Consultancies operate in a fast-paced and competitive world with a unique set of challenges compared to most other business models. One key hurdle can be the difficulty in communicating between practices operating in various sectors, not to mention coordinating sprawling internal teams and regularly finding new business and winning clients to keep pace with competitors.
Firms need both operational excellence and a strong voice to stand out from the crowd, and having an effective communications strategy is critical to achieving this.
Such a strategy showcases a firm’s experience, knowledge and understanding about a particular industry, and can even point towards past successes that can be the evidence prospects need to sign on the dotted line. But what steps can firms take to achieve PR and communications success?
In this article, we look at why partnering with the right communications agency could be the answer.
How can a communications agency help?
Broad sector coverage
Whether in financial services, retail, pharma, or beyond, management consultancies often work with clients across a varied range of sectors. To attract new business, they need to find ways to evidence their expertise and convince prospects of their deep understanding of a specific industry. That makes landing great PR coverage on the right topics and in the right publications all the more important.
Deep sectoral expertise and experience needs to be mirrored in a communications partner, so look for an agency that has an extensive track record of success across industries. A team that has cross-sector knowledge, like Rostrum, will understand the key challenges and opportunities facing a particular market, enabling it to produce content that resonates with target audiences. They will also have nurtured relationships with key journalists, ensuring coverage lands when and where it matters, reaching the audience that matters.
A fresh perspective
A communications agency with evidenced experience in cross-sector comms and deep insight into individual sectors can also help to bring a fresh, outside perspective to a consultancy’s communications strategy.
With many firms focused on day-to-day operations, it’s easy to develop blind spots or miss out on exciting PR moments. A partner agency can act as a fresh set of eyes, bringing in an outside perspective and suggesting new PR opportunities that might not have been considered.
For example, most consultancies curate extensive programmes of events for partners, whether sessions organised by the firm or attendance of external events such as COP28, Sibos or the WEF Annual Meeting. Given the resource and time investment in attending, why not work with a comms agency to schedule journalist briefings to coincide with the event?
When our client Kearney attended the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos in 2023, we were able to extend the ROI on the partners’ time in attending through supporting in coordinating meetings with key journalists, including at the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Australian Financial Review.
An external perspective can create myriad new opportunities. After a firm webinar, a comms agency can extend the ROI by pitching articles to the media on the same themes, or top takeaways. When collaborating with an external party, why not showcase the partnership with joint bylines? When a partner has developed speaking points for a panel at an industry event, why not use the same talking points as a guest on a sector podcast? The possibilities are endless, and an external perspective can reveal new ways to get the most return for time and resource spent.
A successful communications partner should also be able to offer an objective viewpoint, helping to identify untapped potential, suggest creative ideas, and fine-tune messaging for maximum impact.
Crisis management expertise
Where an objective viewpoint can be most useful is in the unfortunate event of a crisis. The world of consulting is no stranger to crises, and in an unpredictable business landscape firms will need to find a communications partner that has the know-how to help when times get tough.
A successful response to a crisis can make the difference between keeping clients on board or losing them to the competition. Firms will need to work together with an agency to plan for potential negative reputational events, while also leveraging agency support when things do go wrong. At Rostrum, we bring a wealth of experience to the table, supporting consultancies in developing effective crisis communication strategies. Our team is adept at managing reputational risks and guiding consultancies through sensitive situations with transparency and credibility, ensuring brands remain resilient in the face of adversity.
Specialised support
Communicating about a brand goes far beyond the world of PR however, so it’s worth considering a full-service agency like Rostrum that offers a range of additional support, from social media campaigns to content marketing projects. A broader strategy that considers these wider tactics will ensure messages reach the right audiences through the most impactful channels, so you can be sure prospects don’t miss out on the messages you want to deliver.
Internal communications excellence
Effective communication goes beyond external stakeholders — it starts from within. A consultancy’s people will be talking to clients day-in day-out, so it’s vital that they understand and are ‘on board’ with the company’s vision.
As well as helping showcase sectoral expertise in the media, some communications agencies like Rostrum can also support with developing internal communications strategies. We work together with consultancies to understand the people that make up their team and the best ways we can deliver key messages to their people that are likely to have the biggest impact.
By optimising internal communications, we help consultancies foster a strong organisational culture, drive engagement and turn employees into true ambassadors for the brand. You can also download our free Guide to Internal Communications for information on how you can manage your internal communications more effectively.
Have you covered all bases?
It’s a competitive world for consultancies, but an effective communications strategy that leverages the support of an effective agency partner can help firms to get ahead of the competition. Critically, by working with an agency that understands the needs of consultancies and the sectors they operate in, firms can better demonstrate the deep industry knowledge and experience that is so critical to winning new business and thriving.
At Rostrum are committed to delivering tailored strategies that drive engagement, enhance reputations, and propel consultancies towards success. Start the journey towards a better communications strategy today by getting in touch: s.placido@rostrum.agency
