Milk & Honey PR - Certified B Corp

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Techfugees Foundation is a volunteer-led international non-profit collective that brings together cross-sector organisations and the humanitarian sector to combine innovation, insight and inclusion to advance refugees’ rights and equitable access to public services through technology across international markets. We place displaced persons at the heart of everything Techfugees does to uplift the lives of those who are unheard, invisible and excluded towards betterment in empowering their inclusion to participate in the society.

We do this by:

1. accelerating humanitarian innovation through collaborative implementation and technical support of digital products and services providing access to education, information, healthcare, employment and fostering participation in society of marginalized communities.
2. researching to collect Insights and curating open data platforms that supports the ethics behind our guiding principles whilst elevating those unheard displaced voices to the forefront to amplify their experience.
3. orchestrating inclusion programs to strengthen digital upskilling and access to work opportunities for the tech sector to tap undiscovered digital talent amongst displaced people to foster socio-economic growth in their new communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milk & Honey PR?

Increasing proliferation of human displacement reinforces the need to reimagine new ways for people, digital tech sector and cross-sector organisations to come together to globally act in solidarity with vulnerable displaced communities to empower their inclusion in digital society and stand for their digital rights.

With limited resources and in need of supporting scale up of initiatives supporting displaced communities worldwide we appointed Milk & Honey on the following:

1. crystallising core messaging framework on innovations - inclusion - insights propositions.
2. refining and creating thought-leadership content
3. managing media relations and securing media interview opportunities
4. exploring partnering opportunities with our global community including potential collaboration with Milk & Honey clients

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Milk & Honey following evaluations with three agencies on following basis:

1. common shared purpose of serving people and opportunity to unlock hidden value to do good business.
2. strong alignment with Techfugees core values and people chemistry at executive/operational levels.
3. commitment to potentially go over and above the norm to collaborate with us in accelerating shared goals.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Following joint executive meeting, the team diligently progressed

1. drafting the core messaging framework on innovation-inclusion-insights with several iterations and interactions with the Techfugees team
2. securing media interview opportunities to raise Techfugees profile. Spokesperson grid formulation with our global community.
3. support conducting research findings into current UK respondent perceptions of the refugee narrative
4. review and disseminate Chili Piper press-release
5. Social media audit review

What was the team composition?

I work closely with the senior partners/executives for overall strategic relationship with the Techfugees client account managed by the senior client executive and senior director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

1. Finalised core messaging framework on innovations, inclusions and insights ready for global community dissemination.
2. Day to day media relations management and several media interviews opportunities presented such as Evening Standard, PR Media, Deutsche Wells,
3. Supported senior exec fundraiser dinner in New York with attendance of Milk & Honey US partner.
4. Positioned Financial Times enquiry to profile Techfugees partner BuffaloGrid
5. Created opportunity with Markettiers to conduct UK consumer snap-poll survey with 2000 respondents of current perceptions. National broadcast with GBnews including 10 interview request with UK national/local broadcasters across TV and radio.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have regular fortnightly meetings with the Senior Client Executive and M&H team together with CEO & Global Community Officer to review progress on deliverables. In addition, the M&H has access to Techfugees Slack channel for direct proactive engagement with our global community.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As a people centric organisation, duty-to-care is paramount for Techfugees. Hence we are impressed by the staff quality in not only coming to speed in understanding the complex issues surrounding human displacement but also diligently handling subtlety of working with individuals within our global community given diverse ethnic cultures with customer service to care. Equally on delivery of activities. The Milk & Honey PR team was highly collaborative in ensuring effective and quality outcomes.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

As we are gearing up activities with key events planned for 2022, I would like to explore more partnering opportunities to lift voices from our global community with thought leadership content pieces to draw in potential collaboration with Milk & Honey clients for create mutual value win-win.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Albany Group, a regulated tech firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

We were trying to create brand awareness.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Milk & Honey PR works with us on a retainer to do all of our marketing and promotions. They do structural changes to our website, including landing pages and tying all the branding into our social media channels, including Twitter and LinkedIn. The content is a combination of written content, photographs, and video.

They’ve also done some offsite SEO and made sure that it was consistent through everything we did.

What is the team composition?

