REQ

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a Senior Director at Acuity International

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Acuity International is a leading provider of process- and technology-driven critical services for government and commercial customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire REQ to accomplish?

• Communication Strategy
• Media Relations
• Content Development
• Editorial Calendar
• Speaking & Award Ops
• Media Training
• Crisis Management
• SEO Support

SOLUTION

How did you find REQ?

Worked with Lisa in the past.

Why did you select REQ over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Worked with them in the past.

How many teammates from REQ were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Over the course of our engagement, REQ played a valuable role in elevating our communications and marketing efforts. They provided strategic guidance on our communications approach, ensuring alignment with our business goals and market positioning.

Their media relations support helped us secure meaningful opportunities for thought leadership and brand exposure, allowing us to better engage our target audiences across key channels. Whether through pitching articles or identifying media opportunities, they acted as a reliable partner in expanding our reach.

The team also served as a central hub for content development, collaborating with us to produce high-quality sales enablement materials such as blog posts, use cases, datasheets, brochures, and website content. Their support with blog content in particular was instrumental in driving more traffic to our website, contributing to a noticeable uptick in lead generation and overall visibility.

Their responsiveness, strategic mindset, and content expertise made them a trusted partner during a critical growth phase for our organization.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Blog Posts
2. Marketing Collateral
3. Press Releases
4. Announcements
5. Website Content
6. Strategic Media Placements

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

Their project management was consistently reliable and efficient. They delivered every item on time - often ahead of schedule - and were highly responsive to our evolving needs. Whether it was a quick turnaround on a press release or a longer-term content development project, they managed each task with professionalism and attention to detail. Having them on my side gave me peace of mind, knowing I could count on them to execute without needing to follow up or micromanage.

What was your primary form of communication with REQ?

Virtual Meeting

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

What I found most impressive about REQ was how seamlessly they integrated with our team. It’s rare to find an external partner that feels like a true extension of your internal staff, but REQ excelled at that. Working with Lisa, Kendall, Pete, and Caron was not only productive - it was genuinely enjoyable. Their collaborative approach, easy rapport, and shared sense of ownership made every interaction feel natural and team-oriented. They didn’t just support us - they became part of us.

Are there any areas for improvement or something REQ could have done differently?

Honestly, there aren’t any areas that stand out for improvement. REQ was incredibly supportive and responsive throughout our entire engagement. Their team consistently delivered high-quality work and remained flexible to our needs. We truly valued the partnership - and wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of content at a secure collaboration software platform. Our audience consists of companies in high-security or high-sensitivity fields, such as critical infrastructure, finance, defense, and cybersecurity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We needed  PR support and help getting broader coverage in the market and building more brand awareness. Our old customers' awareness focused on our product when it was a developer and open-source, free tool. We were pivoting and going upmarket, so we wanted help building brand awareness.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ created thought leadership articles and press releases. The team also contributed to blog content, webinars, and speaking RFPs. REQ secured spots and media mentions for us, mostly in online publications and speaking events.

REQ helped us build our thought leadership platform. At the time, we were building our public sector business, and REQ worked closely with our leadership team, including our CEO, CTO, and VP. REQ captured their thoughts on the market's direction and needs to write articles and place them on third-party sites. Sometimes, they also helped write abstracts for speaking submissions.

What is the team composition?

Katie and Samantha were our main points of contact. We also worked with another teammate and REQ's in-house writers to develop thought leadership articles.

How did you come to work with REQ?

We hired REQ through a referral. I wasn't involved in sourcing them. A former marketing leader who is no longer with the company hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with REQ from August 2021–June 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although it was hard for us to have quantitative metrics for REQ's work, we measured overall article placements, awards, and speaking engagements. We also looked at qualitative metrics, including market sentiment and how often new prospects and customers mentioned what the team wrote in those articles. Over four years, REQ consistently got media placements for us. 

REQ did a great job connecting us with the right media outlets to build our reputation and hone the direction of our thought leadership. The team told not just the story of the product but also the story of the brand in the market. We came from a technical background, and REQ advised us on how we fit into the market in broader ways. REQ met our goals and expectations.

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

REQ was very clear about the cost of the work. The team ensured that we had complete transparency. If there was a month when we would go over our number of hours, the team always ensured we knew. That rarely happened because REQ was very good at managing time.

Samantha was always very responsive, even after hours or on a weekend. If something came up at the last minute, she ensured that someone would respond and we would get what we needed. If they were waiting on us, they were good at nudging and reminding us to look at something before the deadline. REQ always ensured plenty of time so nothing was left to the last minute.

We used our own communication tool. REQ got right into it and used it effectively. We also used email and had biweekly Zoom calls to check on project status.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Every person we worked with on the team was excellent. They were very thoughtful and responsive. REQ was very good at taking raw materials from our executives and shaping them into a story that reflected the brand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would have liked to see REQ be more proactive about looking for more unique ways for us to build our story, but overall, they did a great job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Director, Brand & PR of SpyCloud

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

SpyCloud protects businesses from the stolen identity data criminals are using to target them now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire REQ to accomplish?

• Increase overall Brand Awareness & Thought Leadership exposure
• Increase overall Media Coverage specific to Tier 1 publications
• Increase Share of Voice in Key Themes

SOLUTION

How did you find REQ?

