be seen and treasured as a source of creativity rather just a resource. Talent to be truly creative needs complete freedom to express itself, and rewarded commensurately. When that is taken care of, commitment and fidelity come gift-wrapped. Happy and motivated talent result in happy and engaged clients.
Large networks help you learn to unlock efficiency and enhance productivity. This skill when clubbed with a clearly stated purpose gets like-minded people to be aligned with a force to chase down that purpose. Revenues and profits arrive, inevitably.
Long way to go
We see very little effort or investment especially by PR Networks in giving back to the industry and making the business of organic publicity sustainable. While it is essential to have a healthy mix of paid, owned, earned and shared media for any agency in the business of building and protecting the reputation of brands, the importance of earned media will never vanish until the credible media as a platform itself vanishes. Given the influence of paid media and paid content being disguised as news, doomsday may not be far. Considering the seriousness of the situation, someone must take on the responsibility of ensuring that “news” in its original form (unbiased and truthful) continues to thrive.
My desire is to build an organization that brings the key stakeholders back to the center stage and stands committed to investing both time and energy in ensuring that organic news gets the right ecosystem and support such that it stands a chance of revival. I can’t imagine a society that is built on paid and fake news/influence. It’s too early to write our own obituary.
Reinventing The Holy Trinity
We have only three stakeholders in this business and our world must revolve around them.
Winning with Clients: Clients are the reason we exist, and we must make it our business that whatever we do is done with the objective of making them win. Helping them navigate the always-on conversational world and equipping them to make their story relevant to their stakeholders should be our proposition. We would rather have fewer clients but with deeper relationships, motivated by love and passion and fueled by knowledge, creativity, and commitment.
Empowering Teams: Our experiences are always influenced by people who cross our paths. Being surrounded by talent that not only brings the best ability to conquer the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us but are such human beings who enrich our lives in a wholesome manner; makes life more meaningful and fulfilling. People growth and longevity are the key drivers that deliver consistent results for clients. Talent needs both freedom and nourishing to be at its best. The ethos of the sharing economy must be extended to the teams where we work together and share the rewards in all fairness, commensurate with the risk, effort, and outcome.
Giving back to the Ecosystem: For now, I’m confining our focus to earned media. I’m keen to invest our collective energies to support the revival of news in its true sense. We are sawing off the branch we are sitting on without realizing the dire consequences that are glaring at us. I’m committed to making a difference to our industry/ecosystem so that the next generation continues to get information (news) in its purest form.
I began by discussing milestones and I often draw comparisons between passion at and outside of work. The pursuit of challenging myself has manifested in a long professional career and the avenue to exercise my passion for fitness. As I cover 39 cities of my #100CityRunningPact, I am inspired to go further.
While my #100cityrunpact is a commitment to strength and positivity, my new venture is a promise to get the key stakeholders back to the center stage.
Clearly, miles to go before I sleep…
Wish me luck, friends!
