Client Services totally does not get PR
Things the Client Services department have done to me THIS WEEK:
- Asked me to pitch a feature story on Client D to a national trade pub. When the publication bit, I tried to set up the interview, and Client D decided they weren't ready for the story yet.
- Asked me to find out if Client A's story is going to run in the #1 industry trade pub that we submitted it to. Now this is a cardinal rule in PR: you never, ever ask, "Are you going to run my story?" So I try to be sly and send the editor an email that say, "Just following up to make sure you received this release..." and she answers me back, "Yes, it is slated to run in the 10/17 issue." Yay. So I let the Account Exec know that it's running so she can tell the client. And the AE says to me, "Are they running the photo, too?" Excuse me one moment while I CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.
- Asked me to revive the Consumer Release for Client L based on their "recent successes at trade shows." Eh-cuse me??
- Helped a client distribute a ROUGH CUT video to their investors. Who the hell sends out unfinished work??
- Requested in a meeting that I provide a deadline for a VNR for Client U. I said, "OK, when do they want it?" and the AE said, "I don't know." (I try not to roll my eyes in meetings, but that one was out of my control.)
