Ron
Levy (1/19): Rowland had some very bright people who did top quality
work but they never came up with a basic answer to the new business prospect's
question, "Why Rowland?" Can you remember ever seeing an ad for Rowland?
Some PR firms boast of how many offices they have, and this can mean a lot to
accounts with national or worldwide interests. Other PR firms boast of having
-- as heads of health, technology, travel, new media and other PR specialties
--absolutely world-class PR experts. Or government relations people who formerly
worked at places cricially important to clients. Or they toot their new business
horns about how many awards they've won...or what research they've done ... or
what big wins they scored for clients. But Rowland made none of these boasts,
nor others that were major motivators. Also years ago senior Rowland people
adopted a concept of success -- a PR firm is successful when the client is happy
-- that was outdated even then. Today's top PR firms shoot for an objective that's
often much harder but more important to achieve than client happiness: achievement
of the client's PR goals. Many accounts don't know what to ask for from
PR -- and when they have their results, they're not sure what they got. But when
a client attains its goals in marketing, employee relations, legislative support
(or at least freedom from unduly restrictive regulation) and other things PR can
help with, management feels successful and is seen as successful -- and tends
to be happy with those who helped create the success. But Rowland sure
had some excellent people! |