And no that isn't a typo. This final post for the week is going to be a weak one. It's a Friday in August, one of our final weeks of "summer hours" and the crickets have returned (as has the bird that just flew perilously close to my open window).
Time to take advantage of the quiet and quit complaining about it.
So I'm off to check out a new Blackberry.
Not surprisingly, I've become somewhat addicted to the practice of blogging (aka, talking about myself). Who knew?
And PS. the new business meeting this morning went VERY well. Am providing a proposal next week. I am 100% sure we can deliver what they're looking for - and we'd enjoy working on it! Just a matter of money, and what they can afford. Hints were made about tight budgets, the need for sponsors, etc. Will keep you posted... promise!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Unfinished business
So, yesterday's post touched on reasons why The Silverman Group (or any publicity firm) might take on a new client even if the fee is less than we usually accept (reasons such as: the cache, our passion for the product, the ability to maintain relations with niche media contacts, etc).
On the flip side, it is worth noting that there are also reasons why we might NOT take on a new client, even if the fees are acceptable. These are fewer and far between, and typically make for better stories.
Four actual reasons we have turned down business:
1. Potential client has unrealistic expectations. This usually becomes apparent in the first meeting, when we are asked about our contacts with Oprah! (For those unaware, just because she lives here does not make it a Chicago television show.) This has happened less over the years, as I believe the show's ratings have decreased and clients have recognized the national focus of the show (which is not to say local clients don't believe they have national appeal.) "Getting on Oprah" is an extreme example, but we frequently have potential local clients who desire (or should I say "require") us to deliver national coverage (such as a review in the New York Times or having The Today Show broadcast live from client's site) which realistically, based on our past experience, is a long shot. It's not impossible - depending on the client's national newsworthiness and the travel schedule & budget of desired medium - we just don't want to set ourselves up for failure! I tend to be more of a realist - better to under-promise and over-deliver as they say -so if national exposure is a must for the client, as a Chicago-centric firm, we might likely turn it down rather than under-deliver results.
2. Potential client would make our lives miserable. Have learned over the years, the hard way, that even a good paying client is not worth the fee if we dread their emails or calls. Clients become avoidances generally when they have false expectations (see above) and will not accept rational explanations for why we are not able to accomplish something they see as a "slam dunk." What we are able to accomplish (which usually is a great deal) is not good enough - or could have been achieved by anyone - and the expression "what else?" becomes a common retort. Life simply is too short to be spent defending one's good work.
3. Potential client in a field we're not passionate about nor familiar with. I'd like to think that The Silverman Group is successful because we take our jobs seriously and sincerely want to spread the word about our clients! We are each, in our own way, passionate about culture - be it a pop culture film festival or the more higher brow, fine arts. Being fond of, and familiar with, the clients we represent makes our jobs more enjoyable (and ultimately makes us more successful at what we do). I have in the past, accepted contracts for publicity projects outside of the entertainment or non-profit realms, with limited success. Spending your time immersed in an environment in which you are not comfortable (or excited about) will generally produce fewer results and become a frustration. We all want to produce for our clients, and when we can't, it's morale draining and generally time wasting.
On the flip side, it is worth noting that there are also reasons why we might NOT take on a new client, even if the fees are acceptable. These are fewer and far between, and typically make for better stories.
Four actual reasons we have turned down business:
1. Potential client has unrealistic expectations. This usually becomes apparent in the first meeting, when we are asked about our contacts with Oprah! (For those unaware, just because she lives here does not make it a Chicago television show.) This has happened less over the years, as I believe the show's ratings have decreased and clients have recognized the national focus of the show (which is not to say local clients don't believe they have national appeal.) "Getting on Oprah" is an extreme example, but we frequently have potential local clients who desire (or should I say "require") us to deliver national coverage (such as a review in the New York Times or having The Today Show broadcast live from client's site) which realistically, based on our past experience, is a long shot. It's not impossible - depending on the client's national newsworthiness and the travel schedule & budget of desired medium - we just don't want to set ourselves up for failure! I tend to be more of a realist - better to under-promise and over-deliver as they say -so if national exposure is a must for the client, as a Chicago-centric firm, we might likely turn it down rather than under-deliver results.
2. Potential client would make our lives miserable. Have learned over the years, the hard way, that even a good paying client is not worth the fee if we dread their emails or calls. Clients become avoidances generally when they have false expectations (see above) and will not accept rational explanations for why we are not able to accomplish something they see as a "slam dunk." What we are able to accomplish (which usually is a great deal) is not good enough - or could have been achieved by anyone - and the expression "what else?" becomes a common retort. Life simply is too short to be spent defending one's good work.
