ABOUT
Why does every PR agency’s “About” sound the same?
Because every PR agency is​ the same.​
(Don’t all the PR firms say that, too?)
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The truth is other firms can’t stand behind their differentiators like Southard​ ​ can; other firms don’t take on the depth of care and undertaking of scope of work that we do when it comes to clientele synergy.
Let us explain…
Yes we will partner, yes we have the relationships, and yes we have senior staff. (You’ll hear that same song sung by every firm.)​ What makes us different is we go deeper than traditional PR firms, into the core of a company’s vision to help it manifest business and communications goals in more ways than any traditional firm cares to.
That’s not to say we don’t do media outreach, consumer relations, and all the go-to PR functions. Our involvement with clients is focused on helping them build their business from the ground up — meaning we map the internal landscape of a business including pre-PR facets like distribution strategy, capital raising, product sourcing, sales strategy development, and much more. We then analyze and grow the brand by discovering the brand’s essence and together we create a solid PR strategy.
With 25 years of experience, we have first-hand intel with traditional and modern day public relations and influencer marketing. Today, it’s about investing optimally in a communications strategy and campaign so the benefits and impact far outweigh the investment. Clients want to measure the value of a relationship with a media and influencer partner and we get that. This shapes the way we operate, making us a more business-oriented partner than just about any other firm.
Years ago it was about impressions generated, today it’s about the impact​ of these impressions. Outward facing branded communications has gone deeper, and we are comfortable with these changes since we are always investing in the deep dive.
We are who we are — we’re a brand coach from the inside out, a comprehensive brand builder disguised as a public relations agency.
And that is why we can confidently say…
We’re more than just a first impression.
OUR APPROACH
One way we go beyond the ‘traditional’ public relations firm is through the relationships that our CEO has developed in supporting clients in the area of business development. Whether it be setting up a rep network for consumer retail sales, or stimulating interest on the business-to-business front, it’s an area of ongoing support that truly differentiates our firm from others.
WHO WE ARE
Southard Communications functions as a partner with clients to build businesses quickly in an impactful and measurable manner.
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Although our practice centers on effective implementation of public relations campaigns, we operate with the clear understanding that our ultimate goal is to ensure achievement of business development and growth targets for our client companies.
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We are passionate about achieving success in partnership with our clients. Through extensive research, media monitoring, and accurate identification of challenges and obstacles, we present our clients with well-informed and incisive strategies to help them remain at the forefront of new trends and developments in their respective industries.
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We are results-oriented and committed to producing a measurable impact on the bottom line. We believe that the time and resources of our clients are precious and must be implemented to achieve maximum impact. As such, we design all of our tactics to yield quantifiable results for our clients.
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We operate with integrity to present our clients with the best counsel and strategies to secure success. Honest, well-informed feedback is one of the most valuable assets one can gain in communicating with the media and industry experts. Southard will relay this feedback and work with clients to continually improve the company’s reputation and offerings.
HOW WE DO IT
We possess a disciplined, principled approach incorporating four key elements:
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Visionary Ideas: Using our keen understanding and in-depth knowledge of the industries in which our clients operate, we are able to meld innovative ideas with multi-tiered, comprehensive campaigns strategically designed to capture the interest of target audiences.
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Maximized Efficiency: We are committed to maximizing the reach of our clients’ PR budgets. Implementing top-down approaches for utmost impact in media placement proliferation, we efficiently position our clients to become recipients rather than seekers of media inquiries and interest.
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Attentive Service: Southard values the time and business of our clients. We are dedicated to offering a high level of service, flexibility, and expertise to meet the needs of our clients’ businesses.
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Impeccable Execution: As all of our accounts are managed by senior level executives, our clients benefit from the high standard of quality, expertise and results we consistently provide.
Founder, Chief Executive Officer
Bill Southard is founder and CEO of Southard Communications, a firm he launched in 1994 and has since grown to become one of the fastest growing communications firms in the country. Since its founding, the agency has experienced consistent and considerable growth and today represents a broad range of clients across a myriad of industries. In his day to day role at the agency, Southard drives the creative process, provides ongoing strategic counsel and manages all crisis communications on behalf of agency clients. With more than 35 years of communications experience, Southard has counseled some of the country's leading Fortune 500 firms and prior to founding Southard has was president of Earle Palmer Brown Public Relations, and previous to that General Manager with Dorf & Stanton Communications.
Bill Southard
Senior Vice President
With more than a decade in PR, Kelley DeVincentis has directed some of the most effective public relations campaigns for top tier brands like Fisher-Price, Mattel, Jeep Consumer Products, International Licensing Show and the Joester Loria Group. Her public relations expertise is as dynamic as her client relationships, including product launches, brand building campaigns, trade show support, influencer programs and celebrity endorsement campaigns. She has excellent media relations skills and well established contacts in business, toy, licensing and technology media —enabling her to secure widespread exposure for her clients with high-level media outlets. It’s playtime!