FAQ
Trusting an agency to represent your brand is a big deal-
and no two public relations and marketing firms look alike.
The relationship needs to be a “right fit” for the client and the agency, and the process of vetting firms shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, long-term, collaborative relationships are what we set out to build with our clients – and we hope that’s what you’re looking for, too.
Have a question we haven’t addressed?
How does Co-Communications work with clients?
We work with clients in two capacities – on short-term projects and ongoing retainer agreements. Project engagements typically last 60-90 days and are for a specific scope of work (think brand identity, website, communications plan or marketing strategy). Retainer agreements are for ongoing public relations and integrated marketing programs. A retainer-based relationship allows organizations to maintain a consistent marketing program, while the agency partner has the optimal opportunity to be proactive. These ongoing relationships also allow agencies to dig deep and gain a rich understanding of all of the pieces that make your organization tick, while you (the client) benefit from having a marketing “guarddog” keeping a close eye on all aspects of your marketing, branding and PR – from your messaging to your visual identity.
What does the onboarding process look like?
Every public relations and marketing firm has a unique onboarding process. Client onboarding at Co-Communications starts with our team learning as much as we possibly can about your company or cause. Simply put, we do our homework. The more we learn about you on the front end, the sooner we can start executing the work plan. With the discovery phase behind us, we begin collaborating with your team to devise a clear plan for moving forward.
If I engage Co-Communications, who will I be working with?
At Co-Communications, we employ a team approach. This allows our clients to benefit from a deep range of skills and expertise. Within that team, you will have both a central point of contact and a support person available to you. We choose your account team carefully and work to pair you with the team that is best-suited to meet your PR/marketing needs. That said, you benefit from the collective expertise of our entire team when you work with Co-Communications thanks to our culture of collaboration.
How much time will I need to invest in working with your firm?
We understand that your time is valuable and that you’re looking for a marketing partner to take work off of your team’s plate – not to layer more on. With that said, it’s important that we have access to the key players, particularly during the onboarding process.
We begin all engagements with a discovery meeting (1.5-3 hours long, depending on the nature of the engagement) where we take a deep dive into goals, strategies, tactics, prior marketing successes and missteps, etc. Following the discovery meeting, we’re happy to tailor the communications to meet your needs. If a 15-minute weekly check-in call works best, we’ll get one on the calendar. If a monthly in-person working meeting is best for your schedule, consider it done. Our primary goal is to make sure that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common set of goals with measurable outcomes.
What will the communication process between the client and agency teams look like?
Every client’s communication preferences are unique and we pride ourselves on tailoring our communications to meet your needs. During the onboarding process, we’ll ask who the central point of contact is for feedback/approvals, if you prefer we contact you by phone or e-mail – especially when a deadline is looming or a time-sensitive opportunity arises – and how frequently you would like to be updated regarding the project’s status. Bottom line, we want to be sure we are getting you the information you need when you need it and that we’re communicating with you in the most effective way possible.
How can I be sure my team is staying on top of the latest marketing trends and what’s happening in my industry?
We’re a team of lifelong learners. Some may even go so far as to say we’re information junkies. And, you’d be amazed to see how excited we get when you show us your analytics.
At Co-Communications, we take education seriously. We’ve created an ongoing professional development program for our team called Co-Comm University, where we provide first-class education from some of the industry’s foremost experts. We also have an annual professional development requirement for each team member which encourages them to identify and obtain the education that will be most meaningful to help them grow in their careers and increase their impact.
How will we measure success?
Success metrics are far from universal. They are carefully tailored to the scope of work being provided, as well as the client’s overall goals. For example, if you are looking for a marketing program to increase sales, we need a mechanism for measuring where leads are coming from, when and where they are converting, and when they are abandoning the process.
Regardless of the services which you engage Co-Communications to provide, we will work with you to set clear benchmarks at the beginning of the engagement. We will monitor performance on an ongoing basis and use this data to inform any refinements to the implementation plan. At all junctures, the metrics will be measurable and meaningful to your bottom line.
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