Diagnosis: In an ideal world, this should be the first stage of all of our client engagements. But in reality, do we actually give diagnostics the weight they are due?
If a patient comes to a doctor, and based on online research, says “I have a certain condition and I know how you should treat me,” would the doctor simply prescribe the medication requested by the patient? It’s unlikely that a good doctor would do that.
As communicators, we face a similar predicament. We frequently find ourselves faced with specific requests from our clients, such as placing an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal or securing an interview with a morning show, that they think will solve their problems. However, unless we ask key questions and clearly understand the issues, we may not get to the root of their issue by simply meeting the request.
Continue reading " Determine Your Diagnosis: Setting Up Your Clients for Success "

