AlreadyInspired.com

As in any other industry sector, communications agencies play an important role in representing their clients during good and bad times, through passing information on time to all concerned stakeholders. Today I’m honoured to host PR Worx founder Madelain Roscher, who shares with us her road to establishing her company.

Tell us about yourself, when were you born and where are you based?
I’m Madelain Roscher, and was born and raised in Johannesburg.  My company operates in Sunward Park, Johannesburg – the business hub of South Africa so it suits me perfectly!  I love the vibe and pace of the city, I wouldn’t want to operate any where else.

What is your business all about and what inspired it?
PR Worx is not just a communications agency; we are an extension of our client’s business and play a strategic role in their market positioning and public image.

After spending 6 years with South African Airways as their spokesperson and head of public relations, and spending too much time away from home and my family, PR Worx was born.

How old is PR Worx this year, what are major highlights that your business has achieved over the years?
PR Worx will be 8 years old on the 13th of October 2009.  The day after I left SAA, I started operating from a corner in my lounge and within a few months, a fully fledged consultancy was established.  I must give thanks and credit to the media as they reported that I had left the airline to start up my own business, and the phone started ringing with clients needing my assistance.

Highlights include some awards but my measurement of success is rather beating some of the larger consulting companies in the country to blue chip accounts i.e. Anglo American and Qatar Airways.

How many people do you employ?
11 very dedicated and passionate industry experts who make my life so much easier.

You operate in a highly competitive industry, how have you managed to be better than your competitors in your niche?
Every client – regardless of size – is treated as our ‘big fish’ and gets the attention they deserve.  We make a point of understanding the ins and outs of the industries in which they operate so that we can add strategic value to their businesses, instead of just lip service.

As a communications company, how do you ensure your website benefits your company?
We currently have an online writing service which allows worldwide clients to request press release assistance from our two experienced journalists. The site is currently being upgraded to include various functionalities i.e.:

• editing tools that allow us to update our own information as and when necessary;
• search tool for navigational purposes;
• blog site regarding industry specific happenings; and
• an interactive survey allowing visitors to express their opinions on industry related issues i.e. how communication was handled on the Dalai Lama issue.

Why is your website not used to archive all press releases distributed to the media?
The new website will definitely have an archive folder for all releases as we will not have to rely on external support to update information.

What are some of the major brands that you represent?
I have always maintained that I don’t want PR Worx to become the largest communications consultancy in the country, but rather the best at what we do.  I also believe that it as important for the agency to choose the right client as it is for the client to select the right agency.

Some of the major local and international brands that we represent include Anglo American, the country’s largest private employer, Nashua Limited, the market leader in office automation, Qatar Airways, one of only six global 5-star ranked airlines, and CAMEC, a fast growing AIM listed African focused emerging diversified producer, to name but a few.

What is involved in tendering for a PR account?
We think beyond the brief, consider what is happening within the specific industry from a national and global perspective, and how it impacts the client’s business and objectives.  Once all the research has been completed, we provide a solutions-driven strategic communications plan that is realistic, implementable and importantly, measurable.

Where is the money in your kind of business and are there other revenue streams to be untapped within your niche besides the traditional ways of representing a brand?
Signing a client on a monthly retainer basis provides a steady flow of income. However, if estimated monthly hours are not agreed on beforehand, the client could take advantage of the situation and the agency could lose out on revenue by not billing for hours exceeded.

At PR Worx, we don’t believe in tying clients down with watertight contracts and they can use the ‘escape clause’ at any time. This approach ensures that we never become complacent and that we always drive maximum value for our clients, based on a solid return on investment (ROI) approach.  The maximum ROI generated thus far was 6 250% and the minimum has never been less than 650%.

Through my travel and tourism blog www.travelwires.com I get press releases about specials, these are not news worthy to be considered for publication, why do PR agencies still insist on sending such?
Our clients appreciate our upfront approach in terms of advising them on what is newsworthy and what is not.  They also understand that it has taken us many years to build up credible relationships with various members of the press and that we can’t jeopardise those relationships by distributing immaterial news.

Very often an information piece might be important to the client but not necessarily to the media, so we would include that in company newsletters or other business-to-business related material.

Are social networking websites, not posing a threat to your business?
Not at all, public relations and marketing practitioners need to use all communication channels at their disposal and leverage the diversified networks that the Information Age has to offer. It would be a grave mistake to ignore social networking websites as their popularity has grown in leaps and bounds. Facebook has grown to over 200 million users in less than 5 years and MySpace now has approximately 160 million members.

Contrary to popular perception that social networking sites are for teenagers sharing gossip and photographs, Facebook recently revealed statistics that 50% of their members are 30+.

Facebook has for instance created a marketing initiative called Facebook Beacon which allows websites to publish social ads and promote products online.  These are operated on an opt-in basis allowing members to share information with their friends, spanning all organisational boundaries.

How do you unwind after a busy day in the office?
I absolutely love what I do, so I generally take work home and continue on my laptop while my family watches television.

When I’m not working, I’m an avid (horse) polo fan and support my daughter, Shannon (18) in her efforts to become a professional polo player.

Is your family involved in the business?
While my son, Ashley, is deciding what he wants to study next year, he has joined us an Account Assistant.  My colleagues know that he does not get preferential treatment because he is my son and he understands that too.  He has taken quite a liking to the creative side of the business and is considering studying creative design next year.

Are you involved in any projects that groom or mentor young entrepreneurs?
On an annual basis, we take in 2 third-year students to do their internship with us.  We get them involved with every aspect of the business from strategising, to researching press release angles, to creating media lists, to packing boxes and tagging promotional items if need be.  We push them quite hard but at the end of their term, they have a good understanding of what public relations is all about. Those that exceed, have the option to stay on and grow even further within the company.

In your opinion are entrepreneurs born or made?
I believe that you can do anything you set your mind to.  Succeeding in business is purely because of hard work, commitment, continual learning, your support structure and the amount of effort you put in.

Is your business affected by the current economic climate?
Quite the contrary, business is booming.  Many of our new clients have faced marketing budget cuts and instead of spending a fortune on elaborate advertising campaigns, they are now relying on public relations to get their corporate message across through free publicity.

What are your short and long-term business plans?
PR Worx’s short term business plan is to capitalise on the current economic climate and to help clients make the transition from advertising to public relations, to help minimise their marketing spend.

From a long-term business perspective, we will continue to retain the right talent to provide our clients with the maximum ROI and will maintain our strategy of selecting the right clients.

Thank you for affording AlreadyInspired.com the rare opportunity of getting to know more about the driving force behind the successful PR Worx, do you have any advise for aspirant entrepreneurs?
I read somewhere that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in an activity, my personal theory is that it takes at least double that, especially in the consulting industry.  If you are planning on advising clients, you need to have extensive knowledge to steer them in the right direction.

If it’s a start up business selling a product, prepare a solid business and marketing plan, have enough capital to stay cash flush, soak up all the entrepreneurial wisdom you can get, know your target audience and their needs, and communicate solutions-driven product news.

Importantly stay motivated and focused, work hard and enjoy every minute of it!