A PA/R firm is only as effective as the organization it represents.

This means that the client must fulfill its obligations to the PA/R agency. It’s not sufficient to hire a team, pay them well, expect them to work in isolation, and produce miracles.

Failure by a client to uphold their responsibilities can lead to the PA/R firm cutting ties.

  1. Lack of Responsiveness

For a PA/R strategy to move from paper to reality, timely approvals and feedback from the client are essential. A client’s prolonged unresponsiveness can render a well-designed plan ineffective, stifling its potential from the beginning. This constant hindrance leads to stagnation, forcing the PA/R firm to reconsider the viability of its relationship with the client.

  1. Constantly Shifting Goals

A successful PA/R campaign relies on clear goals and a unified vision. When clients frequently change their goals without consulting the PA/R firm, they create an unstable environment, making it nearly impossible for the firm to strategize effectively and deliver results.

  1. Disregarding Expert Advice

PA/R firms provide expertise and extensive experience. When clients repeatedly ignore the firm’s advice, it undermines the firm’s professional insights and hinders the campaign’s potential for success.

  1. Unjustified Blame

A successful PA/R campaign is a collaborative effort. Clients who do not meet their responsibilities and subsequently blame the PA/R firm demonstrate a misunderstanding of the collaborative nature of PA/R work, which ultimately strains the relationship.

  1. Non-Payment

Financial integrity is the foundation of any professional relationship. Failing to uphold financial commitments represents a clear breach of trust, often marking the end of the professional relationship.

  1. Promoting False Information

Ethics and truthfulness serve as the foundational pillars of PA/R practice. Any client request to disseminate false or misleading information constitutes not only a breach of trust but also a legal liability, leaving the firm with no choice but to sever ties.

  1. Unprofessional Behavior

Maintaining a professional demeanor is essential. Incidents of rudeness and disrespect can harm the client-firm relationship, rendering collaboration impossible.

  1. Unrealistic Expectations

PA/R firms are not miracle workers; they operate within the boundaries of achievable goals. Clients with unrealistic expectations create ongoing challenges, placing undue pressure on the firm and leading to unnecessary dissatisfaction.

A Rare Yet Significant Reality

With over 30 years of experience serving clients in various industries, we have been fortunate to build long-lasting, trust-filled relationships. Situations that required us to part ways with a client have been extremely rare—only once in three decades.

Successful PA/R campaigns rely on collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. We take pride in the enduring partnerships we’ve created with clients who share these values.

Hector Barajas is one of the nation’s top political strategists and a trusted political and legislative analyst for Univision and Telemundo. He is the CEO and President of Amplify360 Inc., a nationally recognized public affairs and public relations firm. Learn more at www.Amplify360inc.com.