The most terrifying PR clients

Forget black cats, this Halloween season we’re highlighting the most terrifying clients to cross a PR pros path.

The micro-manager. We’ve all had this one. He gives you a deadline for a document on Tuesday and on Monday—the day before its due—asks when he’ll be able to see it.

The DIYer. I’m not talking about a client that wants you to do it all yourself. I’m talking about the client that gives you an order and does it himself. For example, the clients asks you to contact a reporter and then reaches out himself. Or ask you to change a pitch and then sends you a new version just as you are finishing up the re-draft.

The unforgiving client. Not sure whom this client crossed, or who crossed the client, but making a mistake with her is not a pretty sight. She may treat you like a blithering idiot for the remainder of the relationship or ask for you to be transferred off the account. Yikes!

The love you/hate you client. Oh, this one may be the worst. He praises you daily and then two weeks go by without a placement and the horns come out. Suddenly, you’ve produced no results and are the worst agency with which he’s worked.