By: Seraphina Quinn

One of the things most companies struggle with is getting recognition in their industry. Striving to lead the pack sets a company apart from the others. As a global PR agency, 9-Figure Media allows other PR agencies to offer quality service and products to their customers through their white label PR services.

This media agency talks about how brands can lead their industry. In an interview with the Head of Sales, Ken Louis, he breaks down actionable steps companies can take to attain the top of their industries.

How do you define an industry leader?

I will simply put it this way – being at the top. As we already know, businesses are more competitive now than in the 70s and 80s. Starting in 2011, as a top PR agency, we carefully studied PR agencies like Edelman and Fleischmann. Secondly, we took a different narrative from other fledgling PR agencies then. It was a time of redefining what makes us different and stamping our identity. Thirdly, our strategic planning methods continuously retained our loyal customers, even attracting new ones. It was a steady and rewarding growth for us.

Most startups fold within ten years. What do you think they should do to stay in the game?

Some entrepreneurs have this funny mindset of making tons of money immediately they open shop. It clears from their eyes when the winds of recession, financing, ineffective planning, you name it, hit them. 

Then, they scamper for the nearest exit – folding up. Top PR companies like 9-Figure Media know the crust of surviving during an economic downturn revolves around relationships. Everything boils down to networking, selling superior products or services, funding, customers, maintaining skilled employees, just about everything. Maintaining strong relationships makes a business buoyant in a challenging economic downturn.

With so much competition, how can companies squeeze themselves to the top?

Being an industry leader means you have to work for it. Nobody is handing the award to you on a silver platter. And getting there doesn’t mean the competition ceased – it only intensified. Working with many clients across various industries, we learned through the years that a positive brand reputation and building trust are inseparable.

We continuously improve and minimize common PR mistakes. Secondly, we narrowed our offerings and carved out what differentiates us from other PR agencies. Businesses need to work with professionals with the same thought flow and constantly upgrade their business offerings. 

The business world constantly revolves around consumer needs, wants, and desires, and addressing them the fastest and cheapest way possible. Creativity, innovation, and consistency are three other qualities businesses should not overlook. They are the soul of a business.

You said something about consumer needs constantly changing. How can startups know that these needs have changed?

Time changes things. In 1908, when Henry Ford built the Model T, it was a huge success. The same Model T that was a huge success then wouldn’t move the needle if it were sold today. What happened? Consumers’ taste changed, and Henry Ford innovatively changed.

Before a new need replaces the old one, there is a trend. Businesses should be aware of these trends, like technological improvement, environment, season of the year, etc. You can monitor shifts in needs even from your competitors. At 9-Figure Media, we never assume we know everything about consumer needs. But by constantly improving and researching these needs, we sharpen our service offering, focusing more on our target audience and increasing sales. 

What are the challenges of being an industry leader?

Laughs. For every new position attained, there will always be challenges. First, we dealt with time. Twenty-four hours a day sometimes are not enough for us to complete some tasks, so we opted for prioritization of tasks. Again, there’s the issue of keeping the revenue constantly coming in, where we deployed our revenue-generating arsenals.

I remember we also had the challenge of finding and retaining the right professionals. Nowadays, people make claims of what they are not, and with a lot of resumes pouring in daily, we slowed down our hiring process to carefully sieve out the wheat from the chaff.

Do you have any last words for startups?

9-Figure Media was once a startup, but we moved past that stage and have become one of the top PR companies in the world. Startups need to be consistent in serving their clients and providing optimum services. 

In business, economic downturns constantly arise. Finding effective ways to navigate through the trying times gives a business the experience it needs in case another economic downturn happens.

Finally, build and maintain quality relationships with your clients, partners and employees, and be innovative.  

Published by: Martin De Juan