In that you never have the same expectations.

Where you may think you have done what you said you would do, your client / partner / customer / employee may have another perception altogether.

So, we all need to start the relationships - personal or professional when you think about it - that we maintain by setting ground rules. And sometimes, even then you will face the same challenges.

If these can then be resolved - do so. If they cannot - perhaps it is time to walk away.

Regular reviews, work in progress meetings and constant communication will help to minimise the challenge of unmet expectations - not always but in the majority of cases. In those where they remain … well, there really is no easy answer is there?

Unmet expectations - they always leave you feeling wanting.

What do you think - do you have an example of how you resolved a scenario like this? Or how you evaded it in the first place?

Yes you heard me right. Even advertising.

Now, some of you no doubt subscribe to the view that mass media is a dying breed. Social media and all the new shiny toys like Facebook and Twitter are going to rule the future.

Others believe that advertising will stage a dramatic comeback and destroy these upstarts.

Still others believe that it’s about an all or nothing battle either on the side of digital marketing and campaigns; or in favour of traditional advertising and marketing efforts.

Seriously - why does it have to be quite so cut and dried? Isn’t it really about balance?

Think about it - sometimes you actually need an advertisement. Other times, a great word of mouth campaign will rock it. Still other occasions demand a good ol’ fashioned meet-the-public effort that allows you to look your customers in the eye and say “I’m here. Talk to Me.”

I would however add that as you set out to develop your next campaign - or even when looking at what you have out there already - you need to ask yourself a couple of questions.

These include:

- what am I getting for my dollar?

- are there tangible results or am I paying for something as vague as ‘branding’ and ‘presence’ without a way to tie it back to sales or some other more tangible measurement?

- if I am advertising, is my choice of media being guided by blind faith in an agency and th circulation numbers they offer? would I be better served by perhaps niche slicing my campaign and actually following my customers rather than trying to get them to follow me?

- do I really have to advertise at all? can I transfer some of that expensive campaign spend into more cost effective public relations, digital and search engine campaigns?

The list can go on and on. But you get the picture.

Ask a couple of questions. Look for a little more balance and your marketing campaigns will feel much healthier for it!

So, what campaigns or companies have you seen that seem to have their act all balanced out?

If you’re reading this elsewhere, check out Journeys Through The Line (http://www.arciscommunications.com/blog) for more thoughts and ramblings from Stephen P Francis of Arcis Communications.

By that definition, many of us are indeed insane.

Let me explain.

How many of us are still going about things like advertising, public relations, branding and oh so many other things in the exact same way we’ve been doing it for years?

“After all - if it ain’t broken why fix it right?”

“That’s how you were trained!”

“Everyone does it!”

I could go on adding the possible answers to that question and to each I would ask the question my mum would ask when I stood before her as a child with an outlandish excuse - “If someone else jumped off a building would you do the same?”

You DO get what I’m talking about by this time I hope.

When it comes to communications - especially high cost disciplines like advertising - you have to ask the tough questions.

If you’re going to insist on advertising, then relook at how you’re doing it.

Just because your agency tells you that the newspaper they’re touting as the best place for YOUR ad dollars is the largest in terms of circulation doesn’t make it the best option by default.

Ask yourself - are these the right audiences? Will it convert to sales? Is there a better way?

Another thing - just because you have an announcement, don’t insist on a press conference. Is there a better way to perhaps get involved with your consumers? To let them feel your brand? To help them feel more inclined to advertise you and your product/ service through that holy grail of marketing campaigns - word of mouth!

And in case anyone has forgotten - agencies work for you .. so ask them these questions without worry. If they can’t answer you in a compelling and measurable way then perhaps you need to start asking yourself an entirely different set of questions.

But that’s for another day.

So, stop what you’re doing. Take a breath.

Now ask yourself - can I do it better?

Can I be different?

Can I make it accountable in terms of an actual contribution to my bottomline?

I’m sure there are other questions you could ask - what are they? And what examples do you have of instances where you stopped for a minute and it brought you great rewards?

