At The Alderman Group, we are always working hard. We work nights, weekends, and any other time our clients need us to.
Part of that is, of course, the fact that we are a small boutique agency. Every client and every dollar counts if we are going to continue doing what we do, so each one of us are motivated to work hard. But much more than that, we work hard because we are dedicated to doing something meaningful.
The search for meaningful work can be really difficult. With so many companies needing PR and communication services, it would be easy to simply chase the money and work for anyone who came along, regardless of what they do. Unfortunately, chasing money can’t lead to fulfillment. Feeling really great about what we do requires a dedication to doing meaningful projects.
This isn’t always easy. It means turning down work, and even more than that, it means making certain our clients really have a dedication to doing meaningful things. It also means keeping our clients on task at times. You can’t be a “yes man” to your clients and be dedicated to meaningful things at the same time.
So how do you get meaningful work? At The Alderman Group, we take a lot of time on the front end to try and partner with the right clients. We aren’t afraid to turn down work if we need to. We aren’t afraid to have difficult conversations to help clients stay on task. In the end, it makes us love what we do, and it makes our clients appreciate us even more.
Are you doing something meaningful with your time?
We must constantly be reminded that as creatives, inspiration is a must. Doing the things that inspire us has to make it onto our busy calendars.
Years ago, when I was in a rock band for a living, we played up and down the East Coast, playing songs about small towns and blue collar workers. Every night we played another tavern somewhere, and met the locals. Those years were some of the most prolific writing years of my life. In fact, I STILL write about the things I experienced and people I met during those times. There is something about driving down a country road at dusk in the Fall that really does it for me. I’m a river man, so I try to spend time on rivers and hiking in the mountains around them. Sitting by a small stream for an hour can give me the inspiration I need to write countless words and come up with the marketing campaigns that pay our bills.
I’ve written here that you are never off the clock, and I believe that’s true. But never forget that part of your work is finding space to be inspired.
What makes you dream? What pushes you to create? Find time to experience those things and watch your productivity soar.
Lately, we have been in an exciting place with The Alderman Group. New clients seem to be coming in left and right at an almost alarming rate. We are all working long hours and doing all we can to fulfill our promises to our clients.
It isn’t just about doing what it takes to keep clients. It’s also about doing what you said you would do. People remember your promises. They remember what they are paying you to do. It’s up to you to make sure you over-deliver.
Between late night video shoots, market assessments, script writing, web content and political analysis, where do you find the time to breathe?
To begin with, the start of keeping focus begins with writing more, not less.
If you are a writer, it is crucial that you are carving out the time to hone your craft in ways that keep you refreshed and relevant, and the only way to do that is to write.
Why is this a good idea when you are already overwhelmed with the work you have on your plate?
Space.
You need space to practice your craft for yourself. This goes not just for writers, but for anyone in the creative business. If you are a designer, find time to design for yourself. Photographer? Shoot some photos of the things you love, just because you love them. Code? Roll out a cool little website for some subject you dig.
The space we give ourselves is crucial to the development we do for our clients. They are counting on us to be sharp and refreshed, and we can’t be our best if we aren’t caring for ourselves.
You need a day off. I understand that. We all do. The fact is that until that day comes, you need to write more. You simply need to be sure you are writing for yourself. Find 15 minutes and blog. Take 30 minutes and write that web copy for your Mom’s side arts and craft business that you said you’d do 2 years ago.
Allow yourself the room to do what you love for you. You will feel much better and your clients will thank you for it.
Chattanooga, Tenn. (Jan. 6, 2012)—Second Life of Chattanooga is encouraging the entire community to participate in the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day’s 2nd Annual Unite and Wear White Event on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
The Wear White Event promotes a greater awareness and understanding of the widespread problem of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Anyone can be involved in this event by simply wearing white. Last year, over 38 states and nine countries participated in Unite and Wear White.
“Many people think human trafficking is a problem limited to other parts of the world, something that doesn’t happen in our own neighborhoods,” said Jerry Redman, Second Life Co-Executive Director. “But the Unite and Wear White Event provides a voice to the thousands of children and individuals forced into human trafficking here in the United States each year.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation every two minutes within the United States.
Second Life of Chattanooga is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending human trafficking in the greater Chattanooga area. Through partnerships with other community organizations, Second Life works to champion hope and justice for the 300,000 children at risk for sexual exploitation and slavery in the United States annually. For more information and involvement opportunities, visit www.secondlifechattanooga.org.
For more information, contact The Alderman Group at 423.650.6510
It doesn’t get said enough that PR, when done right, isn’t a 9-5 proposition. It isn’t a 7-10 proposition either. I once left Christmas dinner with my family to help an employer track down a missing person in Arizona by coordinating the media effort for the search from my desk in the office in Cleveland Tenn.
You see, PR when done right is about managing the perception of your client in a manner that is 24-7. Now, since the human body has to have sleep, it goes without saying that at some point, your head must hit a pillow, but when that happens, you’d better be sure that your phone is on next to you, just in case.
This sounds unhealthy, and I suppose that in some ways it is. But for those of us in PR, it is also invigorating, exciting, and a way of life.
Yesterday, I spent an entire day on a crisis communication piece for a client. The changes coming in regarding the situation were moving at light-speed and we had to be very flexible. I worked on the statement from 5 different locations (thanks, Internet) throughout the day.
So the next time you are tempted to think you can take a day off, just remember that your client’s image never gets a day off. Your client’s image never closes it’s eyes and sleeps on a comfy pillow. Your client’s image is protected by you. So be vigilant.
Unhealthy? Maybe. But you didn’t get into this business to be what other people call “healthy”. If you wanted to clock out at the end of the day, you would work in a different business. No. You got in PR to live fast, drink too much coffee and work through the night with people you love. Maybe it’s not so unhealthy after all…
We are so pleased to announce that in an effort to bring sweet, communication goodness to The Southeast, we have taken The Alderman Group full-time. For several years now, The Alderman Group has been bringing some of the most creative projects to the public eye in the Chattanooga/Cleveland area. Now, we are delighted to take the next step in our quest to help our clients get the message out about their respective brands. From brand marketing to political strategy, we handle it all.
The newest high-profile project by The Alderman Group is the roll out of the brand new Lee University website. We are really excited to be doing this project with our good friends at The Whiteboard Network.
Alderman Group client, Kevin Brooks has been named Legislator Of The Year in Tennessee. We here at The Alderman Group congratulate Kevin on this huge honor and look forward to seeing what else he will wow us with in 2011.
The Alderman Group wishes to thank our wonderful clients and associates for making 2010 such a wonderful year. Here’s looking forward to a fantastic 2011.
Never let a client change who you are. If you see that happening, it’s time to move on from that client. It’s true. A great client respects who you are and what you do. No amount of money is worth compromising your core values.