There are 4–5 people from their team working with us, including a project manager.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

I found them through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $21,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any metrics now, but the general feedback has been that we've seen an increase in engagement on social media, which is nice.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is good. In terms of communication, we use email and Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re an excellent team to work with — I don’t have an issue with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on — I’m comfortable with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your brief is solid at the start so that they can research the industry that you’re in.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and COO of The Inner Circle—a global dating app launched in 2012.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

Firstly, we wanted to get coverage in the UK for The Inner Circle. We had a basic company strategy but not a PR strategy or a messaging house. Secondly, we needed to scale this coverage and use it as a launchpad for the rest of the world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Firstly, Milk & Honey helped to develop our UK PR strategy. Their team dug into our brand with us and created the basics needed to be successful. Secondly, they rolled out the strategy, keeping in mind that we wanted to expand our PR activities. Their team focused on creating campaigns that were scalable to other countries and provided counsel on how to deploy them in other territories.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three who have spent most of their time on our account. There are two others on the team who provide extra input.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

We’ve worked with many PR agencies. We found that they’d work well for the first couple of months and then results would decline. We were cautious to hire another agency, but a colleague recommended Milk & Honey PR which happened to work in the same building as us. In the first meeting, their team opened a completely new world of PR in terms of process, and professionalism, which convinced me to do a trial with them. They implemented structure and professionalism when creating a messaging house and planning the campaigns. The engagement has been a big success.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our engagement in October 2018 and we’re still working with Milk & Honey PR.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Basically, we’ve got a scorecard with many pieces of criteria that are associated with points. So far in 2019, their average score has been good. Generally, Milk & Honey PR scores an eight out of ten. They’ve had 60 pieces covered. Their team has hit well beyond the set targets.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

My colleague collaborates with Milk & Honey PR daily. She’s been happy to work with them. Communication has gone well. Their team has been super enthusiastic, committed, and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are several traits that make Milk & Honey PR stand out. Firstly, they have quality people with good values and significant experience. They’re a creative team that has come up with original campaigns. Secondly, their team has delivered good value for money. They’ve been flexible and provided extra counsel. Thirdly, they have approached work with organization and professionalism, which has led to results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have anything that comes to mind at this moment.        

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Milk & Honey PR’s the best PR agency we’ve worked with in London. They’re great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of TeleWare, a software vendor that provides cloud-based communications software solutions. We work to ease and improve business communication processes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

We were looking to partner with a new agency for PR-based work, which is a significant aspect of our general marketing strategy.

We wanted to shift from a traditional model of pushing press releases to a more cohesive story-telling model. We were looking to take an integrated approach to PR and present our business in an engaging way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve executed a number of initiatives. They do traditional press releases, but since we’re focusing on telling customer stories, they also conduct case studies. They’ve also worked on byline articles and reactive commentary. In addition to content creation, they’ve managed our social media accounts.

Recently, they’ve participated in the production of our webinars. We create around 10 webinars a year, and they’ve helped us shape the content. They arrange guest speakers and panelists and make sure that everything is in order for the actual event to take place.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Kirsty (Founder, Milk & Honey PR). Including our account director, we work with around six people in total.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

I knew Kirsty and engaged her in conversations about how to take a different angle with our PR activity.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the years, we’ve spent somewhere around $270,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in April 2017, and it’s still ongoing. We started working with them at their inception.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We track their progress by setting a set number of case studies and press releases per quarter. They’ve performed very well on this front. In terms of webinar production, they’ve become an extension of my in-house team, but they’ve been a great resource to have.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been exceptional. While we were only their second client—and the team has rapidly grown over the last two years—the quality of their project management has been consistently impressive. They’re excellent at setting out a timeline and managing any schedule challenges. They’re flexible and can adapt to change.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their seamless integration into my own team is very impressive. While I’ve worked with other companies, they’re the only one that has become a true extension of my in-house team. I truly value my relationship with all of their teammates. They’re a PR agency with a human feel, which is hard to find.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While this isn’t a criticism, our partnership would be elevated to the next level if they were a little more proactive and results-focused.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for a new agency that can offer creative, dynamic and innovative solutions, I would absolutely suggest having a conversation with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing consultant at an alternative finance company. It’s asset-based finance, which involves refinancing invoices, plant machinery, stock, and property.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

For eight years we worked with a PR company but their team was no longer providing new ideas. We wanted to move the company forward and make a name for ourselves in the industry. We decided a new PR company was the way to do that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we were looking at some basic PR services. Milk & Honey PR pitched ideas that our team hadn’t considered including social media strategies. They manage our social media accounts such as LinkedIn and Twitter. Their work includes directing our head of sales and CEO’s LinkedIn account. We hadn’t considered our website’s positioning, which they now support. Their team also provides basic PR services. They write press releases, case studies, and blog posts. Their team writes reports and perform surveys for us. To be honest, Milk & Honey PR provides any marketing services that we might need as a business.

