Crisis Situation
Client need: Employees at a small medical facility became unhappy with their union representation and voted to decertify; the union responded by threatening the business with pickets and calls to news media.

Services provided: (1) Message development, (2) plan for communication with key stakeholders (employees, parent company and patient families) and (3) basic media training for director and senior staff.

Communication Audit
Client need: Recently hired executives at a building materials company became concerned when they found little in the way of ongoing employee communication. They were launching a major change initiative and wanted to know how they could build support within the enterprise.

Services provided: (1) Communication audit conducted to determine existing communication strengths and weaknesses, and (2) recommendations presented for leveraging the value of their current strengths and plugging the gaps in their current communication process.

Senior Staff Shortage
Client need: A public relations agency obtained a new client but the firm was temporarily short on senior staff to service the client. They needed a seasoned veteran to work with junior people assigned to the account.

Services provided: (1) Led the account team through the development of a strategic plan for the client that would support their new marketing direction, and (2) coached, counseled and mentored the agency’s young employees.

Exit Strategies
Client need: Several entrepreneurs have asked for help preparing their businesses for sale so they can retire. In each case, the principal/owner was indelibly linked to the success of the business.

Services provided: (1) Counseled the business owners on the need to promote the value of the enterprise and other talented individuals within the organization beyond the current owner, (2) discussed how marketing and communication activities can help add value to the organization within its target markets, and (3) developed communication plans to elevate the visibility of the businesses within their respective markets and build equity for the companies and their brands.

Sounding Board
Client need: The new CEO at a major auto industry supplier wanted a “second opinion” on remarks he was preparing for his first global sales meeting. Unable to share the content in advance with anyone in the new company, he also wanted to get candid, no-holds-barred feedback.

Services provided: (1) The CEO’s draft remarks were reviewed and editing suggestions made to clarify portions for a listening audience, (2) content suggestions were offered to enlarge the explanations of certain key points, and (3) we cited examples of actions and communication by other companies who were faced with similar issues.