3. Potential client in a field we're not passionate about nor familiar with. I'd like to think that The Silverman Group is successful because we take our jobs seriously and sincerely want to spread the word about our clients! We are each, in our own way, passionate about culture - be it a pop culture film festival or the more higher brow, fine arts. Being fond of, and familiar with, the clients we represent makes our jobs more enjoyable (and ultimately makes us more successful at what we do). I have in the past, accepted contracts for publicity projects outside of the entertainment or non-profit realms, with limited success. Spending your time immersed in an environment in which you are not comfortable (or excited about) will generally produce fewer results and become a frustration. We all want to produce for our clients, and when we can't, it's morale draining and generally time wasting.
4. Potential client wants to pay in cash... with $100 bills... pulled from back pocket. True story and something about that gesture read to me as unprofessional (and potentially illegal).
And so I await tomorrow's new business meeting!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Mundane, Mundane
So, when people (usually job applicants) ask what a "typical day" is like at The Silverman Group, I usually respond that "no two days are alike," which I consider to be a good thing. However, the last few days have been unusually similar: slow and filled with mundane bookkeeping tasks, health insurance renewals, and scheduling meetings to discuss the (aforementioned) Fall season. All necessary evils but not exactly energizing endeavors.
I know that soon I will wistfully recall these less hectic days, when I have the luxury of focusing on one client at a time, instead of seven, but right now, I miss the drama - and the multi-tasking. The running from one client's meeting to assist at another client's interview to the office and out again.
And having a legitimate excuse why I can't hit the gym after work.
***
So, we're meeting a potential new client on Friday, for a festival which we're perfectly qualified to represent, and I look forward to selling the company's services. Hopefully the fest director can afford us, but this reminds me that new business acquisition is not always about the fee. One retains new clientele for a variety of reasons. For instance, The Silverman Group represents a diverse range of cultural organizations: theater, dance, film, comedy, music, visual arts and assorted non-profit institutions, such as WBEZ FM/NPR and the Chicago Loop Alliance. I have sometimes accepted lower fees for projects in any of those fields of expertise so as to continue utilizing the valuable media contacts we've compiled and to keep us front-of-mind with those contacts. For example, soon after we promoted the opening of the new Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies building - and had initiated some great relationships with architecture and "green" building press - I definitely wanted to take advantage of having established those contacts, and sought to secure other new building projects, which we did. Utilizing existing media contacts made it easier to produce solid coverage for the new clients, and having other relevant clients to "pitch" helped to solidify our relationship with those particular members of the media....which will make it easier to produce solid coverage for the next client!
Other reasons for accepting less-than-acceptable fees might include: the high profile nature of project/personality will add cache to our client list; I have staff who have the necessary expertise, and at the time could afford to be busier; given the familiar nature of the project, we have the ability to produce results with little effort or time; it is personally important to - or would prove especially enjoyable for - someone on staff; and/or perhaps an initial low paying project will lead to further work in the future.
I know that soon I will wistfully recall these less hectic days, when I have the luxury of focusing on one client at a time, instead of seven, but right now, I miss the drama - and the multi-tasking. The running from one client's meeting to assist at another client's interview to the office and out again.
And having a legitimate excuse why I can't hit the gym after work.
***
So, we're meeting a potential new client on Friday, for a festival which we're perfectly qualified to represent, and I look forward to selling the company's services. Hopefully the fest director can afford us, but this reminds me that new business acquisition is not always about the fee. One retains new clientele for a variety of reasons. For instance, The Silverman Group represents a diverse range of cultural organizations: theater, dance, film, comedy, music, visual arts and assorted non-profit institutions, such as WBEZ FM/NPR and the Chicago Loop Alliance. I have sometimes accepted lower fees for projects in any of those fields of expertise so as to continue utilizing the valuable media contacts we've compiled and to keep us front-of-mind with those contacts. For example, soon after we promoted the opening of the new Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies building - and had initiated some great relationships with architecture and "green" building press - I definitely wanted to take advantage of having established those contacts, and sought to secure other new building projects, which we did. Utilizing existing media contacts made it easier to produce solid coverage for the new clients, and having other relevant clients to "pitch" helped to solidify our relationship with those particular members of the media....which will make it easier to produce solid coverage for the next client!
Other reasons for accepting less-than-acceptable fees might include: the high profile nature of project/personality will add cache to our client list; I have staff who have the necessary expertise, and at the time could afford to be busier; given the familiar nature of the project, we have the ability to produce results with little effort or time; it is personally important to - or would prove especially enjoyable for - someone on staff; and/or perhaps an initial low paying project will lead to further work in the future.
I will let you know how the new business meeting goes and ideally prove to the prospective client that The Silverman Group is worth its weight in, er, gold!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The dog days of summer
The dog days of summer are upon us....
And it's not just because I'm a cat lover, that I'm feeling a bit frustrated.
