LHB Communications

Strategy Development:
By-the-book public relations programs consist of four parts:

Research
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation

Before embarking upon a public relations program, LHB Communications will help you develop a strategy that meets your specific needs. Elements of the strategic planning process include:

Assessing the current situation, including:

Current and/or past marketing programs
Current market conditions
Challenges you are facing
Resources available

Developing strategic PR program goals
For each goal, identifying:

Target audiences
Specific tactics
Timeline
Budget

After implementing the program, the effectiveness of the program is evaluated using means and resources that are appropriate and available. Evaluation measures can range from formal (such as surveys or focus groups) to informal.

Publicity and Media Relations:
Publicity is the dissemination of information to the news media toward the goal of obtaining favorable news media coverage. LHB Communications’ successful and cost-effective publicity programs are targeted to local, regional, national and international print, broadcast, and Internet media. Typical tasks in a publicity program include:

Research, writing, and obtaining approvals for news releases
Obtaining photos or renderings to accompany news releases
Development of a customized, targeted media distribution list for each release
Distribution of releases by email or fax, depending on preference of reporter/editor
Distribution of releases through Business Wire or PR Newswire (available at additional cost)
Posting releases on client’s Web site
Follow-up by phone to priority targeted reporters and editors
Arranging interviews based on reporters’ queries following news releases
Providing clippings from selected publications
Tracking results through a clipping service (at additional cost) or informally.

Media relations is conducted along with the publicity program. Typical tasks include:

Arrange background meetings with selected reporters and editors.
Follow publications’ editorial calendars to determine optimal opportunities for participation
“Pitching” story ideas to appropriate media
Developing and maintaining ongoing relationships with key reporters and editors
Positioning clients as trusted news media sources on particular issues
Developing fact sheets and media kits for the media.

Authored Articles and Opinion Pieces:
LHB Communications helps clients contribute articles to newspapers and magazines for publication. The published articles offer tremendous value by:

Positioning you and your firm as an expert source
Obtaining widespread regional and/or national visibility at very low cost
Controlling your message and maintaining positive “spin”
Supplementing your marketing materials while maintaining longer “shelf life” than typical news clippings

LHB has successfully placed clients’ articles in such publications as:

Washington Business Journal
Urban Land magazine
Development Magazine
Washington Times
The Wall Street Journal

How does LHB do it? It’s painless!

LHB works with you to select and refine a topic
Your LHB Communications consultant interviews you on the topic
LHB turns the interview into an article, ensuring that editors’ requirements are met (length, tone, addressing target audience, etc.)
You review the article draft
LHB places the article for publication

Award Applications:
LHB Communications has helped clients win and publicize valuable business and industry awards. These award programs are not just ego-boosters; they can add significant value to building projects and enhance corporate reputations.

Just a few examples include:

Greater Washington Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Northern Virginia NAIOP Building Awards
Washington Business Journal Real Estate Deals of the Year Awards
GWCAR Developer of the Year and Best Building Awards
Best Rehab Awards (GWCAR and Washington Business Journal)
Virginia Fast Fifty and Virginia Vanguard Awards
Best of Reston and Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards
America ’s Best Builder Award
PROs Construction Excellence Awards
Mid-Atlantic Apartment and Condominium Industry Excellence Awards
National Commercial Builders Council Awards

For these and other award applications, LHB’s tasks can include:

Monitor award programs and deadlines
Work with client to determine appropriate award programs for participation
Ensure that basic criteria are met
Fill out entry forms including essays on why project is worthy of winning awards, how project meets stated criteria, etc.
Compile award packages per requirements
Submit award packages by deadline
Publicize resulting awards

Advertising, Collateral, and Web Site Development:
LHB Communications can save you thousands of dollars by managing your marketing communications tasks including advertising, collateral marketing materials, and Web site development. LHB’s oversight ensures that messages and branding are consistent across all types of communication. The more up-front time is devoted to planning these communication vehicles, the less money will be wasted on revisions during the design stage.

LHB works with you to determine the best uses for your marketing and advertising dollars, the best graphic designers for selected projects, and the best target publications for advertising.

Direct Marketing:
LHB Communications can produce the direct marketing communications – delivered directly, through the mail, or via e-mail -- that will notify your most important audiences of important corporate news. Direct marketing can be used to announce new projects, corporate growth milestones, awards, important business developments, new partnerships and alliances, etc., and can include reprints of published articles. LHB will arrange the creative design and writing that will get your direct marketing pieces noticed.

