48 West Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Wine Spencer’s, a wine education and consulting company. We currently host a virtual wine tasting for people and consult with restaurants to help them select their wine list.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 48 West Agency?

As a new business, we needed a partner to help gain exposure in local and national media outlets and get our name further out there.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with our direct contact on a weekly basis, and she outlined different lists of media outlets that she was going to pitch for us as the project progressed. She helped us come up with a media kit, including templates for emails that help us approach companies that we are interested in partnering with.

On top of that, she worked with us to simply hone our brand and marketing materials to provide a cleaner version of the identity that we wanted to present to clients and customers.

What is the team composition?

There were a few members of their team involved in our initial meetings and the proposal process, and then Alison (Vice President Public Relations) became our main liaison for the majority of the work.

How did you come to work with 48 West Agency?

I submitted a request for a publicist on LinkedIn, and they responded. It seemed like a good fit from the start, so we proceeded with them from there.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of the project was less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Once they submitted our press release to all the different media outlets we had targeted, we were contacted by at least ten of them with requests to write articles about our company. I know that we wouldn’t gotten that level of exposure had it not been for them.

How did 48 West Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We were highly satisfied with their work both on the project and in managing all of the communications and deadlines throughout. Their messages were always very prompt, and they used Basecamp to make sure we knew what they were working on and if there had been any changes to the plan from day-to-day.

Since we are new to this, Alison was highly involved in our interviews with the outlets, and really dedicated a lot of her time to making sure that every step of the process was successful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I always felt like they really understood our perspective as a small, Black- and woman-owned business and knew how to help us market ourselves based on that. They were excited about the services we offer and believed in our mission, which made it a very dynamic partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They exceeded all of our expectations, so we really don’t have anything negative to say about the experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as possible about what you’re expecting out of the work from them, and then be willing to lean on them for support and direction from there. Their whole team will be working and rooting for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of a TV equipment company. We manufacture mounting products for televisions for consumers and stadiums.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 48 West Agency?

We hired them for public relations and digital marketing services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we brought them on, we weren’t getting any coverage in industry publications. Their main objective was to build relationships with magazines and journalists in the field to drive up our PR metrics. 

What is the team composition?

We have about three people working on our account including Leigh (CEO), Alison (VP of Public Relations), and Ruth (Director of Client Services). 

How did you come to work with 48 West Agency?

I met the founder, Leigh while I was at my previous company through a mutual connection. We had great success working together at my last job, so I decided to hire them again. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested a little over $200,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March of 2018, and our relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

What they built in our first year creating a new baseline for us, since we previously didn’t have any PR coverage. In the second year, they doubled what they did the previous year, and we’re on track to double our metrics again for 2020. 

How did 48 West Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

One thing I really like about them is that the account managers we’ve had have all been super communicative. They speak with our internal PR person every day, and we have weekly team calls. They took the time to learn about our industry which has been incredibly helpful and has made our jobs easier. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their versatility is most impressive. They have the resources to provide additional help beyond PR. They’ve provided assistance with digital marketing, lead generation, and website updates. They’re great people to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their output and performance on the social media front. It’s nothing bad, but there is room for improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It starts with being transparent – be upfront with what your expectations are.