Sometimes all it takes just a little twist to turn a story idea that goes “thud” into one that scores a home run.
Thanks to Nancy Pierce of Racine, Wisconsin for reminding me about this when I spoke to the Association of Women in Communications last week. She told me The Racine Journal Times recently featured an article on the front page of its business section about her husband, Thomas Hall, an attorney who makes house calls.
In addition to listing virtually every service he provides, the article even said that his hourly rate of $265 is far lower than the $365 he charged when was with one of Milwaukee’s biggest law firms. And an accompanying photo shows Tom, leaning back in a chair and looking relaxed, while visiting with a client at the client’s office.
Here’s the best part. At the end of the article, the reporter listed Tom’s telephone number and email address. It doesn’t get any better than that. The article was picked up by MyShingle.com and Findlaw.com.
“It has resulted in a mixed range of work that has been fun for him,” Nancy said.
The Publicity Hound asks: Do you make house calls in your business? If so, it could be the perfect hook.
Jeff Zbar, the SBA Small Business Journalist of the Year for 2001, was my guest during a teleseminar I conducted called “The Fastest, Cheapest and Easiest Ways to Publicize Your Small Business–Even If You’re a Solo Entrepreneur.” Zbar said sole proprietors like Hall can generate just as much publicity as the Goliaths and can often be even more creative.
I believe that participating in “house calls” could be a great communication tool that can make PR more efficient. As a pr practitioner working for a client it seems to make sense to go to them for the project. If I am going to understand my client and really get to know their culture, lines of communication and overall way of doing things then I really need to get to know them.
I am not saying that during the whole process of working with my client I am going to work out of their office, but I think it would be valuable to start there and finish there.
If I am going to create an honest campaign and represent my clients in the best light possible then I need to make the effort to get to know my clients. You never know my way of shaking up the pr industry with house calls might generate some buzz for my company and get other potential clients to respect my efforts like Hall’s did.