CLIENT CHALLENGE: Leading national financial planning firm's New York regional office had aggressive new business and recruiting goals but few local advertising dollars.

Solution: Launched a public awareness program to attract new clients and staff from within high-net-worth and diverse markets. Throughout this multi-year, integrated program, we secured high-profile media, such as CNBC's Power Lunch, Bloomberg TV, Fox-5, The New York Times, Crain's New York Business, The Wall Street Journal, Journal News and Westchester County Business Journal, and initiated and secured productive alliances.

Results: "Bob and Sue provide value-added contributions at every turn. They combine small firm attention with big agency expertise." New York District Manager, New York Metro Region, national financial services firm.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: High-tech unknown that designs and provides computer-based training modules had superior products but inferior results in gaining prospects' attention.

Solution: Our positioning study and strategic plan leveraged the firm's small but worldclass client base into substantial new business. We conducted a marketplace survey to determine prospects' relevant needs and attitudes, and the resultant executive analysis generated high-profile media coverage in The New York Times, Crain's, Treasury Management Review and elsewhere.

Results: "…produced exceptional media coverage and generated business opportunities in excess of $3 million before the end of the first year." Principal, multimedia training company.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: Launch of on-line executive search firm filling positions for Fortune 1000 and Wall Street firms, needed traditional media support to drive targeted traffic to its new web site.

Solution: We initiated an intense media project with Wall Street and technology newsletters.

Results: "In five months with Cole Communications, we had 14 press hits read by precisely the kind of talented high-tech people we needed for our Fortune 1000 clients." President, executive recruiting company.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: National association was besieged with negative press and public misperceptions of its members and mission. We were asked to study the situation and recommend some remedies.

Solution: We formulated a strategic communications plan, facilitated a buy-in session at the organization's conference in Washington, D.C., and initiated the turn-around of negative public perceptions.

Results: "Cole Communications' detailed plan…is still our main reference point after three years! [The firm's] research, intelligent analysis and strategic planning have made a major difference in the way we operate." General Secretary, national association of university professors.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: Large not-for-profit in New York State was regularly in the forefront of issues related to creating and providing leading edge services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The media, however, often overlooked it as a prime source in reporting on these issues.

Solution: We initiated a proactive media campaign of interviews, op-ed articles and feature coverage that established the client's leadership positioning and generated much positive publicity. Additionally, we provided media coaching, redesigned the agency's quarterly newsletter, and wrote it, brochures and other new marketing materials.

Results: "Their strategic planning and solid implementation… placed us on top of journalists' must-call list for stories about our issues. The Coles are fast, smart and full of on-target ideas." Executive Director, nonprofit organization.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: Local technical services firm, called in by consulting engineers and facilities managers for repetitive problems other experts couldn't solve, asked us to help spread the word about its successes.

Solution: Our media campaign, designed to help the media understand our client's obscure and seemingly uninteresting work, resulted in feature articles on the "sewer sleuth" in The New York Times, Journal News and Westchester County Business Journal.

Results: "I thought the press would find my business too complicated and obscure to write about. But the Coles knew how to make it happen. They generated positive articles and new business." President, sanitary sewer inspection and restoration company.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: Multinational pharmaceutical company had the need for skilled public relations services "right around the corner."

Solution: We conducted a positioning study for the division and filled in for the vacationing public relations manager during rapidly growing media interest in a just-concluded local real estate deal; provided on-the-ground publicity support for a company-sponsored runner in the New York City Marathon; and wrote a last-minute keynote speech for a "visiting fireman."

Results: "Cole Communications has effectively complemented our national agency by providing expertise in publicity, speech and article writing for the metro area." Marketing and Communications Manager, division of major pharmaceutical corporation.

CLIENT CHALLENGE: Innovative, independent private college with programs available throughout Westchester, mid-town Manhattan and on the Internet, wanted rapid expansion of its Center for Continuing Education.

Solution: Among multiple projects for this client, we've designed and implemented two surveys. One was a community needs assessment that generated 14x our fee in income. In the second, a survey of businesses in the tri-state area, we secured media co-sponsorships and editorial coverage in Crain's New York Business and The Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals.

Results: "Cole Communications has been creative, responsive and effective in every assignment we've given them. We continue to turn to Bob and Sue for marketing guidance and solutions." Director, Center for Continuing Education, private college.

Contact Us if you are facing a public relations challenge.