If you’re reading this elsewhere, check out Journeys Through The Line (http://www.arciscommunications.com/blog) for more thoughts and ramblings from Stephen P Francis of Arcis Communications.

As we worked on the marketing plan for this book - which I personally thought was pretty good and is why we’re doing this at all - I realised that it wasn’t all that complicated.

That’s not to say that it’s going to be easy either - but it IS simple.

It is about doing simple things in a predictable, dependable and straightforward way.

For instance, we’re asking people we know to buy the book.

And talk to people about it.

Write reviews about it.

Blog about it. Use it as a gift. Take pictures with it. Tell us how it helped - or didn’t. If they can, Tweet about it. Spread the word on their Facebook pages.

Isn’t that nice and easy? Also makes it easy to remember what we’re on about isn’t it?

We’re always complicating things. It helps us feel important. It helps our clients feel that they’re getting more bang for their buck.

But are they? Are we? … Really??

We need to get back to the basics.

Remember - we’re about selling stuff. That’s right … SALES. It’s about getting people to buy your or your clients products, services and stuff. It’s about getting people who bought it once to buy it again - and bring a friend.

So don’t sweat the ‘how’. Focus on the ‘why.’

That way, it gives you a chance to focus on your business and helping your client’s business. Rather than playing catch up to the latest tools, the biggest trends or the coolest places to see and be seen in. Not to say that these don’t work - but they don’t have to be the only choice

You know what I mean? We’re keeping it simple as I think this is the best way to get something like this done. I’ll be sure to post an update at some point.

In the meantime, what do YOU think?

These days, the norm seems to be that a good CSR program involves either planting a tree, giving a cheque, donating some sort of vehicle or in some cases an outreach or education program.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with all of these … they do some good after all. But it’s a little off tangent from the actual spirit behind the entire effort when you think about it.

Corporate Social Responsibility is about everything you do ever day of the year. It’s about being a responsible corporation - and that starts with you!

It’s about yourr responsibility to your stakeholders, employees, partners, bosses, the public and pretty much anyone else that interacts with you and your brand at any time.

The best CSR programs are the ones that actually make a difference in the long run - not just a flash in the pan effort to garner some ink or to have your picture taken. That would be irresponsible wouldn’t you say?

So what examples do you have of corporations who walk the talk?

Whether it’s entertaining a small child or dealing with your significant other, it’s the little things in life that really make an impact. Sure the large gestures and the theatrics are nice for a change - but the small, mundane everyday things are what really make a difference and are remembered.

This thought came to me as I watched some interesting creatives that the Singapore Government was using - created by the late Malaysian creative genius Yasmin Ahmad I believe - that focused on family values. The take away was made up of all kinds of things - but one of the key things that stuck out was how you remember your family for the small habits they have. The things they do all the time.

Now think about that for a minute - what is it that your business is doing all the time that people remember you for?

Service and excellence - generally being a leader - is all about consistency of action on these small things. Being seen in the right places all the time. Being heard in the right forums all the time. Having the same excellent customer service all the time. Having products and services that are of a similarly high level of quality all the time.

You get the picture. All the time.

Think about it - why would you pay almost three times the price for a cup of coffee at Starbucks when could get the same thing at your corner coffee shop for far less? It’s partly due to the expected quality of servie and consistency that you take as a requirement. The moment you forget that you start to see your bottomline fail.

McDonalds is another example. Let’s be frank - none of us eat there (or very few!) because of the quality of their cuisine. But it is predictable, repeatable and totally expected. All the time.

Repeat that to yourself - all the time.

So what businesses or service providers can you name that have taken this simple rule to heart and practice it consistently?

Just finished a great two day forum with the Asia Business Forum that focused on media relations and the use of Public Relations to drive sales - among many other things.

Met some fantastic people and the speakers were as entertaining as they were informative for the most part. Word of mouth marketing, ROI and the best way to launch and sustain a company’s presence in the market were among the other topics covered.

I may share some excerpts of the presentations we did at the event as well at a later date. I presented pieces on ‘Creating a Media Event‘ and ‘PR’s Powerful New Role in Driving Sales.’

