Philosophy and OutlookI have been called a 'spin doctor', both in a complimentary way and as an insult - a contradiction which, in my view, brilliantly illustrates both the term and the function! Certainly careful communications can portray your products and services in their best possible light, and can also minimise the negative publicity received when you mess up in some way. But you cannot spin your way out of a problem indefinitely. You cannot paper over the cracks on a long-term basis. The reality, sooner or later needs to match the spin and the portrayal, otherwise you lose those most valuable commodities of all in a commercial relationship: trust and credibility. My personal development from PR specialist into a much more rounded expert in using all elements of the marketing communications mix was a fascinating journey which now allows me to champion the approach in which all aspects of the communications process are carefully coordinated as part of a proper campaign, rather than used in an ad hoc way. This strategy delivers what the Americans call 'more bang for your buck'; ensures that everyone involved - internally and externally, communicator and recipient - understands the message and values being communicated, and maximises the overall efficiency of the activity in terms of effort and investment. |
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