> Be The Leader
> Be Different
> What the Heck is PR Anyway?
> Want to Get Hitched?
> Yes, We Also Need To Pay The Electric Bill
Be The Leader
Q. What's the one thing to know about David and Sam PR?
A. Our founding philosophy is doing things differently so our clients stand out. We are not conservative, traditional or passive. If you are ready to be the leader, and not follow the leader, we can take you there. But ask yourself if you really want to be # 1, because we're not the ones to choose if you are content with being # 4. If you want your ads, sales brochures or stories to be "safe," just like the # 3 and # 5's, don't choose us. There are agencies out there who will bill you by the hour, paint by the numbers, keeping you mediocre.
Q. What's the other?
A. We like to laugh while we work hard.
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Be Different
Q. How long has David and Sam PR been in business?
A. The studio was founded in 2005. You do the math after that.
Q. Why the name David and Sam PR?
A. The most effective messages are simple, easy to remember, authentic and yet still distinct. Eichler Alpert doesn't really meet code. Now "King Kong "on the other hand...
Q. Why is it "David and Sam" and not "Sam and David?"
A. Everyone always asks us this, and we laugh. David wanted Sam's name to go first and Sam wanted David's -- which pretty much sums up how we work as business partners. We knew a lot of people would say it the other way, either way, or reference the 60's soul band (yes, we have heard of them), so ultimately what difference does it make?
Q. And the logo and tag line?
A. Our logo represents the complementary styles, backgrounds and strengths that make our business partnership a "whole, greater than the sum of its parts." David makes us fly and Sam keeps us well grounded. Yin Yang. Pretty clever of us, huh?
The logo also represents our sincere belief that if everyone on our team doesn't have balance between their work and personal life they won't be happy and won't provide great client service. If you swing around the site you'll see what we're talking about.
As for the tag line, isn't it amazing that of all the powerhouse advertising and PR agencies over the years in New York and Chicago and San Francisco, none of them owned the US Trademark to "Telling Your Story." Maybe it's because as agencies get successful they spend more time telling their own story rather than their clients'?
Q. How big does a gorilla get?
A. The male gorilla may attain a height of 1.6 m (5.5 ft) and a weight of 181 kg (400 lb) in its natural surroundings. The female is about 30 cm (about 12 in) shorter and half the weight of the male. Gorillas are the largest living primate.
Q. Do you guys have a specialty?
A. We stuck PR in our name because we thought that would make more sense than "David and Sam Welding and Construction." We are just as passionate about the marketing, advertising and online work we do, as we are about public relations. And we have learned through experience, that the "L" in public relations makes all the difference.
Q. How about a focus on a particular industry?
A. Nope. We are infinitely more valuable to our clients because of our experience, resources and relationships in other industries. It is our objectivity and diversity which gives us clarity on how to communicate on your behalf. Effective communication techniques, relationships and tools transcend any one business.
Q. Can whales swim far?
A. Yes, some gray whales swim as much as 12,000 miles each year on their migration from feeding grounds in the Arctic all the way down to breeding and calving grounds in Baja.
Q. What are David and Sam's backgrounds?
A. We met in prison. Want to learn more?
Q. Where's our studio?
A. Uh...hello, try the "contact us" tab.
Q. How long does a Gorilla live?
A. The known life span is about 30 years.
Q. What's important to us?
A. We're not the kind of company that has many policies. What we do have is a sense of priorities, how to treat people and how to honor relationships. As a result we stumbled on an operational pyramid or hierarchy that we turn to when facing difficult decisions.
- Our crew. We will support and trust our people above all else.
- Journalists and creative partners. We nurture relationships with resources that must serve all of our clients. If we burn a reporter for one client, it hurts the rest.
- Our clients.
- The community.
- And then profit.
Q. Where is David and Sam PR heading?
A. We will stay small. Turning into one of those slow-to-turn battleships is not the goal. We want the clients to benefit from an environment that fosters teamwork, learning, communication and creative thinking. When was the last time any of that happened in a big company?
Q. How is David and Sam PR doing?
A. David and Sam are still relatively sane and talk to each other frequently - sometimes fairly civilly. We do spend more time together than with our spouses and friends.
We are in a business notorious for high turnover and job-hopping and yet three of our five full time associates have been with us pretty much since the beginning. Heck, Tyler didn't even have a desk back then. The two others are each approaching their one-year anniversaries.
