Washington Business Journal
Week of July 12, 1999
Leading Stories
Ketchum leaves N.Y. to
find local PR talent
Matthew Swibel Staff Reporter
The shortage of public relations professionals
knows no boundaries for Washington-based
PRofessional Solutions.
After landing its first account with a firm outside
the Beltway -- Ketchum Public Relations in New
York -- the two-member temp agency is considering
ways to create its first national marketing campaign.
The D.C. agency will provide Ketchum with a Web
site content writer who will work for a large
financial services client, which Ketchum would not
name. The deal is worth about $10,000. The writer
will telecommute from Washington for an
indefinite period.
The deal underscores how the oft-reported lack of
experienced PR professionals is encouraging
PRofessional Solutions President Kate Perrin to
broaden her company's horizons.
The firm's owners expect revenue this year to
approach $1 million -- up from $500,000 last year.
Ketchum decided to go outside of New York -- the
PR mecca -- to PRofessional Solutions after
meeting its founder, Kate Perrin, at a networking
conference in California.
While Ketchum frequently uses free-lancers on
other projects, this marks the beginning of what
could be a profitable relationship with Perrin's
company.
PRofessional Solutions "is a great idea. There is
nothing quite similar in New York," said Elvine
Cam, the Ketchum account executive who tapped
Perrin for the job.
Cam was so impressed with the concept that
PRofessional Solutions now is on file with
Ketchum's human resources department at its New
York headquarters.
"Although its a fairly small project, it's a very
important move for us," Perrin said.
The company maintains a database of about 100
temps who typically want work in the Washington
area. But because the Web has no geographical
boundaries, Perrin is rethinking her company's
potential.
"It's a reflection of companies finding people who
speak their language," said Amy Stark, director of
operations for Bethesda-based Boss Temps. Her
company specializes in placing temporary
publications, graphics and new media personnel.
Stark was surprised about Ketchum's decision to
have client work completed from Washington.
"When a temp works from an off-site location, it's
hard to control work quality," Stark said. She added
that only 5 percent of her temps work outside
clients' offices.
That's not the only potential problem associated
with temp work.
"Temporary PR seems like an oxymoron," said
Amanda Temple, editor of PR Intelligence Report.
"It's only OK if Ketchum is upfront with its paying
client."
Cam said she "most likely" will make her client
aware that someone outside Ketchum is writing for
the Web site.
Temple's publication has followed the trend of a
growing number of free-lance public relations
professionals who seek refuge from the culture of
PR firms. Some of these entrepreneurs end up on
the roster of a firm like Perrin's.
"Free-lancing frees you up from the red tape. At PR
firms you make clients happy, at corporations you
make owners happy, but with free-lancing you make
yourself happy," Temple said.
PRofessional Solutions is brainstorming
promotional strategies to attract a national clientele.
"Until now, we never realized it was even a
possibility," Perrin said.
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