Managing the public relations expectations of your clients is vital when running the public relations department of a company or a public relations firm. You must determine and guide the public relations expectations of each client.

You must clarify for each client

• What is and what is not public relations
• What public relations can and cannot do
• The benefits each element of the public relations program you recommend will provide
• The difference between advertising fluff and PR substance.

By explaining the public relations process along with the benefits and limitations of public relations before you begin working with a client, you will avoid major misunderstandings and client dissatisfaction as the program unfolds.

Here are the key points that you and your client should agree on regarding the expectations of the public relations program:

What does the client consider a successful public relations program?

From the client’s point of view, what goals or measures will determine the success of public relations? Does the customer expect an effective public relations program to strengthen the company’s positive reputation in the community or perhaps among current and potential customers? Perhaps the client wants you to establish the CEO’s reputation as an industry thought leader, solidify the company’s relationships with state and local legislators, or bolster the company’s bottom line. What is the deadline?

You must agree with the definition of success to achieve it.

What public relations strategies will allow you to achieve success in public relations?

Numerous built-ins, not a handful of glittering events, drive the engine that drives any successful PR program forward. Achieving effective public relations means more than generating press clips and publicity. You know it, but your client knows it. the purpose and advantages of engaging resources such as the media, trade publications, the Internet, and social media to deliver consistent and compelling messages to specific audiences.

What are your client’s media exposure expectations?

Before launching a public relations program, determine your client’s understanding of media and their expectations for media exposure. Do you expect regular placements in the New York Times, articles in national business magazines, or major talk show appearances? Are such successes possible and worthwhile? If not, explain why, immediately. Clients often expect much more coverage than is realistic for their investment. And they often overestimate the benefits of certain types of media coverage.

Which media outlets best follow your client’s PR goals?

Make sure your client understands why you have chosen certain media to reach your target audience and how these media will generate the desired results. Explain why it does not make sense to look for media that do not report on your company. A featured article in a trade publication could generate more sales and have a greater impact on a target audience than a brief mention in a trade magazine. Customers may not like or understand this, so you need to educate them. It’s all part of managing customer PR expectations.