We’ve all been there. We look at a website of another public relations firm and suddenly, we see the name of our own existing or former client attributed to someone else. Upon closer inspection, we find that they are not technically lying.
A bio might say that someone worked on XYZ consumer products. But, buyer beware. That doesn’t mean that XYZ was actually their client. For example, someone who worked for a firm that worked for another firm whose client was XYZ may have left the original firm and is truthfully, albeit questionably, noting that at some time in the past they did work related to XYZ. If that description is confusing – it should be.
Everyone likes the proverbial client list. Potential clients look at it to try to ensure that they’re working with a reputable company that actually has experience in their particular industry. We encourage prospective clients to dig a little deeper than the impressive logos plastered on a website. Ask more questions. Find out if the professional’s role was in strategy or execution. What was the real extent of their interaction with the client. Ask whose client it really was.
