Services

Media Relations

Our approach to media relations and publicity yields clients high-profile placements on a consistent basis – the type of coverage that provides visibility, establishes credibility, enhances stature and helps to achieve overall business goals. The strong relationships we maintain with reporters and editors at top newspapers, magazines and wire services, and producers and assignment editors at radio and television stations, also allow us to function as sources of information and story ideas for the media. The credibility we have provides us with the access we need to place stories – locally, nationally and internationally – and to stay abreast of what stories various reporters are preparing. It also gives us the opportunity to introduce clients and to develop positive impressions among the media about their businesses and activities.

Even more important, we understand the strategic importance of reaching beyond the goal of publicity for publicity’s sake alone. We regularly generate meaningful results that move a client’s agenda forward. Effective public relations campaigns require a proactive, creative approach, seamlessly integrated with the organization’s business strategy. In addition, when organizations are on the receiving end of media inquiries and attention – whether desired or unwelcome – we bring skill, judgment and experience to the process. We are usually able to improve the outcome and achieve better results by handling those calls and helping to manage those situations.

Crisis Communications

When a high profile crisis hits, the future operations of a business, the survival of venerable institutions, and the careers and reputations of leading individuals can all be on the line. Whether sparked by litigation, government investigations, financial issues, scandals involving senior executives, environmental hazards, regulatory or political scrutiny, or a range of other issues, an organization’s communications strategy can play an important role in the outcome of the breaking crisis – enabling it to disseminate key messages and support its operations during the crisis and beyond.

Our approach to each situation melds our experience in legal and business issues, media relations, targeted and internal communications, politics and community relations, and our extensive track record as strategists for companies and organizations in myriad industries.

The firm’s top professionals have worked with a wide range of clients in crisis situations, including public and private companies, national associations, prominent not-for-profit organizations, high-profile individuals, healthcare institutions, law firms and property owners, among many others.

Public Affairs Communications

In today’s media climate, news cycles turn at breakneck speed enabling both support and opposition to galvanize around public policies almost instantaneously. Against the backdrop of a hyper-charged political climate, even routine decisions before government and other key decision makers can quickly become lightning rods for controversy. It is therefore essential to employ sound media and public relations strategies that anticipate public reaction and mobilize opinion in your favor from the outset.

With considerable public affairs experience rooted in varied high profile positions held both in and out of government, our team understands how public opinion is shaped and is well versed in tactics that affect positive outcomes. Although we are not lobbyists, we work hand in glove with government relations teams, carefully planning and implementing strategies that can organize public opinion your favor ahead of key decisions by policy makers and head off potential pitfalls before they materialize. Our successful public affairs work includes communications support for major public policy initiatives, real estate development and complex land use issues, advocacy and public information, government approvals, controversial and crisis situations, and corporate announcements and repositioning. Each campaign is tailored to our clients’ needs and desired outcomes, carefully planned and executed to ensure the greatest degree of success.

Social Media

As the proliferation of social media blurs the line between digital and traditional channels and gives rise to non-traditional outlets and “influencers,” there’s a greater need to fully understand which platforms can be most effective at either enhancing or undermining a message. Employing an integrated strategy, we embrace a dual-pronged approach that includes both listening to and broadcasting through the most effective and impactful social media channels.

Listening and monitoring to gauge sentiment

We are diligent about monitoring online conversations relevant to our clients on a broad range of social media platforms – just as diligent as we are about consuming the news every day. Whether there’s an opportunity to amplify a positive post, or a need to respectfully redirect a misinformed commenter, we have the tools and capabilities to keep a close ear to the ground. Listening also allows us to consistently glean insights that can help inform proactive social media efforts.

Broadcasting content to support a desired outcome

Using social media to support a broader strategic communications approach, the content – versus the vehicle used to disseminate it – is what has the power to:

• Influence and transform perceptions and/or behaviors among targeted niche audience or the masses
• Mitigate risk that may be — or become — a threat to an entity’s reputation
• Support targeted or sustained engagement of a particular segment, thus impacting a brand’s relevance or credibility
• Augment other communications tactics such as traditional news media coverage, industry events, field marketing and more

Social media content

We also work with clients to develop an overarching narrative and specific messages that resonate with and influence target audiences. Regardless of the social media platform used to distribute a message, the content itself is paramount, and that’s what we start with. We emphasize that social media is not just another tactic or tool that lives on its own, but rather one vehicle that needs to be thoughtful, integrated and strategic.