What is the team composition?

On a given day, there are about four members on the team. They bring on other teammates as needed.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

There are a lot of PR companies that work in our industry, which all seem to use the same strategies. To bring in new ideas, we looked at firms that were outside our market. We considered quite a few different agencies. We reduced the list to a final three, one of which was Milk & Honey PR. Including their team, we had two companies pitch to us eventually. The decision came down to relationships. Milk & Honey PR was on the same wavelength as us.

How much have you invested with them?

On average, we pay a monthly fee of £5,000 (approximately $6,200 USD). This includes a standard retainer of £4,000 (approximately $4,970 USD) a month and any charges for additional services such as designs or press work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since Milk & Honey PR came in, our LinkedIn followers have pretty much doubled. More and more people engage with our posts every month and follow our accounts. Engagement on our platforms has increased by about 7%. Due to the posts and services their team provides, website visitors have also increased by a couple of percentage points every month. It’s difficult to quantify the results of general PR assignments their team has completed. We’re getting more traction with key press members. Through our collaboration with Milk & Honey PR, we have developed better relationships with crucial journalists who seem to publish most of what we put out.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

Whenever we have a project or activity, we set deadlines and continue to follow up. We have a call every two weeks to go through assignments, any deadlines or outstanding actions. If they’re going to miss a deadline, they inform us by email or phone. When needed, we will schedule calls every week to ensure we're up to date on projects. During projects, our teams will communicate by email and speak on a daily basis. To move us forward, they’re always chasing us on the phone.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their greatest quality is that they’re always pushing us. Milk & Honey PR is always putting new ideas on the table. Rather than us going to them, their team is moving us forward constantly. We’re quite happy to keep working with them because they keep delivering value.

We started a report last year, which their team pitched to us. Internally, we weren’t really sure about it including our CEO. We went with it and the project was well received by the target audience. People called the CEO to say it was a good report. He signed off on the next report quickly. Milk & Honey PR delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything at the minute. Communication is the most important quality. As long as they keep telling us what’s going on, we’re happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO and commercial director of Location Sciences. We offer a SaaS product to the mobile advertising industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

We needed corporate and financial PR services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They assist us with trade press releases and regulatory news services, as well as brand awareness strategy. Recently, we released a report about the state of the location services industry that got good traction throughout the United States and Europe. There’s also a separate part where they do LinkedIn advertising.

What is the team composition?

Jess (Client Director, Milk & Honey PR) is our lead account manager, and Harriet (Client Manager, Milk & Honey PR) and Charlie (Client Executive, Milk & Honey PR) back her up. We also interact with the founder, Kirsty.

Rachel (Head of Digital, Milk & Honey PR) handles our LinkedIn advertising, and she has a team behind her to build creative and manage the campaigns.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

I’d worked with Kirsty before at a previous business to great success. We’re a rapid tech growth business, and we needed someone who understood the importance of being disruptive and breaking down barriers. It’s a cliché, but she could help us get our message heard.  

How much have you invested with them?

They work a retainer of £5,000 per month ($6,170 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve got great attention to detail. We’re a small tech startup in UK, yet we’ve been all over the main trade press in the US and Europe on back of a report we published a few weeks ago. That’s all thanks to Milk & Honey.

We have to be careful with messaging because our product shows ad budget wastage (among other things) and that isn’t what agencies and brands want to hear. Milk & Honey reshaped our messaging to performance improvement, and these subtle changes are quite key to how we come across.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

I love them on this front. They tend to manage me, asking me for information on deliverables or for help on this or that project.

We have weekly calls to asses our priorities and monthly face-to-face meetings. Beyond that, we communicate over Slack, email, and Dropbox, which is for sharing documents, presentations, and articles. They’re deeply plugged into our team, as we rely on them for both content and distribution. They even came on a two-day work trip we took to the coast.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They deliver what they promise. If you’re asking too much, they tell you. You’re not going to be disappointed in the delivery. I’ve worked with some vendors in the past that promise the world, but then assign you a junior account manager, and you aren’t happy with the offerings after that. Milk & Honey are always pleasant.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone could always lower the fees, but that’s all.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a RegTech firm involved in financial services. I work in our marketing department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milk & Honey PR?

