Last month, I read a blog post that really resonated with me about the difference between being liked and being valued. As the author of the post states, clearly the two are not mutually exclusive, but must be prioritized.
The author explains in his post, “When you focus on being valued first and liked second, you’re far more likely to take on the behaviors to create demand.” He goes on to state, “Being valued means risking, even for a few moments, not being liked.”
I have worked with individuals who focus too much on being liked and forget to provide value or are hesitant to disagree even if their counsel is well founded.
While it is important to be liked, and good chemistry and rapport can impact a client’s hiring decision, as a PR professional I focus on providing value for our clients, but strive to do so in a manner that enhances our relationship. Ultimately, this means I help clients accomplish their business objectives through integrated strategic communication in a manner that is fun, affirming and win-win.
Since being valued is so important, it is critical that we have a good understanding of what our clients want to achieve. This means getting a sense for the client’s long-term business and communication objectives as well as his or her willingness to take a strategic approach to PR.
Recently, we received a phone call from a person who wants to work with a boutique firm that can create an ongoing narrative for his company. He is not just looking for the one-off media placements, but is interested in taking a strategic, integrated approach to utilizing PR to help achieve his company’s business objectives. We are very excited about working with him because we know he’ll value the services we provide. We also know we can make a meaningful and positive impact on his business.
He, like many of our clients, is looking to build brand awareness, shift perceptions and establish thought leadership – and he understands this will not be achieved through one piece of coverage. He therefore appreciates the value we can add around helping him achieve success.
Consider Tegic Communications and its PR activities from 1997 through its sale to AOL in 1999. The company took a strategic approach to building awareness, securing mentions in buying guides and as part of handset reviews, stories discussing trends and growth of text messaging, in-person meetings, and did not focus solely on big one-off stories.
Through its ongoing PR activities, Tegic got the attention of AOL, who bought Tegic for $350 million. An AOL executive later shared that his team calculated they paid an extra $50 million for Tegic due to the buzz about the company. An additional $50 million in two years – that demonstrates value. (Excerpted from “Strategic Public Relations.”)
People hire us because we are likeable and easy to work with, but also because of the value we bring and the results we deliver as they work to achieve tough business and communication objectives. What is your point of view? Do you think it is more important to be valued or liked?