How Phil works
Phil values long-term business relationships with companies and people whose thinking he likes, respects and learns from. He maintained his working relationship with McLaren for seven years, for example, and with Penton Media since the early 1990s.
He steers clear of ego-driven clients and has no time for corporate BS. Life’s too short. Some clients have found him prickly to work with as a result. They’re the ones he only works with once. Only one of his ex-clients has not come back to him subsequently, asking him to work with them again.
His longterm clients cite his ability to understand their business aims, get under the skin of what they are trying to communicate and the freshness of his thinking:
“Phil seems able to read our minds, know what we want to say and then express it in a way that even we find exciting. It’s uncanny….I was very glad to be able to persuade him to work for us at the West London TEC and later when we set up the Inspired Leaders Network, to join us as its editorial director and web content editor. He gave us a communications edge”.
Phil Blackburn, former CEO, West London TEC, co-founder The Inspired Leaders Network.
Comments From Clients & Readers
“McLaren offered me some other person to write and produce the next newsletter. I think they were cheaper. But, I said it had to be you. Because no other journalist would liken our springs to the double-helix of DNA and make it work the way you did with our first newsletter. That was something. Brilliant. I trust you to bring our stuff to life. I didn’t know the other guy.”
Joe Frettloh, Eibach Springs, Germany
(manufacturer of the McLaren F1 team’s suspension springs until recently)
“Phil, I’m moving to the Sunday Times and wanted to just thank you for your brilliant writing for the Daily Mail…and to ask you to come with me.”
Sue Douglas, on moving from the Mail to the Sunday Times
“—–Original Message—–
From: Neil Wallace
Sent: 26 December 2001 17:11
To: Phil@eCustomerServiceWorld.com
Subject:
WHOEVER PUT THE “to unsubscribe…..” PART ON YOUR EMAIL NEWS LETTER SHOULD BE SHOT!
WOULD I UNSUBSCRIBE FROM EATING, WOULD I UNSUBSCRIBE FROM BREATHING, WOULD I UNSUBSCRIBE FROM “EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND” AND “WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY” ???? NOT”