Strategic Positioning

Effective positioning is crucial to the success of any communications effort. Our strategic communications programs are based on a substantive grasp of our clients’ goals and challenges – and a sharp focus on the audiences they need to reach. Understanding the issues, shaping the message, identifying the audiences, preparing compelling written materials for internal and external use, working with the media – all in close collaboration with our clients – are essential components of effective strategic communications campaigns. We quickly develop an understanding of our clients’ position in the marketplace and the media’s perceptions of them. We develop and implement carefully timed plans to move our clients’ messages. And we help clients build relationships with key constituencies. We enable them to communicate with opinion leaders in ways that advance their goals quickly and measurably.

Special Situations

We help clients navigate complex communications challenges presented by high-stakes, high-profile special situations such as bankruptcies and restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, legal matters, financial transactions, corporate crises, government investigations and leadership changes, among others. Our professionals have decades of experience developing and executing comprehensive internal and external communications programs designed to ensure that critical messages are disseminated to the media and key audiences – including financial stakeholders, employees, customers/clients, government officials, business partners, union officials, and community members, among other constituencies – in a way that clearly articulates positions, shapes perceptions, assuages concerns, builds consensus and support, advances agendas and influences outcomes in a positive way. Our approach to each situation melds our experience in media relations, targeted communications, politics and community relations and law, with our extensive track record as strategists for companies and organizations in myriad industries.

Editorial Services

Our firm includes outstanding writers whose work has been published in numerous daily newspapers and prominent national publications. Whether the goal is to be published or to communicate directly with target audiences, we consistently produce written materials that are clear, precise and compelling. Clients frequently ask us to write articles, commentary, speeches, white papers, annual reports, marketing materials, and other content for newsletters, dissemination to the media, distribution through direct mail or e-mail, or for their websites.

We take pride in being able to digest and understand the often complex substance behind our clients’ businesses and organizations and develop written materials that capture that substance effectively – often relieving clients of the significant burden of producing articles and other materials for sophisticated audiences.

Internal Communications

One of the hallmarks of an effective organization is clear and compelling communications with stakeholders. At key times – especially when an organization is in the public spotlight – it is essential to ensure that everyone who matters is kept informed and feels they are part of a team. We work with clients to develop tools – from Web and email newsletters to direct mail – that enable them to communicate successfully with a variety of audiences. Internal communications are essential during a crisis, but also are an important ongoing function even when the company is not in the spotlight.

We have worked with clients to develop effective internal communication programs that reach each internal audience – board members, employees, tenants, donors, and other stakeholders – in a way that ensures consistency and support, and builds momentum. Keeping employees apprised of company news, earnings reports and other information can help to stimulate innovation, boost morale and increase loyalty – in both strong and weak economic climates. We work with clients to develop strategies to engage, motivate, and inform employees and prospective employees.

Special Events

Special events often are an integral part of a public relations campaign. We have conceived and implemented hundreds of press conferences, grand openings, product launches, ribbon cuttings, seminars, groundbreakings, award ceremonies, gala dinners, receptions and other events, Clients frequently rely on us not only to conceive events, but to implement them from start to finish, relieving them of a major responsibility. In addition to generating excitement and supporting marketing and sales, we create events the media want to cover and, in fact, we often generate major publicity for events in national and international media – creating a major impact for clients in terms of visibility and recognition.

Marketing Support

Our public relations programs enhance and support a client’s overall marketing effort in several ways. First, the insights and perspective we bring to the table in creating messages and themes for the media support, and often inform, the broader marketing program. Also, the publicity we generate delivers credibility that strengthens a marketing campaign. We have been extremely successful in using publicity to help market a wide variety of businesses, services, products, individuals and concepts. In addition, whether it’s a brochure, a direct mail piece or a sales kit, we assist clients in developing content for creative collateral materials that attract attention, drive home messages and support business goals.

We also help clients market the publicity we generate – magnifying its impact by creatively extending its life and reach. We have developed a variety of creative tactics and strategies that multiply the original audience that sees or reads a publicity placement. We excel at marketing ideas – developing compelling ways of projecting complex issues and shaping public opinion or “selling” a point of view to key audiences.

Media Training

We often work with clients to improve their ability to communicate effectively with the media – whether on television, on the radio or in-person. We have worked with individuals ranging from nascent entrepreneurs to seasoned business leaders to top government officials. Through one-on-one sessions, we coach clients on essential interviewing techniques and presentation skills that prepare them to deliver messages with high impact that resonate with their key audiences.