How to react when big changes strike your clients

Few things are worse in the PR world than getting that early morning call to find out that your clients have been bought or that the senior management has been sacked.
Suddenly the great relationships you spent years cultivating have (without warning) ended. Stay calm and don’t stick your head in the sand — this is no time to be an ostrich. Keep your ears open and be ready to deliver.
The first step: Determine who is left that is in your corner. Who can support your company within the organization moving forward? Align yourself with that person(s) and stay close. Try and collect as much inside information and feedback as you can in the early days.
Next, determine when and how you will be introduced to the new person in charge. Put some urgency behind this because the quicker you get that first meeting, the better you will be able to gauge where you stand within the changeover.
If you fail to get to know the people in charge, you will not know the processes by which they are trying to transform the company.
You have to be in sync with them. Learn about their professional background and find out their personal interests, and if at all possible take them out to lunch or drinks. Begin to build a personal rapport so you can learn whether you share a common ground.
Share as much information as possible about the great work you have done over the years and any numbers that support their ROI. Totally reintroduce your company. Let them get an understanding of who you are, where you are from and what you can offer.
Above all, act with confidence, knowledge and have a quick answer when approached. Always say what you are going to do and do what you are going to say — and never be late for that first meeting under a new regime.
There are instances where the likelihood of your company being replaced is an eventuality. If there is new management involved and your company is perceived to be part of the “old team” it may just be a matter of time. But, if you have the opportunity to prove your worth and ability to adapt to a new regime, it could be your saving grace.
Finally, here are some key questions you can ask yourself that may indicate you are being phased out.
■  Are you in all the email chains and receiving new information consistently? If you are out of the information loop and the last one in the know, you will probably be the next to go.
■  How does new management act around you? Can they give you a good look in the eyes or are they twitchy and uncomfortable in your presence?
Ask yourself these questions — and last and most important, go with your gut. I find it is hardly ever wrong. Remember to always prepare for the worst and hope for the best and that with every end, comes a new beginning. ●
Joseph Molina is president of JMPR Public Relations.