Typically, the last days of August are a bit, er, quiet around Ye Olde Silverman Group. (Let's just say I'm wearing jeans to work again with no fear of a meeting interrupting my casualness). Folks are out of town, I get it. Families taking vacations before school starts, others using up vacation days to attend baseball games or other summer pursuits left to the last minute.
So while phones aren't ringing and meetings are few and far between, we typically all try to use this time to work ahead: get press releases written, media lists updated, maybe even some desk straightening or blogging! One gets lulled into somewhat of a false complacency (not to mention a 5:01pm departure time).
However, the trouble is that within days (okay, 10) it will be Labor Day weekend and then.... the official START OF THE FALL SEASON. Sorry to yell, but every year it plays out the same. While now, virtually ever email sent out this week and next receives an "out of office" reply, on the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 7, this year), members of the media, clients (and presumably the public) are jolted from summer thoughts and suddenly focused on what's taking place September - December. (Let's not even discuss the holidays). It's time to get serious and we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off because "September is nearly half over"! (There's alot of animal analogies in this blog, and you can see there's alot of drama in our world.)
And at the risk of sounding as though I'm complaining (which I'm not), this year, the abbreviated Labor Day work week includes not only a major Jewish holiday (Rosh Hashanah, Thursday Sept. 9) resulting in two days off work for many (Monday and Thursday) but also we've got two major events to promote that week- the re-opening of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum on Wednesday afternoon and the ground breaking for the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center on Friday afternoon! That will make for one crazy "welcome to Fall" week!
And in the meantime.....crickets.
And it's not just because I'm a cat lover, that I'm feeling a bit frustrated.
Typically, the last days of August are a bit, er, quiet around Ye Olde Silverman Group. (Let's just say I'm wearing jeans to work again with no fear of a meeting interrupting my casualness). Folks are out of town, I get it. Families taking vacations before school starts, others using up vacation days to attend baseball games or other summer pursuits left to the last minute.
So while phones aren't ringing and meetings are few and far between, we typically all try to use this time to work ahead: get press releases written, media lists updated, maybe even some desk straightening or blogging! One gets lulled into somewhat of a false complacency (not to mention a 5:01pm departure time).
However, the trouble is that within days (okay, 10) it will be Labor Day weekend and then.... the official START OF THE FALL SEASON. Sorry to yell, but every year it plays out the same. While now, virtually ever email sent out this week and next receives an "out of office" reply, on the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 7, this year), members of the media, clients (and presumably the public) are jolted from summer thoughts and suddenly focused on what's taking place September - December. (Let's not even discuss the holidays). It's time to get serious and we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off because "September is nearly half over"! (There's alot of animal analogies in this blog, and you can see there's alot of drama in our world.)
And at the risk of sounding as though I'm complaining (which I'm not), this year, the abbreviated Labor Day work week includes not only a major Jewish holiday (Rosh Hashanah, Thursday Sept. 9) resulting in two days off work for many (Monday and Thursday) but also we've got two major events to promote that week- the re-opening of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum on Wednesday afternoon and the ground breaking for the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center on Friday afternoon! That will make for one crazy "welcome to Fall" week!
And in the meantime.....crickets.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, Monday
So today is meeting-free, which is much appreciated, since I awoke late and in a jeans-mood. Yes, we all wear jeans to work on a somewhat regular basis, however, my fear (one of many, you'll learn) is that I'll be in full GAP regalia and a more formally-attired client will want to meet - or even worse, I will be asked last minute to meet with a potential new client! Yes, we promote entertainment organizations, many non-profit, so it's hardly a corporate climate in which we operate. However, as I always say, we Groupers (staff of The Silverman Group, myself included) are a young looking bunch and we do ourselves a disservice by dressing casually (since I tend to think that then our opinions are taken more casually). I recall a client, meeting the new Assistant Account Executive assigned to her account, who mistook the AAE for a summer intern! Not necessarily the best first impression for this AAE who expects the client to take her and her work seriously (and who has by now, of course, earned the client's respect). My two cents: The younger your appearance, the harder you have to work to be taken seriously.
Moving on, today have to tackle one of my least favorite tasks as a business 0wner - shaking down the clients for money! Some months are better than others, in that we receive our monthly fee and expense checks without having to ask - other months, like this one, checks are slow to come in so I've got to send out a few reminder emails. The mail hasn't arrived yet* - no doubt one of those checks will be in the mail - annoying the client who has just received a reminder. ah well.
(*Update: Mail arrived, let's just say there were no wasted emails.)
Enough musings for now. I must get back to doing the work for which I'll (eventually) be paid.
Moving on, today have to tackle one of my least favorite tasks as a business 0wner - shaking down the clients for money! Some months are better than others, in that we receive our monthly fee and expense checks without having to ask - other months, like this one, checks are slow to come in so I've got to send out a few reminder emails. The mail hasn't arrived yet* - no doubt one of those checks will be in the mail - annoying the client who has just received a reminder. ah well.
