Your brand needs a story to sell, and the best way to do it is with the help of good public relations. In this era where people are under the influence of social media, there still remains a space for good public relations to launch successful campaigns.
Featuring for The Enterprise World’s this issue of Top 5 Admired Companies of the year 2022 is M3 Communications, a PR agency helping companies grow with successful strategies.
In this interview with Maxim Behar, the Founder of the M3 Communications, let us know more about their journey to success.
Brief us about the M3 Communications.
M3 Communications Group, Inc. was established in 1994 as one of the first PR companies in Eastern Europe and now is one of the largest and awards winning in the whole history of this business in the region. It employs about 55 people and provides full communications service – public relations, social media, web development, graphic design, event management, public affairs, and media relations. We started as one-man-show company and last year the prestigious global media PRWeek announced M3 Communications Group, Inc. as “most commended PR agency in Europe”, an year before same magazine announced Maxim Behar as “best PR professional in Europe”. What a great achievement!
What were the initial challenges you faced?
Of course, the most important challenge is fast developing business and changes of social media, which brought to dramatic changes in the whole business. The fact that everyone owns media, the fact that the world is full with people who have access to media and they can manipulate the information, but also to provide important knowledge puts a lot of challenges which at the end need new professional, new approaches and completely new knowledge.
Which was that point that triggered the growth of the company?
Work with big international clients, their benchmarks and demands. Clients like Microsoft, Cisco, Danone, Michelin. Loreal, Mars, Lockheed Martin, and many others which you had and have throughout the years rapidly increased our knowledge, abilities and triggered our corporate and professional wish for constant success.
What is the reason behind your company’s long-standing success?
The reason is simple – my team, our professionalism and our total focus is on client’s satisfaction. We do not agree always with client. But we make clients to agree with us because we know their needs and we know how to achieve their success. Clients’ success is our success – this is more than a chemistry, this is the one and only target to achieve.
What are the products/services the company focuses on? How are your services different from those in the market?
Ten years ago – media relation. Ten days ago it was social media, ten days in the future – for sure something else, like for example live coverage, video production, live storytelling… All of them interesting and exciting projects.
How do you decide to take the company a step further in terms of your products/services?
These days everything is video and everything is real time. A story happened five minutes ago is already an old story. Live streaming, live coverage and live storytelling requires completely different professional qualities and we are learning them every day. It is a great journey and we a;; in the company enjoy it.
Is there any new addition to the list of products/services? Anything exciting you would like to share?
Everything which is real time is exciting, demanding and professional. These days we offer it with no doubt.
Can you please brief us about your professional experience?
I was a journalist for many years and 27 years ago decided to move to the communications business, even without not knowing what is PR. Since then graduated a lot of Universities and specialized in and graduate Harvard Kennedy School, The Pacific Institute in Seattle, London School of Management, Kenshu Institute in Yokohama and many others. My main education comes from Prague Economic University in Czech Republic on International Business. I was for many years President of Global PR Organisation ICCO, Chairman of the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum in Bulgaria and now I am a president of the World Communications Forum Association In Davos Switzerland.
What are the key achievements of your entrepreneurial journey?
Doing my job professionally, honestly and 7/24. Learning and sharing, teaching and listening. This is the most important for me in my everyday job.
How do you look after your employees? What makes your team unique?
To be honest, I hate the word “employee”, I consider them my colleagues, I am part of their team and they are part of mine. So, called “horizontal management”, presented by me in my latest book The Morning After gives them security that they have an equal to them and very professional boss, but also gives me the security that all we learn together every single day.
Is there any special experience with your clients you would like to highlight?
Sure. Crisis Management. Ten years before we had some ten hours to respond or to solve a crisis, today we do not have even 10 minutes. But to know how to do this successfully one must have huge experience and to learn every day.
One person who you admire the most?
No. I admire at most my late father of course, but also all my friends, colleagues, clients, teachers and even just a normal people who I met coincidentally. Form each of them I’ve learned a lot and I am learning every day.
Whose business story do you find the most inspiring?
Each business story has its uniqueness. And also – lessons. The great ability is to know how to learn these lessons.
Which is the most inspiring quote you have read?
Sorry to say this, but it is mine. Worst decision is better than no decision.
Constant vigilance- a need or a strategy? Please share your views.
My strategy is simple. Constant learning and hard working.
It’s a rat-race out there. How do you cope with that?
Of course, I have my own system, for Maxim Behar day does not have 24 hours, but just 22, 2 of them are for social media and learning new approaches.
