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Oct. 22, 2010 |
PR VETS FORM RFP CONSULTANCY |
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By Greg Hazley
PR vets Steve Drake and Robert Udowitz have formed RFP Associates in the D.C. area to counsel clients through searches for PR agencies.
Udowitz, Drake |
The company is pitched as an “honest broker” between client and agency because, the principals say, “the process of searching for, selecting and hiring an agency is in need of repair.”
RFPA’s services include consulting, development of an RFP, agency search, including pre-screening, management of the RFP and presentations, and consultation on the selection.
Udowitz, an independent PR consultant and former director of communications at the Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association, said clients often find the RFP process confusing, tedious and time consuming, while agencies are tired of jumping through hoops and waiting for answers to inquiries about RFPs.
A typical search process can take between 100 and 200 hours, according to Drake, who likened the ordeal to hiring several PR executives at once. Drake has also been an independent PR consultant and is a former senior VP and partner at Fleishman-Hillard, in addition to VP/comms. at Laureate Education.
Helen Sullivan, who runs InHouse Communications and was a VP at Arnold Worldwide, is an associate at RFPA, which is online at rfpassociates.net.
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Responses: |
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Ron Levy (10/25):
This kind of firm can be a blessing to clients by providing expert advice on how to hire a PR firm, set objectives and budgets, decide how PR duties will be split between the PR firm and in-house PR executives, then measure results and guide a client to avoid the common blunders in managing a PR firm's services.
If you need a real estate broker in another city, you may get excellent suggestions by asking a real estate editor there. Leading health journalists can help you pick a superb heart doctor or surgeon, and if I needed a PR firm I'd try hard to hire a top PR editor as a consultant.
Client results depend not only on which firm is chosen but on WHO at the firm runs the account team, so one value in any field of retaining an editor as a consultant is the editor's knowledge of who are the best players.
Some plyers love the game and are powerful home run hitters, but other players are bored and have very modest skills in either strategy or execution. They stay employed because of friendship with a key account.
The work and worry in picking a PR firm must be well worth it since over $5 billion a year is spent on PR firm services, and NOT having a PR firm can be even more expensive than having even a firm of average ability.
Realist (10/26):
How can an agency-hunting client tell whether these consultants may give recommendations influenced by whether they like or dislike the big firm at which one of the principals worked? A professor-consultant could be free of this but many professors have little or no "real world" experience. An editor in the field could be excellent but how could an editor find time for consulting?
RFP Associates (10/27):
Realist - Yours is a reasonable concern but that is the promise we make to our clients - to be an honest-broker. Our success will depend on our reputation and integrity so please don't shortchange us so soon.
Realist (10/27):
Far from short-changing you, I endorse you with respect and enthusiasm you because anyone who was Senior VP and Partner at Fleishman-Hillard must have an awesome intellect, and it takes exceptional ability to even get an interview at F-H. BUT who is more likely to give a client a better assessment of competing PR firms, (a) a former exec at one of the top firms which has many affiliated firms in the same conglomerate, or (b) a veteran PR editor who has NO employment history with any of the PR firms, no reason to favor a former co-worker (or feel like getting even with a former employer)?
Editors hear stories that most people in PR don't--who drinks how much, who has been dating or traveling with whom, who is a flagrant expense account abuser, and more. But just as the very best heart surgeon may not be available so another should be picked, a top editor may not be available, or want to be because some editors don't want the extra work and responsibility even for a ton of money, so these honest brokers could probably save a client all kinds of grief and help the client make a great choice and be delighted with the agency chosen.
Indeed for a former Senior VP and partner of F=H and his colleague, a client who needs a PR firm would be lucky to have these two experts.
Ultra realist (10/29):
Hate to throw cold water on realist's enthusiasm -- but hasn't everyone in the agency world been an SVP and partner at FH at some point? It's just a big agency merry-go-round these days.
Ron Levy (11/02):
Ultra-realist is ultra-ridiculous, either ignorant of what is well known or else just nasty. F-H is certainly one of the top-five firms in marketing PR, Washington, association PR, social media, healthcare, technology and certainly corporate PR. SVPs are rarely hired away--although on every headhunter's short list when someone says "get me the best regardless of cost"--because PR superstars love being where F-H not only has the vast facilities and people power to do great work but also the majesty and persuasive power so clients ALLOW great work. If ever I need a life-saving surgical team, I hope I find a hospital as brilliantly successful with health as Fleishman-Hillard is with PR.
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