Or you can email me now and have a conversation about them today.

The take away from the sessions however reminded me of an often forgotten question - how do you measure success? And more importantly - is it the way you want it to be measured?

For instance - is it worth spending RM200,000 on a billboard where you can’t really measure the results - or would that money be better spent in direct consumer related activity?

Is that advertisement really in the right place?

Is circulation more important than demographics?

Or perhaps is the advertisement event necessary at this point of your marketing campaign?

It’s easy to ’say’ that the spending is reaching the right audience - but can you demonstrate that value in terms of how its helping your sales?

For example, how many pairs of sneakers did that billboard - one of many! - actually secure?

What questions are you asking your advertising and/or public relations agencies, consultants and internal experts?

Here’s why -

• Your competitors who are more entrenched in a market will be less flexible as a general rule of thumb. They’re comfortable where they are.
• Secondly, you’re trying to get someone to try you on for size - incentivise them. You just might surprise yourself.
• Third, do whatever it takes. They need you there today - then  today it is. They need you to solve a problem - either do it, or find someone to help them do it. Essentially, offer them solutions - not problems.

Sounds simple enough isn’t it … and yet, many small and medium sized businesses aren’t as good at doing this as they should be.

Are you?

What examples of companies who are flexible and reactive that have surprised or pleased you?

Many communications, branding, marketing and even advertising pro’s are often stuck in a rut. They believe that if a campaign doesn’t involve the media, advertising or at least an interview of some sort then it isn’t real public relations.

But what if public relations is what we’ve been saying it is all along - how the public(s) that matter relate to you and your brand?

Take an event I attended recently by 360 Degree Fashions. In collaboration with a monthly event, FashFab, at a local hotspot, the event showcased the lifestyle, fashion and products that a typical buyer of 360 Degree’s products would enjoy. More importantly it showcased it to a captive audience of the right people in the right place!

Now this isn’t all that the brand and it’s owner does. They do media and everything else you would expect but they also aren’t tied to the norm. To the expected. To the formulaic measurements and methods that a lot of us are still stuck in.

Now that’s PR. It’s also sales. And marketing. And branding.

In a word - communcations. In the end, isn’t THAT what PR is all about?

What other brands have you seen that use PR in new wonderful or just plain effective ways to get things done that doesn’t involve media or advertising?

We’re working and playing in an economy that makes toffee look watery! But all things being equal, you’re probably constantly chasing a share of the market that is being chased by several companies.

If you’re lucky, you’re ‘dominant.’ If not, then you’ll be the fortunate one that is labelled as ‘dynamic and flexible.’ Or maybe you’re seen as the ’stable, dependable’ option.

Regardless of where you’re at in the market, the more important consideration is how we all get our clients. Whether your’re selling to companies or to consumers, how do you attract them, retain their interest and get them to buy what you’re selling.

More so, how do you then get them to stay loyal?

We use price points. Unique marketing. Competitive business plans. Cool new ideas. Personalised services.

But how about if we stopped focusing so much on the business that everyone is chasing, and create our own niche?

Recently, we approached a company that was keen to do business with us. Discussions started. Everyone was getting acquainted. Then their global HQ decided that a global agency for all countries was the way to go. They had no choice and we’d lost our contract.

Or so we thought. In discussions with them we realised that they needed more creativity and less red tape. They also ’still’ needed a partner that could help them grow their business.

So what do we do? Well, we create a whole new set of services that skirt around the contracts in place! This in turn:

- adds value

- it enhances their marketing ROI

- consumers love the new ideas as they get stuff

- the media get a campaign to talk about.

Not exactly rocket science this - just the application of old ideas in new ways.

We get a happy client. The client looks good to their bosses.

A win-win-win situation.

Not the most detailed of examples (we’re still in the midst of a stealth campaign for them!) but you get the idea I hope.

What about you - what examples do you have of companies or circumstances where thinking-out-of-the-box is more than just a platitude and is actually an action?