8 traits of pitch-perfect clients

There are large enterprise clients, smaller startup clients, nonprofit clients, clients in various industries.

No matter the size or industry, as those of us in public relations know, some clients stand out from the rest.

Those clients who truly “get it” and value us—and what we can do for them—are the ones we dream about.

Often, dreams don’t turn into reality, but if we had our druthers, here are some qualities that stand out when evaluating potential clients:

1. A willingness to drop everything and make PR a priority

Although media relations plays an important role in public relations, opportunities for coverage are growing scarcer. So, when a media opportunity does come along, the client has to be willing to make this a priority.

Cameron Craig, head of global communications for Polycom, says of his time working at Apple: “Executives prioritized PR. If we called or interrupted a meeting, they knew it was important.”

This type of responsiveness makes a difference. Especially with smaller companies, if journalists don’t get a timely response, they’re likely to move on to the next source. Clients who understand this will be more successful.

2. Trusting your expertise.