Providing services to clients almost always involves contracts, outlining deliverables and projected media results. An understanding on both sides of what is expected and required of each is indeed important, and serves as a foundation for building trust. Equally important, however, is flexibility and agility, especially as client needs and news cycles change.  

This flexibility is especially valuable when a firm offers several types of services, from press release support to expert commentary to op-eds to social media management. In fact, the ability to toggle between different services can serve as a sort of secret sauce that enables the firm to better help the client. When one type of approach isn’t working, pivoting may often be the best tactic.

Fitting Into a Fast-Moving News Cycle

Sometimes, regardless of what a contract specifies as far as the breakdown between pitching clients for interviews versus placing op-eds for them, the news cycle and needs of the client can favor one approach over the other. If a topic is really not in the headlines, but a client has amazing data about it, that may be more suited to an op-ed targeted at fellow industry leaders. Or, if a client suddenly finds their industry or area of expertise in the news constantly, due to economic, corporate or geopolitical events, it may be worth prioritizing media interviews rather than pursuing self-authored articles. 

Op-eds are certainly an effective tool for communicating ideas, but they can be tricky to rely on during fast-changing situations. For example, the head of a think tank we work with authored an op-ed on options for reigning in Iran’s nuclear weapons program in early June, 2025. A top tier publication had accepted the article. Then Israel carried out a surprise attack on Iran, and war broke out between the two countries. Upon the editor’s request, the author updated the piece. Then the United States joined the attack on Iran, and yet another round of updates was needed. Finally, after yet another update when a ceasefire was reached, the article was finally published. 

There is no question that this was a great result, but it also led us to temporarily adjust our deliverables to rely more on pitching journalists for interviews during the conflict, rather than chasing the news cycle with additional op-eds for all of the experts at the think tank, even though they all had plenty to write about. Opinion editors may not always be as patient as the one we worked with during the war and engage in several rounds of re-writes.

Adapting to a Client’s Strengths and Needs 

Sometimes clients are just better at one kind of media than another. They may discover that they don’t have time to go through the process of writing an op-ed, or they may be more effective reacting to news rather than driving ideas; or the opposite may be true: They may prefer op-eds rather than having to answer questions on the spot. Or, they find social media brings in more leads or donors than articles in media.

Both the client and the firm should be honest about pointing out such strengths and weaknesses and how it influences the results and messages that go out to the world. The firm should take the lead in offering to swap one service for another. This makes the client feel taken care of and that they are receiving a real service in tune with their needs. It also, ideally, leads to better results, which is good for both sides and allows the relationship to continue and flourish.

For example, one of our non-profit clients had received coverage and quotes in top tier news outlets and published op-eds in trades about non-profit management, showcasing their global expertise. The results, while impressive, didn’t drive as much donor engagement as intended. Recognizing this, and in consultation with the client, we chose to  to adjust their focus away from commentary in top tier outlets and thought leadership and move towards social media engagement and securing increased coverage of their programs in Jewish outlets. With time, we saw the adjustment was more impactful in directly reaching both their donors and the audience they serve. 

Changing Directions Is Not Over-Servicing; It’s Simply Servicing Well

Just because a client has agreed to one type of service does not mean that the firm – or the client – should completely forget about the other options available. Encouraging a client to shift budget to social media from media relations during a slow news cycle or when tighter control over a specific story is needed, requires agility and self-awareness. Helping the client find their best fit among the firm’s suite of services drives the best possible results. And that’s simply good service.

Communications firms are not just competing for clients. They are also competing on behalf of their clients with news cycles and other developments or events outside of their control. Knowing when to guide a client to pivot to a different type of service can often be the difference between retaining a happy client and parting ways with a disappointed one.