The Four Pillars of PR

1. Communications Agenda – Mapping Out the Strategy
2. Message Segmentation – Creating a Dialogue
3. Media Relations – From Print to Broadcast
4. Support & Endorsement

We believe it is our job to enable every company -- no matter how small or large, young or old -- to get their fair share of the spotlight. It's a complex process dependent upon lots of variables. However, at L&A, we have achieved success for our clients by adhering to four key pillars.

1. Communications Agenda -- Mapping Out the Strategy
The first step in getting your fair share is to establish a communications agenda that clearly articulates what you are aiming to achieve, who you are targeting and what outcome is sought. We use this agenda to set forth our message platform. We take into consideration related issues that support or give our cause greater impact. Target user groups determine who we are directing our message toward and determine how we package the message. Opinion and influencer groups are factored in from the beginning because they wield great weight and help push companies above the status quo.

2. Message Segmentation -- Creating a Dialogue
Message Segmentation -- at L&A, we fondly refer to this as "slicing and dicing" the message into many stories. Each area, from technology to corporate vision, has its own unique story and a corresponding set of media outlets interested in that story. Fostering a dialogue is based upon striking a cord of interest due to relevancy in the global marketplace. The ultimate result is a cumulative impact story -- where many discrete, individual stories come together over time in the public's mind to create a company image.

3. Media Relations -- From Print to Broadcast
Just as companies look to build a distribution channel, we look to build a media channel. Within that channel are multiple outlets with multiple sections headed by multiple contacts to cultivate and pitch. In other words, different contacts at a publication or analyst firm will be attracted to different elements of your company's story.

Feature stories, published calendar opportunities, product evaluations, broadcast opportunities and e-magazines to name a few. This channel requires a constant flow of information that's packaged appropriately. This information can take shape in a press kit that's delivered during a press tour, in a news release that's issued over the wire service, in a video news release for broadcast consumption or a verbal pitch for a special section. We handle all sizes, shapes and forms of media relations.

4. Support & Endorsement
The power of third-party support cannot be overstated. That's why we take care to build influencer elements into our programs. Analysts relations seek to identify and indoctrinate key analysts into the vision of the company. These relationships are then leveraged by using them as media references, quoting them in materials, inviting analysts to speak at company sponsored events, etc. The insights and feedback received from analysts and consultants are invaluable in assisting companies with positioning and message tuning.

In the media arena, there is a tier of very influential press that often sets the path of coverage for other media. These folks are a prime gauge on the success of a product or issues campaign. Customers are the ultimate in providing credible testimony to the virtues of any product or service. We are proactive in seeking ways to merchandise and broadcast the successes of customers. Case histories, by-lined stories, speaking engagements and quote sheets are just some of the methods we employ. Alliance partners are all those folks that you do business with -- software companies, component suppliers, distribution channels -- and their buy-in and support is also important in shaping the overall perception of a company. We counsel on developing outreach programs that keep these partners closely tied into the company and briefed in order to build support when announcements are issued. When appropriate, joint announcements are another way to tap into the power of implied endorsement.

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