The Letter M is a strategic branding and communications agency. At the core of our firm is the belief that a strong identity, targeted messaging and compelling brand story set the stage for success. We partner with our clients to create results-focused communications to deliver the full breadth of expertise needed in today’s complex communications environment.
Strategy
Whether your business has two employees or 22, there must be understanding and consistency on what you are saying, why you are saying it, who you are saying it to, when you are saying it, and how you are saying it. Does your current positioning resonate? Do your communication tactics reach your client where they are? Does your brand meet the expectations of your discerning client? That’s where we come in, delivering bold, blue-sky ideas balanced against checkpoints that view them through a practical, strategic lens:
- Stakeholder engagement: From surveys and interviews to focus groups and design charrettes, we plan and facilitate compelling and quantifiable engagement that supports a strong strategy to guide communications.
- Market research: We employ an extensive discovery process to ensure a fulsome understanding of your stakeholders’ communication needs and preferences against available resources and market opportunities.
- Brand and communications audits: We offer a sweeping analysis of existing activities and delivery models along with best practices review of comparable organizations, and offer sound, succinct recommendations.
- Communications strategy: We deliver a tactical strategic road map that aligns with your goals and refreshes and refocuses outreach to external audiences (and internal staff to support a collaborative communications culture).
- Fundraising campaigns: We have a breadth of experience in the development and implementation of focused, goal-orientated fundraising communication and marketing programs (starting with a carefully nuanced case for support).
- Community outreach: We deliver community-based social marketing campaigns to support your objectives. From messaging and planning to execution, we support municipalities, charities and public sector organizations in building understanding and awareness and supporting action.
Branding
A brand is not just a name or logo: it’s the experience that an organization promises – and delivers – to its clients or customers. A brand brings a uniqueness to your communications that reflects your company’s values, its commitment to customers and their needs, and provides a fresh twist to distinguish you from competitors. We can help you to capture your organization’s personality and voice, define unique positioning and achieve bold goals:
- Brand framework: Before you can define how you should communicate, you need to know what you should be communicating. Our brand framework offers an at-a-glance overview of your brand – a strategic resource to guide messaging, graphic design and marketing decisions.
- Logo: We focus on simplicity, clarity and lasting effectiveness over “of-the-moment” fads to support strong connections between your stakeholders and the visual representation of your brand.
- Brand guidelines: We deliver a fulsome brand guidelines document that directs logo usage, graphic design and supporting elements (i.e., fonts and sub-branding) to ensure your visual brand is protected and maintained.
- Brand coaching: We’re happy to support your brand with a specialized staff launch or training. How does the new brand meet goals and objectives? How can staff support it? How does it affect the company culture and stakeholder relations?
Communications
Once you have a clear understanding on what you are saying, to whom and how, it’s time for the rubber to hit the road. Smart and thoughtful execution of communications tactics is critical to support both your strategy and brand. And while there are many exciting and trendy opportunities available in today’s modern communications environment (and more coming each day), we ensure every one is evaluated against your audiences, brand and goals for optimum results:
- Copywriting: Plain, simple and easy-to-understand – that’s our mantra. With two former journalists on staff, we are skilled at communicating complex issues simply and quickly, but in a powerful and evocative way that both captures critical information and stakeholder interest.
- Print communications: There is a time and a place for traditional print and mailed communications. Our team is experienced at developing enticing, impactful and memorable communications, as well as executing print/production and supporting mailing campaigns.
- Digital communications: Our video and animation specialists translate complex ideas into compelling and memorable moving messages, and our social media specialists plan, create, implement, and monitor digital ad campaigns and conversations with your stakeholders.
- Website design: Our talents are not only in building effective, user-friendly, accessible websites, but in facilitating the strategic planning exercise to define and understand what success looks like for visitors and project stakeholders.
- Messaging and issues management: With strong journalism roots, our team has experience with media liaison and creating fulsome FAQs and media releases. For issues that require specialized support, we have experience in planning and implementing targeted public or media relations issues management campaigns.