The challenges of effectively becoming your own client
When I get asked by people looking to start their own business about the hardest parts, I rarely say marketing the firm. But in launching Calkin Public Affairs, it became apparent that for the company to succeed we would have to treat ourselves as a client -- to promote our brand, work and service offerings. And while that should be simple given that we do this for clients every single day, the practice of doing so for yourself and your firm somehow feels much harder.
I realized quickly that to best serve the business, we needed to take the same thoughtful and diligent approach for Calkin PA that we do for our clients. That meant strategic planning, competitive landscape audits, market analysis and yes, a steady influx of marketing, branding and more.
Being your own client really is a whole different ball game. It is easy to push your own priorities down on the to-do list in favor of client work, even though it is just as important. It is difficult to be comfortable with promoting yourself and the firm, even though it is a critical function. And quite honestly, it is hard to make decisions that will define you and your brand for the foreseeable future.
What I’ve learned in these last six months is that we can make our own most difficult clients -- which makes having a strong marketing and communications plan in place absolutely essential. Here’s what we have learned so far that might help anyone just starting out on this journey:
Create a plan to keep you honest: Taking the time to develop a thoughtful and detailed marketing and communications plan designed to support your overall business plan will create a guide to follow, just like you would for your clients.
Integrate processes that you know will work: At Calkin PA, our North Star to kickstarting every client engagement is our Catalyst Model, which was most interesting doing on ourselves. It forced us to really take the time to craft our story, develop key messages about our company, staff and services, find the competitive white space, understand the political landscape and business market drivers and beyond.
Calendarize your efforts: You know what they say, “if it’s not in the calendar, it’s not happening.” Hold yourselves accountable by creating real deadlines and schedules to ensure your vision comes to life through all identified tactics.
Leverage social media and personal connections: Your networks are your business pipelines, and best sources for honest feedback and support. While talking about yourself may take some getting used to, it is the best channel to celebrate wins, gather information, solicit constructive feedback and expand your connections. My mindset is never about selling, rather figuring out what the problem is and how I can help solve it.
Employee engagement: Seeing content from your firm’s corporate accounts or the CEO is one thing, but hearing directly from employees is incredibly authentic. Having employees cross-promote content or share their own stories and successes will greatly expand the reach of your messaging. We also know that Sacramento is a small town and people talk, which is why it’s creating a healthy work culture that can be communicated by your team is extremely important.
Continuously evaluate and pivot: While formal planning is a great first step, we never get it exactly right from the get-go. Regularly evaluating, measuring and reassessing will allow you to refine and pivot strategies and tactics to optimize results and effectiveness.
There’s a lot that goes into treating yourself like a client, but if done right, it will be worth it. I would love to hear about what has worked and not worked from you, and if you are interested in learning more about our processes, shoot me or my team a note!