Bravo, Steve, bravo!

What would be really interesting to see is a behind-the-scenes video of those same clients when the "you won't get fired" decision turns out to be a bad match that costs the company too many dollars in an economy with too few to go around. Over the years I've been column fodder more times than I care to remember - heck, I can't even remember how many times I've been column fodder - but what I've learned is more often than not, what goes around comes around. Overhead is so overrated (and overpriced). Most clients don't need and likely can't benefit from what an Edelman, F-H (or H-F these days) or Burson offers. Those that need those resources should buy them, of course, though they may have to accept the churn and burn that often accompanies the big boys and girls. But until and unless our economy heats back up to pre-crash levels - or maybe even pre-9.11 levels - I believe most clients will want to pay only for what they need and for the steady, consistent and personal attention they can from experienced, agile and highly networked small/mid-sized firms. And the firms like this I know through the Counselors Academy (www.counselorsacademy.org) have some of the brightest and most talented consultants I've ever met. No one ever got fired for buying IBM, to be sure. But no one ever got fired for buying the same or better level of quality results for less. And based on the new business results we're seeing at our firm, Forge Communications (www.forgecommunications.com), it seems a number of clients are realizing this. Overhead is so over.