Approach

We believe the best communicators are also the best listeners. Our primary job is to listen carefully to our clients so we can agree on the communication needs of the company and how we can best work together to address them.

As a small consulting practice, we are able to give our full attention to every client and project. A small practice also allows us to be more focused and flexible, keep costs below what many larger firms charge, and work more efficiently.

Many executives at companies who do not have an internal communications function tend to throw tactics at a problem. For instance, they might decide they need a newsletter or brochure "because everyone else in the field has one." So they hire a consultant to create such a piece. There are many communication tools one can use to address a problem or concern or to achieve a goal, so deciding on the tool first makes little sense to us.

Our approach begins by learning as much as possible about the company. We ask what is the Guy with megaphoneinternal culture like, what do clients or customers think of the company, what types of communication has the company tried in the past and what current communication avenues is the company utilizing? Some companies also benefit by conducting a SWOT analysis at this stage, to determine what key employees and/or clients view as the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Then we take a step back and look at the company's overall communication goals. Together we fine-tune these into even more specific marketing, advertising or public relations goals, and then decide on measurable objectives to achieve them. We then discuss the tools we believe will help the client accomplish these objectives and a timeline for employing the tactics. When the end of the timeline has been reached, the communication plan is evaluated against the measurable objectives.

For those companies that have an internal communication function and simply need support from time to time with writing projects or collateral pieces, we are pleased to provide those services as well, on an as-needed basis.