“My client really needs X, but they won’t want to pay for it. We’ve already agreed on the scope of work.”
Sound familiar?
I find a lot of communicators think this way.
They see the challenges very clearly: Different departments are off doing their own thing. Content on different platforms seems disjointed and out of alignment (it’s painfully clear when you review their social media posts, website or company communications).
But hey, the contract’s been signed. No way the client will want to re-work it and pay you for this kind of strategic support, right?
Wrong.
You can earn a minimum of $5K for strategic work. And clients will pay it – as long as they’re clear about the value it will bring and the results they can expect.
Do you have the skills to offer this kind of support?
You certainly can.
That’s where I come in. 🙂
Cheryl made thousands more from a potential client who didn’t even know they needed strategic communications support. They initially wanted her to develop a brochure. She’s been in marketing for 20+ years. She knew their messaging was all over the place and that it was negatively impacting the brand. A brochure was not going to solve that problem.
She was bold enough to counsel them about what they really needed and the specific way she could help them develop clear, concise, consistent messaging that would get everyone in the organization aligned.
After working with me, she learned 1) how to convince senior leaders of the need to invest in a strategic corporate messaging session and 2) the proven six-step framework I’ve used for more than a decade to lead successful multi-departmental messaging workshops.
The best part? She earned 2xs what she paid for my program from that one workshop. And she can now command a minimum of $5K for strategic work forever.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving. And it’s still paying off for her: Cheryl recently signed on a new client to do a corporate messaging session (virtually, of course), which bumps her up to a nice return of 5xs the initial investment. (woot woot)
So, yes. Clients will pay you for strategic work and I can help you get it.
I offer an 8-week premium corporate messaging program that teaches experienced PR and marketing professionals how to successfully prepare for and lead cross-departmental strategic messaging sessions.
Research is the most important aspect of this process, so we start there. I show you how to properly gather internal and external insights about your client’s communications landscape so you can 1) confidently make the case to senior leaders (‘cause, honey, without their buy-in, you’re just wastin’ time), and 2) validate or challenge the claims people inevitably make in messaging sessions. I even include helpful templates to house all of the intel I insist you get. 🙂
You’ll learn who should be included in the sessions and why; and how to properly set up the “room” for the session.
I teach you the 6-phase messaging framework I’ve used successfully for a decade. It invites participants to brainstorm, prioritize, and agree on who they are, what they do, who they serve, why they’re unique, why anyone should care, and the tangible evidence that makes their claims true.
Because nailing down target audiences is the single most critical piece of this process, you’ll get access to great advance work and a helpful matrix to guide participants through identifying, defining, and prioritizing the people they most need to reach.
The result of all this?
- Clear, consistent, corporate messaging
(runs like a thread through every piece of content communicated anywhere) - Empowered, invested staff pleased they could help develop the organization’s stories
(employee engagement = boost to corporate culture) - Cross-departmental alignment
(participants must agree before progressing through the session) - A repeatable process
(to ensure messaging highlights the best of your clients and targets the ideal audiences) - An opportunity to earn $$$$’s more
(and add greater strategic value to every client)
Once you’re in, I coach and support you every step of the way. You’ll also join a community of other PR and marketing professionals learning to flex their strategic skills.
Now that I’ve seen the success of Cheryl and other students, I know the people most likely to be successful in my program are those who have
- a minimum of 10 years of professional experience
- a fundamental understanding that target audiences and messaging are the backbone of any successful communications plan
- current clients and access to senior leaders
- a “go-getter” approach to life with the will to do the work it takes to grow professionally
- the ability to take what you learn and implement it with minimal guidance
Reply back if you’d like to chat about working with me. I’ll ask a few questions to learn more about you. If it’s right for you, we can get you signed up for my program. We start this fall on October 6.
Jennifer
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Jennifer R. Hudson
ThinkBeyond Public Relations
www.wethinkbeyond.com
IG: @thinkbeyondpr