(*Update: Mail arrived, let's just say there were no wasted emails.)
Enough musings for now. I must get back to doing the work for which I'll (eventually) be paid.
Do as I say AND and as I do
Apparently the expression, "Do as I say, not as I do," only applies to parenting, not to leadership, as far as my staff is concerned. At the risk of a mutiny, I can no longer request that they contribute regularly to the silvermanifesto blog, without my doing same. (You'd think being a boss would have some perks. Dictatorship is not one of them.)
So with that, the Beth blogs begin. Jumping right in, I will attempt to log in daily for a week, with the intent of providing insight into my role as the head of a "small, but mighty" Chicago arts publicity firm. I hope to share some valuable tips about contemporary leadership and entertainment publicity, but above all, I hope you find his remotely entertaining.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Take Me Out to the Ballgame...
The whole Silverman Group team (all 4 of us!!) went out on our summer outing on Monday. We celebrated the end of another great Chicago summer in the best way possible - the Cubs game. It is no secret that the Cubs have had yet another dismal season. However, Chicagoans do not go to game after game, summer after summer holding their breath for a World Series title...we do it because the Cubs are a Chicago institution and Wrigley Field is a destination during the summer months.
Sadly, I had not been to a game all season as I missed the game when artist, Tony Tasset, threw out the first pitch in July. So I was thrilled when Beth mentioned a possible company outing to Wrigley Field. On Monday, we had the chance to see the game from a completely different view - a rooftop! These rooftops offer never-ending food and beer, great people watching, and a great view of Wrigley...and I have to say, we had the best seat in the house!
We were all able to sample Goose Island's relatively new beer GREEN LINE (named after the L line), jalepeno/cheddar pretzels and pub chips...
(the one that got away!)
Oh and the highlight of the night: meeting a professional wrestler - what was his name again? - and securing a signed picture which will obviously hang up in TSG office in between the Cirque de Soleil posters. Not sure what the score was - I am sure we lost - but the game was an overall success! This summer has been pretty crazy over here at TSG (in a good way!) so this was a great way to close out summer together.
THANKS BETH! :)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Potential Interns – TSG Wants You!
It's that time again! Are you a current college student pursuing a degree in Public Relations, Communications, or another arts related field? Do you strive for success and enjoy fine arts engagements including theatre, dance, music, art and more? Are you searching for an internship to combine your current skills, education, and personal interests? Then The Silverman Group has a great opportunity for you!
The Silverman Group is currently accepting applications for a Fall Intern position.
TSG interns have the unique opportunity to assist in all aspects and the overall success of operations at the company. Because this is a boutique firm, all members of the team pitch in wherever needed. As an intern, you have the chance to be exposed to every facet of activities at a full-service public relations agency as well as experience a variety of types of entertainment clients. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in media interaction and tracking, writing, promotional planning, event facilitation, and market research in addition to some day-to-day administrative duties.
Students pursuing a career in public relations, communications, or arts management who are willing to immerse themselves in the fast-paced work environment are encouraged to apply!
This is an unpaid internship, school credit is available. Length of internship is 3 months minimum, 6 months maximum and at least 20 hours/week.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to laura@silvermangroupchicago.com
Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
A new Chicago EYE-con
It is true - the puns have been overplayed since the unveiling of Tony Tasset's "Eye" sculpture. Just to list a few:
- EYE-conic
- EYEsore
- EYE-catching
- EYE-catching
- EYE-popping
I could probably go on forever. But I won't. I would just like to state for the record that working for the Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) on their public art initiative, Art Loop 2010, has been a true pleasure. I am not only talking about the expansive coverage it has received, but I am also proud that I got to be a party of something so monumental. I don't care how many times I take the Brown Line past Pritzker Park, I still get giddy as the train rounds the corner and the brilliant iris comes into view.
Tasset's oddly beautiful yest grotesque sculpture has garnered attention around the world from India to Wichita, Kansas. Some have marveled at its beauty while others mark its lack of subtly. To see some of the more creative interpretations visit BBC's Magazine Monitor: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2010/07/caption_competition_142.shtml.
CLA has made a commitment to develop and support artistic, cultural and public events in the Loop. Recently, many of their efforts have been toward a public art initiative. I have come to find that public art either evokes a positive or negative reaction - hardly anything in between. Personally, I am a big supporter of public art. I was fortunate enough to grow up in downtown Chicago. As a child I was fascinated by "Cows on Parade." I even had a chance to help my elementary school art teacher create her own cow that was proudly displayed on the streets of Chicago. These kinds of initiatives put our humble city on the map and continues to foster Chicago's reputation as a notable cultural destination.
Stay tuned for CLA's next project - ART LOOP OPEN!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
