March "Gladness"

For basketball junkies, March is Nirvana. Upsets, David vs. Goliath, buzzer beaters, the Final Four. All rolled up into one month of March madness.

For PR agency execs, March madness takes on a different meaning. It is the end of the first quarter and that means 1st quarter P&L’s and the sobering reality of a slow start to 2009. But, don’t be mad. Instead be glad.

If you have already pared staffs (or are about to), cut salaries, and reduced discretionary spending -- if you’ve managed your financials well -- your firm should be poised to operate the remainder of the year at least break-even and hopefully eking out a small profit. That’s something for which to be glad.

Another bit of gladness is the small signal that the stock market may be on the verge of a little bit of recovery. Good news for all us and for our clients.

Finally, if you believe the notion of the media’s role in creating a self-fulfilling prophesy, I have seen some positive news recently that suggests the recession may end more quickly than once imagined.

We’re clearly not out of the woods, but March “gladness” is a lot better to contemplate than March madness.