The NAKED Marketing Company

Last week, I was invited to pitch for the publicity and PR for an upcoming product launch.

As is my habit, I did my homework: I researched the company and its marketplace, examined what they were already doing with publicity and PR and compared it with what else they might be doing as well or instead. I spent some time exploring their website and phoned the business development manager to get some insight into their perceived publicity and PR needs and wants.

I then wrote up a comprehensive set of initial proposals and suggestions, including “optional extras”, cost estimates and a timetable for delivery. I emailed these proposals and also had a set of hard copies bound and posted in advance of a meeting arranged for them to ask questions and clarify points.

The meeting seemed to go well. They were very complimentary about the thoroughness and scope of my proposals.

But when I got back to my desk, there was an email waiting for me that said, in essence: Don’t call us, we’ll call you if and when we feel the need.

That in itself doesn’t bother me. No-one ever won every bit of business they went after. Anyone who’s ever tendered for some business knows the odds of getting it are stacked against.

No, what bothers me is that these people now have my comprehensive proposals … which they said they were impressed by… and what’s to stop them taking my proposals and just doing it for themselves? Or getting another PR company to do it for them?

I slap copyright © all over my documents but we all know that merely protects the physical content from being plagiarised. It can’t and doesn’t prevent someone nicking the ideas described by the physical content.

Apart from that, researching, writing and presenting my proposals report took a chunk of my time, effort, energy, resources and knowledge, so it has a value. It’s worth something. And now this company has got it for free.

What do others do to protect their intellectual copyright in circumstances like these? How much time, effort, energy and resources are you prepared to invest in a speculative bid for business?