I’ve had a break from blogging after challenging myself to write 52 blogs in 52 weeks so what better time to start again than Blogtober – yes another challenge – this one is about writing a blog a day throughout the month of October, I see what they did there!
Over the next few days I’m going to take a brief look as some of the things we’ve learnt in our first two and a half years of business.
There has been lots of laughter, strategic planning, creative thinking, moral support though life’s ups and downs and did I mention the laughter? These are the things that spring to mind when I look back at at us setting up and building our business at Sidekick PR.
What began as three former colleagues with a shared vision for more a strategic approach to PR and a desire for a better work/life balance has evolved into a flourishing agency with more than 20 clients across the UK.
Our office sweet jar may always be empty and, of course, the work/life balance is tested on occasion – especially with a number of children, cats and guinea pigs between us – but we’re proud of what we’ve achieved to date.
I’m going to share a few of the lessons we’ve learnt along the way. Today’s lesson is:
#1. Find the right fit with clients – and don’t be afraid to say no
Sidekick PR was born out of a desire to do things our way. To work with clients who understand the value of PR and the benefits that good PR can bring to a business. It all sounds very worthy and idealistic, I know, but these are the basic principles that we work to. With that in mind we’ve happily not renewed contracts with clients who don’t fit that bill (sometimes crazy in a business sense, but for our sense of worth and sanity, totally necessary).
We have a checklist that we run through when we are approached by potential new clients to make sure that they fit us and we fit them. It’s simple but so important. Agencies that just take the work without checking the fit often run into problems further down the line with the clients and it can’t be great for staff morale.
Saying no to work is never easy, but in the long run, if that work doesn’t fit or your gut instinct is telling you to walk away, then that is the right thing to do. It has served us well to date and long may it continue to do so!
Charlotte's Sidekick Blog 