“I dare you to think bigger, to act bigger, and to be bigger. I dare you to think creatively. I dare you to lead and inspire others. I dare you to build character. I dare you to share. And I promise you a richer and more exciting life if you do!”

– William Danforth

PR professionals represent their clients 24/7. After a while, we start thinking about our clients 24/7. It’s a very real relationship – you can’t stop representing your client just because it’s the weekend and you want a break.

That’s our job, right?

(Sounds a lot like being a minister’s wife!)

I think that sometimes our client-centric thinking rubs off onto our clients, too. And that isn’t good. It may be the PR pro’s job to focus on the specific organization they represent 100% of the time, but if organizations only talk about themselves, people will stop listening.

If your organization’s goals include growing their database of supporters, becoming a thought leader in their industry or changing people’s minds about an issue, remember that in order to achieve those goals, you rely on other people. We must remind our clients: It’s not all about you.

We need to encourage them to think bigger and to thank bigger.

I’ve always heard that in order to receive holiday cards, you had to send holiday cards. This year, I definitely saw that to be true. It’s the same thing with your company’s fans, followers, supporters and employees. In order to get support, you have to give support. Relationships – all kinds – are built upon mutual support and mutual respect. Why would we expect our organizations to be respected if they don’t show respect to others?

So, PR pros, while your head is filled with questions like, “how I help my client stand out from the competition?” let’s encourage our clients to ask, “how many supporters can I thank today?” or “what organization is doing great things that deserves a shout-out?”

By nurturing your organization’s network now, you can be confident that they will be there for you when it counts.