We receive an average of ten resumes a week for the Training Program.
The studio has always run and continues to run in the black. Or as we like to call it, "grey." It's definitely not red but there isn't a whole lot of black yet.
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What the Heck is PR anyway?
Q. What is public relations?
A. People equate "PR" with being on TV, radio or in the paper, which is what we define as media relations. Working with the press is of course a big part of what we do. But equally important is how we position you in your professional and local community. The work you do with local non profits is essential for establishing your identity as a good citizen. Being on the right lists, nominated for the right awards, attending the right conferences and just knowing the right people all are equally important as media relations. In fact, more often than not it is all that "other" stuff which makes you more attractive to the press than just what you do at work.
Q. What is a google?
A. The correct spelling is "googol" which is a one followed by one hundred zeros. Interestingly, Larry and Sergey made this spelling error when naming their company.
Q. What are the greatest myths about working with the media?
A. No reputable publication believes in "pay to play." Serious journalists insist on a separation of "church" and "state." Just because you buy an ad doesn't mean you get an article written about you.
We do not write the article for the journalist. We have no control what the journalist writes or says, nor do we get to see the piece or segment before it runs. Frequently we don't know if it's happening until it happens. All too often we will supply accurate information to a publication or channel and yet somewhere along the way the facts get twisted or mistaken. Retractions and corrections are few and far between.
It's actually very rare that a journalist is out to get someone or has an evil agenda. Leave all that "All The President's Men" stuff for the movies.
Q. Will my story be on the cover of every paper, everywhere?
A. You expect your own clients and customers to have realistic expectations, right? Face it, the odds that your story will make Oprah or the cover of the Wall St. Journal are lower than Barry Bonds' making the Hall of Fame. We will try our best. Do you realize how many people want to be on Oprah and what % actually make it on?
We recently asked a very well respected business journalist what his typical day is like. He receives over 300 emails, most of which are story pitches, 100 calls, 50 faxes and a stack of mail. He writes three-five articles a week. Our job is to cut through all that clutter on your behalf, but how many times do you really expect that reporter to choose your story in a given year?
Q. What do Gorillas know about the birds and bees?
A. Gorillas mate year-round. The female produces one offspring about every fourth year. If her offspring gorilla dies in infancy, which happens 40-50 percent of the time, she will breed more frequently. A young gorilla remains with its parents three years after its birth.
Q. What makes or breaks a good story?
A. Is it timely? Is it local? Does it affect a lot of people? Is it really new? Is there a clear antagonist? Has something similar been covered recently? Is something much bigger going on in the news? Did you tell a reporter the truth the last time you worked with them? Did you show them respect? We help you answer those questions and avoid those pitfalls.
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Want to Get Hitched?
Q. What Should A Client Expect working with David and Sam PR?
A. We insist that our clients commit to quality. When you order new business cards, the type of paper matters and so does the quality of the printing. You wouldn't want someone to think your company is cheap and flimsy do you? So why hand someone a card that embodies those very qualities, just so you can save a few pennies? We don't produce cards for our clients that send the wrong message about the quality of their work, or ours. We only work with clients who demand nothing less of us and themselves.
Q. What is the fastest land animal?
A. The Cheetah.
Q. What does David and Sam PR do differently?
A. We could tell you we are more organized and free-thinking than other agencies. That we care about our clients and are more focused on the results. That we try harder, just like Avis. OK, all of that is true, but everyone stakes those claims so why should you believe us? Because we put our money where our mouths are.
- We only bill clients on a flat fee basis. For anyone who has ever gotten their mail and had an envelope arrive from a lawyer's office thick enough to make a THUD when it lands on the table, you know that being charged by the hour never benefits the client. At DSPR there is no hourly rate or tracking. Not just on your invoice, but internally. There's nobody looking over an associate's shoulder saying "why are you working so much on this - don't you realize we're not getting paid for it?" It's kind of like playing Blackjack in Vegas. It looks easy to land 21 but the odds are definitely with the house. Let's not kid ourselves, there's a reason virtually every agency in the world charges by the hour. Would we make more if we did? Sure. Life's about more than money. At least ours is.
