Spyning into the world of Consultancy

I’m still trying to find it hard to believe that I got this placement working with Nicki Williams who is the Principle Consultant of Spyn Marketing Communications. Nicki is an extremely successful PR Consultant who began Spyn as a part of BGC Modular but who in recent years has branched off to do her own thing with the company.

When I first sat down with her, she told me a bit about the work she had done in the past and some current projects. The list was phenomenal, including corporate, government and charity organisations. Immediately after our first meeting I was set to work.

My first task was to create a proposal for a client that included a quote for a meal and beverage package at a well known restaurant and transport options for the client between their home, the restaurant and an entertainment venue. I never really knew what would be entailed in a proposal to a client having only developed hypothetical scenarios in classrooms. To my amazement it was a lot more extensive than I had first imagined. A proposal such as this involves much research into potential restaurants and transport companies and subsequent back and forth e-mails to these companies to secure quotes and tentative bookings. It was something that seemed so incredibly simple to me, but there is more involved that first expected.

Another of my initial tasks was to draft a press release for the Nedlands Primary School acts of Service Centenary Assembly. We have all written press releases in a hypothetical setting in a classroom environment, but it was a real experience for me to write something basically from scratch and then see it published in a local newspaper.

There are so many more great events and projects in the pipeline for Spyn and I really cannot wait to get started working with Nicki on these projects.

Wow factor?

I always remember when we are doing our PR final project; it is always good for us to come out with some ‘wow factor’. We need some idea which when we suggest the idea people will say “wow”. Hmm, my sixth week in S&A, I was involve in a PR project. I really appreciate it because I was with them for the second week and I was in for this project. We have a meeting with our client at their place. That was my first time in my life, have such a formal meeting and meet up with clients. Obviously, PR is a profession as well, the first thing you need to make your client have faith and trust your professional is through the first sight of seeing you therefore your outfit is very important. Obviously, I dressed smart and formal for the meeting. It was a short meeting with our client, Well actually they are not our client’s yet, we are suppose to try and get them become our client. So we have this briefing with them and get to understand what they want for their PR side. It was a delighted meeting with them. After the meeting, we gotta brainstorm and come out with a PR project for them and from the client will choose which PR agency they wanna work with. So I have a brainstorm session with my colleagues to think of some idea for the PR plan. I did not suggest any idea for them at first because my mind was so blank at that time because it was my first time to think of a real workable PR plan ideas for a real client. After a while, I realize that the ‘wow factor’ that we use to have is a crab in the reality. What they really want is something workable and not going to cost a lot for the client. Basically is in-expensive and effective. I realize that all the ideas that my colleagues suggest are very common, PR people are doing it like always yet they are still using. I am not saying their ideas are not good; no doubt of questioning their profession but I really learn that what they want is not wow factor. I try my best to think of some ideas which is rarely use by other competitors and it is less expensive for the client. Maybe too much of ‘wow factor’ filled up in my mind, my ideas might sound not workable for them, at the end I am glad that the took some of my ideas and add it into the proposal for client pitch. A conclusion for this, client is looking for something which is creative, effective and in-expensive for PR plan.

Full stop..