RESEARCH
We offer advice and support to clients in creating and managing their research base, including providing insight and analysis, and and developing and implementing strategies for engagement with stakeholders and other audiences. This ability to bridge the gaps between research, strategy and engagement sets us apart from traditional research agencies.
We provide the following specific research services:
- desk research, including analysis and recommendations and policy development
- segmentation and analysis to help clients obtain additional insights from existing research
- original qualitative research, such as depth interviews, focus groups and facilitated workshops
- small-scale and/or tactical quantitative studies (face-to-face, online or telephone)
- project management for larger quantitative studies using other fieldwork agencies
- dissemination through reports, presentations and publications
- integration of research into public affairs, PR and campaigning.
STRATEGY
We work with clients to align communications and engagement activities with their organisational objectives and integrate their messages, audiences and channels to ensure the maximum impact and effectiveness. This may include support for a review of objectives and values, repositioning an audience through brand or reputation, or developing the capacity of an organisation to communicate with its various audiences.
We see each client and each project as unique; but we do provide the following specific services:
- stakeholder mapping
- reputational analysis
- brand development and management
- strategic review
- communications planning (including resource allocation)
- capacity audit (including training and development)
- organisational development.
ENGAGEMENT
We can support clients through the implementation of their communications plans, including engagement with different audiences, building reputation and encouraging advocacy, and developing effective communications tools across all media, from use of the digital space to scheduling events and announcements for maximum impact.
Recent work for clients in communications and engagement have included:
- developing a core script, narrative and question and answer briefing to help a client co-ordinate their messaging across a number of media
- supporting the development of a public-facing social marketing campaign, including testing potential creative executions and monitoring audience impact
- helping to refresh a programme of face-to-face meetings with stakeholders to maximise their impact and build up a cadre of advocates for the organisation
- developing a brand strategy and corporate identity for a new government agency including logotype and brand guidelines.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
We believe in working in partnership with our clients and this includes strengthening their capacity to communicate and engage. As well as working closely together on individual projects, we have formal programmes of training and development modules that draw on ten year's of experience in creating and delivering professional and post-graduate courses. We have developed a suite of training modules to help clients improve their research and communications capacity. We offer a series of self-standing modules that can be combined to form integrated training programmes for managers, policy-makers and communications professionals. Many of these include a 'surgery' where our lecturers can use their skills and experience to help participants to explore and resolve challenges in their current roles, so bringing together theory and practice and giving a direct benefit to the organisation's immediate work programme.
Modules for senior managers and policy-Makers:
- advocacy
- communications for policy-makers
- corporate social responsibility and community engagement
- media management for decision-makers
- negotiations
- research for policy-makers
- social marketing and behavioural change.
- Modules for communications professionals:
- advertising
- branding
- campaigning
- communicating security and information assurance
- employee engagement
- research
- stakeholder engagement.
DISSEMINATION
Our expertise in communications allows us to advise on the most effective way of maximising the impact of research and analysis, including direct engagement with specific audiences (such as stakeholders, employees or local communities) and through the media. This includes using research to inform or frame policy debates and creating research reports that combine robust and credible research with clear and accessible conclusions.
ASSOCIATES
As well as our core team, we work with a number of associates who are leading practitioners in their fields and who can bring additional capacity and expertise in areas such as media relations, change management, policy development and branding. We also have strong relationships with a number of agencies and consultants across the whole range of research, communications and organisational development. It means we can stay small and focused on each client – but also provide a full range of services across every aspect of research, strategy and engagement.