In exchange, I get to interview legendary players such as Donald "Duck" Dunn , go to the NAMM show in January, and receive awesome instruments. That works for me!

Additionally, I helped create a buzz around the Lakland "Burning Earth" bass designed for Harry Shearer, (aka "Derek Smalls") for the Spinal Tap reunion at the July 7, 2007 Live Earth Concert. The piece de resistance? A photograph of Smalls with the bass appeared on the New York City Times Square Jumbotron via PR Newswire  on the fourth of July -- 11 times in one day. Classic.

Integrated communications company seeks to refine the firm's value proposition and establish how well the firm delivers against it via key insights, opinions and feedback gleaned from qualitative client survey.

Client Survey
Hodge Communications is an integrated communications firm providing a full gamut of services from media relations and PR to developing marketing collateral, designing and implementing websites, writing bylined articles and speeches, and producing annual reports and white papers. The programs developed for clients are customized to meet their specific business needs and objectives.

The Need
In June of 2005, agency president Sally Hodge initiated a qualitative survey of current and past clients as a means of better identifying and refining the firm’s value proposition, and establishing how well it delivers against it from the client perspective.

Our Approach
To achieve this, we designed and executed a qualitative survey of current and past clients via telephone interview, based on a list of ten questions. The survey participants agreed to be interviewed around questions centering on a range of topics, from their perceptions of public relations to the criteria they used when hiring a PR or Marcom firm. To draw out key insights, opinions and feedback, it was critical that the clients—especially current clients—felt comfortable enough to speak frankly about Hodge’s performance. Our interviews were casual, with a goal of engaging and drawing each client into a discussion as much as possible, which, in some cases, required creativity to keep the discussion going. Our ability to think on our feet—and probe when necessary and appropriate—resulted in the unearthing of critical information. Once the interviews were complete, we provided a detailed analysis of the survey, including implications and recommendations for specific strategic adjustments.

The Outcomes
The client found the insights uncovered very beneficial in providing more clear-cut direction for the agency in moving forward, thanks to the level of thinking and attention to detail that Helena B Communications brought to the exercise. Hodge added specific survey-related objectives to the agency’s 2006 strategic and marketing plans and has since experienced a steady upswing in new clients engagements and additional client projects. Hodge is also leveraging these findings to chart the next phase of growth of the company.