Public relations is basically free advertising. The thing is, it is important to be able to relate with the people on which your business relies. It is those relationships that will make people support your vision by choosing your product or services over your competitors. As a client I’d want some transparency, I mean who supports a vision they don’t understand? Mahlodi Legodi will help you with that.
With 5 years experience in Public Relations, Mahlodi has managed and improved the media relations and reputation for prominent African and international brands. Notable among these are Carlson Rezidor (Radisson Blu Hotel group), LG Electronics, Bosch power tools, Ask Afrika and Subinite. With this extensive clientele base spanning corporate, consumer and retail sectors, Mahlodi has overseen and executed successful internal and external campaigns, exhibitions, product and service launches, media roundtables, internal and external communication strategies.
SLA content fellow Rumbie had the opportunity to interview Mahlodi Legodi and this is what the PR guru had to share…
Mahlodi Legodi, some of the readers would want to know what the
few months before starting up your company were like.
Starting a company isn’t an easy process! The first few months before I decided to embark on this entrepreneurship journey I spent in prayer, research, planning and preparation for the birth of FR Communications Pty Ltd.
It is very important to gather as much information about your business venture. Speak with a few industry players about what worked for them and what didn’t in order to position yourself well in the industry.
From the outset what was your mission?
Did you ever consider letting go and probably getting yourself a 9 -5?
No, I have never considered getting another 9 to 5.
The beauty of venturing into business for me came with the assurance that I had nothing to worry or stress about for greater is He that is in me (1 John 4:4) than he (challenges or struggles) that is in the world. I manage the business but God owns it!
What gets you out of bed every morning?
What gets me up in the morning is the reminder that my clients trusted me enough with their brands (dreams, aspirations and livelihood) accompanied with the love and passion for what I do.
[bctt tweet=”When you lead your industry through communication, ensure it’s not just pretty but right” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]
‘FR Communications believes in the importance of not just having a great idea but to have the “right idea”.’ How do you know your idea is the right idea?
We are committed to setting brands apart in a crowded marketplace by offering unique, innovative and media savvy PR services that don’t only focus on creating great ideas but delivering the right ideas. Ideas which produce proven results that have a direct and positive impact on our clients brands.
The right idea is more than just something you’re excited about —it is an idea that is actually viable to ensure the overall success of the clients business and communication needs. The right idea will always solve a business problem and set your brand apart in the industry in a memorable way. It is extremely hard to consistently create content that’s truly unique and new. So when you do have the chance to lead your industry through your communication, you have to take it and ensure it’s not just great (pretty looking, sounds amazing) but it’s right (viable, educational, factual, and speaks to your target audience)
It is extremely hard to consistently create content that’s truly unique and new. So when you do have the chance to lead your industry through your communication, you have to take it and ensure it’s not just great (pretty looking, sounds amazing) but it’s right (viable, educational, factual, and speaks to your target audience)
What is the most gratifying part of your position as owner and senior consultant?
In this role, I learned that if God puts authority and credibility in your life, the title (owner and senior consultant) is irrelevant. I do everything from filling, writing, recons, mentoring, and media monitoring.
What does it take to be a co-owner of a company? Who do you need to be connected to and what does one need to bring to the table as a cofounder/ coowner?
Being a co-founder of a company means that you are part of a team that came together to compliment each other and validate the plans concerning the company before implementing them.
- It needs to define who contributes what: You need to discuss with your business partner what you both will be bringing to the table in terms of labour, cash, clients, property etc. Who plans on working on the business full-time, part-time or just act as a silent partner?
- It is very important to define who gets paid what: This consists of an outline of how profits will be distributed. Will each partner be paid a salary for his or her role in the business? If so, how much? And what about any extra profits for the year?
- You need to be able to define how decisions get made: What type of decisions require unanimous votes, and what type of daily decisions can be made by a single partner? Discussing these matters upfront and deciding what decision-making structure will let your business run the most effectively is important in a joint venture.