We needed a company that could manage our communications and PR services and increase our visibility in the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide a range of services for us, from a very high level of strategic positioning and planning, all the way down to our communication and relationships with the press, social media, and promotions. They give us a very wholistic service, including work on our blogs and our advertising campaigns. They do a lot for us, in a lot of different areas.

We launched an important mobile app last year, and they managed the whole marketing campaign for that. They interacted with the developers, the media, and our social platforms.

What is the team composition?

We work with a few members of their team, led by Milk & Honey’s owner.

How did you come to work with Milk & Honey PR?

I worked with their founder at another company. I valued her work very highly, and she is very professional. We may have been their first client, and we've worked together since the foundation of our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend in the region of £80,000 (approximately $99,000 USD) a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've known each other since we established our company. The project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been published several times in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Banker, and a few niche publications. All those come through Milk & Honey. We are part of the RegTech top 100 and FinTech top 20 companies, and we have a whole series of industry accolades and recognition we've achieved through their work. They're instrumental in the promotion of our company and our products.

How did Milk & Honey PR perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is excellent and very easy to work with. They're flexible, pleasant, and creative, and they reflect their owner's great capabilities. They're very good at following deadlines and keeping up with project compliance. We have a weekly call, and they normally follow up very efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, we're extremely pleased with them. They're effective, nice to work with, and incredibly diligent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind for improvements. Communication is open, and we resolve issues very quickly. I would recommend they continue doing what they're doing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and executive director of Tribe, a specialist insurance business. We’re a start-up and an FCA-regulated intermediary. We design creative risk and insurance products as well as schemes and services for groups, communities, and affinities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milk & Honey PR?

We needed a brand marketing and digital content partner who could support our business and convert our vision into a cohesive meaningful brand. We also needed marketing collateral, a website, and a coherent digital strategy focused on the use of digital media.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a new brand, messaging language, a high-quality website, sub-brands, and logos. We also wanted advice on the use of digital media.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They came to us through a strong recommendation. We selected them because they were quick to satisfy our needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had a number of initial meetings for Milk & Honey PR to understand our business and our strategy for growth. They challenged us to be clear on our hopes and plans. Next, they presented us with a number of ideas and choices to further discuss and refine over additional meetings. We eventually agreed on a brand identity and a shape for all marketing components. 

We regularly review our progress and have gone back to them several times for sub-projects. Milk & Honey PR creates tailored adaptations of sub-brands, materials for our sponsorship/charity activities, and further refinements of the website. 

What was the team composition?

We work extensively with their managing director on all creative activities, as well as a senior account manager and other members of the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We’ve signed a number of new contracts since Milk & Honey PR finalized the initial work. We’ve also seen dramatic developments of our brand and increased awareness in key channels relevant to our growth. We receive fantastic feedback from our clients and strategic partners, so we’re delighted with the outcome.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our new brand and marketing materials were ready and launched within the specified timeframe. Milk & Honey PR’s communication works well. We’re able to regularly connect with their team through meetings and calls. Any urgent needs are dealt with swiftly. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It was clear to us that we needed a strategic partner. Milk & Honey PR’s team operates as part of us because they live and breathe our strategy and objectives. The focus and energy they used on the challenges presented in phase one were fundamental to the quality of ideas and outputs in phase two.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. So far, so good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the European Marketing Lead of HexClad

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

HexClad is a brand of cookware that combines stainless steel, nonstick, and cast iron to create a hybrid pan that's designed to be durable, convenient, and high-performing

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Milk & Honey PR to accomplish?

• Launch HexClad to the German Market
• Understand more fully German targeting and how to reach our consumer
• Translate US brand positioning to be impactful to German market

SOLUTION

How did you find Milk & Honey PR?

Online Search

Why did you select Milk & Honey PR over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Other

How many teammates from Milk & Honey PR were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Account management
• Event management (launch event & ad hoc press and influencer events incl. virtual events) 
• x5 content peices per quarter
• ongoing press office
• Brqand partnerships
• Infleuncer stunts 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Incredible press coverage in keeping with brands strategic aims and positioning. Well executed brand launch event and ambassador relations. Great insights into market and how to best position a US brand to make an impact. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Everything is delivered to a high standard early or on time, I cannot stress how strong the Milk & Honet team is at project management. 

What was your primary form of communication with Milk & Honey PR?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stands out to me is the brands values and work ethics. They're super creative, hardworking, and organized, and I love how friendly they are. They're easy to work with too. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Milk & Honey PR could have done differently?

NA