- We don't mark things up and charge commissions. Since everybody likes to buy something on sale, it is it safe to say that nobody likes to be charged more than they thought they would be. We find the term "mark-up" to be about as tasty as some blueberry yogurt left out on a July day in Phoenix. Industry standard is for an agency to pocket 15-20% of the work other people do for you. Our third party vendors like printers, designers and photographers will bill you directly. We don't charge you (often tens of thousands of dollars) more by playing middleman.
- We do everything as teams. Unlike virtually every agency (sensing a pattern here?) your account will not be relegated exclusively to the eager but inexperienced watch of a junior account executive. Either David and/or Sam direct every account. We never "hand you off." Managing your account on a daily basis are not one, but two associates. Our associates have been trained by us and are exclusively promoted from within. And finally our trainees back us all up.
Basically this all means there is no up-selling. Our team is focused on the work and the results not the money or time. And when we make a recommendation to you to try one tactic over another, you don't have to question if we have any self serving interest in such a strategy. Ask the other agencies if they do that?
Q. What does a Gorilla do when it's thirsty?
A. When a gorilla drinks, which is rarely, it soaks the back of its hand and sucks the water from its fur.
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Yes, We Also Need To Pay The Electric Bill
Q What do we charge?
A. There are many variables that determine pricing.
#1 The length of the agreement. We are happy to give a client a lower monthly rate in exchange for a longer contract, but of course that is done with the clear understanding that our law firm (who is our oldest client) treats contracts as binding for all parties. We honor our commitments and expect the same in return.
#2 How much work must be accomplished in what period of time? The reverse of # 1 holds true. All too often a company will hire a PR or marketing firm much later than they should have. They wait for the sales numbers to go down. They debate hiring someone. They go though an extended agency RFP. By then, the next quarter is as spoken for as the previous one was when they got on this rollercoaster. If you need four months worth of work completed in two, the fee will reflect that.
#3 The scope of what you need is another factor. Some clients need (or want) full service - others "just" advertising or public relations.
#4 Terms of payment: We encourage our clients to pay on a quarterly basis. It more accurately reflects the nature of what we do. Very often one arbitrary month will see no "results" and yet the seeds have been planted for results seven months later. Everything is invoiced ahead on net 15 terms. We reserve the right to suspend services if an account is not kept current. A young company survives by learning hard lessons. It's nothing personal.
#5-7 The size of your company, how mature it is (age, not emotional) and what enterprise strategy or goal we are supporting are also factors in setting a price.
All that having been said, the average monthly retainer is about $5,000. Some are larger, a few are smaller. And of course these crazy days, everything is negotiable if we like you and think your business is cool. For that, you get no less than two associates, one or both of the founders and the DSPR Training Program assigned to your account, working on a fixed, flat fee basis. We also do project work but fee structures are adjusted accordingly. Remember, there are no surprises when you get an invoice from DSPR. How many service companies guarantee that?
Q. How long does it take to see results?
A. Far too often a client will hire a firm expecting immediate results. That is like asking a construction crew to start pouring the cement without blueprints, a budget and the right materials on hand. Unless extremely extenuating circumstances exist, we need at least 60 days (sometimes 90) to properly launch a campaign. Of course during that period we keep our eyes open for short term opportunities, but for the most part it means that planning, research and preparation takes place in those 60 days, not external outreach. If you want or expect an immediate result, our recommendation is to buy lots of advertising and even then it takes weeks to secure the right space, develop effective messaging, copy and artwork.
Factoring in that two month launch period, we require no less than a six month binding commitment from a client before they will evaluate the job we have done and determine whether they wish to proceed beyond that.
Q. What does Gorilla mean?
A. The name was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")
Q. How do we measure results?
A. The age old question still has no simple answer. The fact of the matter is you are taking a leap of faith when you buy an ad or secure an article in the newspaper. And yet, what successful company doesn't use PR and Marketing? Unless you have a mass consumer/retail product or service, it is highly unlikely that your clients will walk in the door and say it was the investment you made in marketing that led them to you. The more likely scenario is that your new client reads about you in the paper, then forgets about you, and then is introduced to you at a party a year later and they recognize your name but can't quite place why.
Our job is to get you noticed and to keep you liked and respected. We do not produce sales; your sales people and executive team do that. If we are doing our jobs well the traffic to your Web site will increase. It is the client's job to leverage the results we produce into increased revenue.
Q. What's The Meaning of Life?
A. That answer will need to be billed separately.
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