Note: This does not apply to any of my Wax clients so if you're reading, don't get paranoid, K?
I was talking to a PR colleague of mine about client management yesterday. There are many, many things that can screw up a marketing/communications campaign but lack of trust is probably one of the biggest obstacles to good results. You might think an intangible like trust wouldn't have such a strong impact, but it does. Perhaps it's due to some new age universal energy factor, or maybe it's The Secret, but if you don't trust your marketing or PR person you're going to get terrible results. Every time. I promise.
Here are five non-new agey ways in which trust plays a part in your campaign results.
- Lack of trust often results in micromanaging. When I'm nervous about a project, I tend to micromanage my staff. Business owners often think they "know marketing" because they see it all day long. But micromanaging your marketing person has a huge negative impact. Your marketing or PR person loses confidence when constantly questioned. And without confidence, it's impossible for them to be at their creative best or pitch your story with enthusiasm. The best people are always second-guessing themselves all the time anyway. Add your own partly-uneducated helicoptering and you will circumvent many of the things you hired them for in the first place; experience, passion for the project and organizational skills.
- Lack of trust often results in impatience.