Videos:
LHB Communications has produced high-impact videos used for marketing, education, and information. LHB scripts and story-boards the video, and contracts with top-quality and cost-effective videographers to produce the final product. LHB’s video projects have included:

Video produced by LHB Communications for the National Association of Home Builders
Video produced by LHB for Intertech Corporation to market Plaza America, a l.3 million square foot mixed use development in Reston, Virginia
Video produced by Arlington County public TV as a result of LHB Communications’ pitch for Silverwood Associates’ affordable housing rehab
Video scripted by LHB Communications for the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project

Special Events Planning and Management:
Whether it’s a wrecking ball making way for a new condominium building or the Governor arriving to welcome an important new office tenant, LHB Communications has organized numerous special events including groundbreakings, ribbon-cuttings, broker events, conferences, dedications, open houses, and more. Tasks include:

Planning the event and determining the budget
Designing and issuing invitations (by mail or e-mail)
Tracking invitation responses
Preparing name tags
Selecting and inviting speakers
Writing speeches
Arranging audiovisual presentations
Publicizing event and inviting news media
Arranging for catering, tents, seating, PA system, decorations, etc.
Arranging for photography, videography, etc.
Onsite event management
Follow-up.

Crisis and Reputation Management:
LHB Communications will work with you to develop what every firm and organization should have: a crisis communication plan that deals with both emergency situations and setbacks that can affect the company’s reputation. While terrorism tops the list of concerns, more likely situations may include:

Natural disaster or terrorism
Accident or crime at the workplace
Lawsuits or other legal proceedings
Product defects or recalls
Negative media coverage
Poor financial performance

Elements of a crisis communication plan include:

Designated spokesperson and back-up
Employee communication plan including low-tech backup like “phone trees”
Media contact plan

LHB Communications recommends media training for company executive/spokespersons, and refers clients to experienced media trainers.

Land Use Support:
LHB Communications has worked closely with real estate, government, and nonprofit clients as they undergo lengthy and difficult land use and zoning cases, including:

Rezoning for a residential development in a Northern Virginia city’s last remaining undeveloped parcel, which had been farmland for 200 years.
Zoning changes for two neighborhood shopping centers in Reston, Virginia
Special exception for expansion of a prestigious private school’s facilities in McLean, Virginia

With LHB’s help – resulting in favorable newspaper articles and editorials – all of these cases were resolved favorably for the clients. LHB’s tasks on these projects included:

Conducting proactive media campaigns
Communicating directly with citizens
Helping supportive citizens testify in proceedings
Providing positive information about development plans and proffers to the media

Community and Government Relations:
All organizations benefit from positive community and government relations. Real estate developers, in particular, must develop and maintain top-notch relations with citizens and elected leaders of the communities in which they plan to build, develop, or re-develop property. It’s part of a reputation management program that can substantially reduce the time and cost of obtaining approvals development projects.

LHB Communications has extensive experience in helping clients develop and maintain positive community and government relations. In addition to providing land use support to clients, LHB Communications’ Leslie Braunstein has chaired the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee, winning the Chamber’s Committee Chairman of the YearAward for an unprecedented two consecutive years. Tactics employed by LHB Communications to enhance clients’ community and government relations include:

Including elected officials in positive community events
Obtaining quotes from elected officials in news releases and articles, thus obtaining publicity for them
Helping officials take credit for development proffers benefiting the community
Working with clients in meeting with elected officials
Helping clients leverage community volunteerism and involvement.

Member Communications for Trade Associations:
For more than ten years, LHB Communications provided member communications services to major trade associations, including Edison Electric Institute and the National Association of Home Builders. These efforts included initiatives to encourage utilities and homebuilders to participate voluntarily in energy conservation initiatives, make financial contributions to new programs, etc. LHB’s member communication work included:

Numerous newsletters
Authored articles in Electric Perspectives magazine, EPRI Journal, and other trade publications
Ten years’ attending NAHB national convention, supporting EEI’s 4,000 square foot exhibit
Working on awards presentations including one honoring energy-efficient homebuilding
Brochures
White papers
Web site content
Video for NAHB

Federal Government:
LHB Communications provides contract editorial services to GSA’s Public Buildings Service/National Capital Region. LHB’s principal task is researching and drafting the “Inside GSA” column published monthly by the Washington Business Journal.LHB Communications is certified as a woman-owned small business for Federal subcontracting purposes. LHB is included on the Federal government’s Central Contractor Registration website at https://www.ccr.dlis.dla.mil/ccrinq/scripts/results2.asp.

Ethnic and Minority Outreach:
LHB Communications can help you reach minority populations, particularly the Washington metro area’s growing Hispanic population. LHB maintains extensive media lists of minority media, and forges partnerships with Hispanic-owned firms to leverage success in this important submarket.