Referral

Why did you select REQ over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Flexible program to meet our needs

How many teammates from REQ were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

For the last year we have worked side-by-side with REQ to develop a robust and comprehensive PR strategy across traditional release tactics, active pitching, award review and submission, contributed articles and rapid response opportunities. All backed by our unique research and expertise. We were keen to increase our Share of Voice across key themes specific to our space as well as increase and focus our media coverage on same key themes and use cases that best aligned. Widening the markets view of our brand as just Account Takeover Prevention to more leaders in the Indentity Threat Protection space. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In one year's time we were able to increase our share over voice 10x across key themes.

Our media coverage tripled. 

We widened our bench of SMEs to hit across unique storylines both enterprise and consumer focused.

We were picked up across 4 major Tier 1 publications -- something we had not had previously.

We branched into more podcast engagement AND through broadcast radio and TV to hit non-traditional markets for us but tell wider brand and industry stories that resonate with end-users AND business owners. 

We focused on key recognitions for growth, innovation and leadership and have been successful in securing those awards. To that fact we were recognized as a 2025 Bulldog Gold Award Recipent with REQ for Best Use of Research for how we used our unique pillar content and research findings to drive better media engagement and broadcast inclusions. 

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

REQ was an excellent partner and always flexible to what could work best for us. We meet weekly to review items in flight and leverage daily interaction for rapid response opportunities, active pitches in flight and collaboration for more long term projects like Product Launch Releases etc. They are always eager to learn a new position or story we may have as well as provide their own lens. Items were always timely and well executed. 

What was your primary form of communication with REQ?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have taken to unique messaging and positioning so quickly and are always at the ready to push us on angles or ways we can showcase our research, expertise and POV. They're all a joy to work with and truly feel like members of our larger marketing team. They are integral to our PR program. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something REQ could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a former senior content marketing manager at a quality engineering company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We needed help with content creation and PR services. Our goals were to increase brand awareness and lead generation and build out our public sector messaging and content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ has provided content services, developing speaker abstracts, webinar abstracts, white papers, e-books, and website copy. They’ve also helped with our PR efforts, including press releases and blogs.

We explained to them what our industry does: QA software testing, which isn't the easiest thing to learn, but they looked at our website, did their homework, and answered any questions they had. They've read our messaging documents and collaborated with us in person or via calls.

We've worked together to develop content, and they've done a quick study, PR case studies, or press releases and pitched to media outlets.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people from REQ.

How did you come to work with REQ?

We found them through a referral. We chose them because of their public sector expertise and knowledge of DC's PR and content environment and countrywide. 

We've got the expertise and know our solution well, but they know what will resonate with this audience in particular, so that's definitely one of the reasons why we picked them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $25,000 quarterly.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2023, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped us produce nearly 50 pieces of lead generation content that we use to nurture paid media, organic media, and sales reps. The team has also helped elevate and accelerate the number of press releases they can do.

The quality of their work has exceeded our expectations. They bring expertise to every piece of content and are experts in this space. They know what people want to hear and know how people want to hear it. They definitely deliver that every time.

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

If anything, I'm why things are late, which is wonderful and a refreshing change of pace. They're always on top of things and excellent at communicating.

We've developed a personal relationship with them, and it feels like they’re part of the team. They're really great. We primarily use Google Docs to go back and forth and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re experts in what the public sector audience wants. They’re strong at helping us create the right pieces of content for this particular persona.

They’re also very aware and stay on top of what’s happening at the federal level. They have their finger on the pulse of what’s going on so we can make the most timely relevant content that needs to meet the moment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d have them improve. They do a great job and deliver consistently. We don't have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If things are slow, you might be the reason why, like me, the projects fall behind because I'm busy, but they do a great job, so it's a nice problem to have.

Get ready for success. They’re wonderful and develop a personal relationship with each of their clients. They even sent me a gift for my wedding, which is great.

I've never met any of them in person, so I was shocked that they took the time to build such a personal relationship. I thank them so much.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of marketing at a cybersecurity company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We needed a PR firm of record to provide support with editing content, award submissions, PR strategy, and thought leadership.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ is our PR firm of record. The team has created editorial pieces that have been published in various publications throughout the US. Additionally, REQ has created award submissions for individuals in our organization and our products.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 teammates from REQ on average.
How did you come to work with REQ?

REQ was already engaged with my company when I started working here. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent a minimum of $120,000 a year, but in some years, we've spent more.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with REQ in 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure the share of voice and the number of articles REQ gets placed in. Overall, REQ's PR support has increased our company's profile and awareness.

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

REQ delivers work on time and within budget and responds well to our needs.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I'd like to highlight Katie's (Executive VP & PR Practice Lead) work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

REQ has a deep understanding of our business, our cybersecurity industry, and what it takes to be successful in the government market.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any constructive feedback for REQ.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend being as thorough and upfront as possible when engaging with REQ. Share your goals and what you're trying to achieve with the team, and meet with them regularly to discuss your business priorities.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior media relations manager for North America at a tech company that provides low-code process automation software for enterprises. I lead our PR and corporate PR efforts in North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We wanted to build a more prominent PR program for our corporate efforts in North America. Additionally, we wanted to build out executive thought leadership for our executives and our customers' executives.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ supports our PR efforts, focusing on three main areas. The first is getting more features in tech publications. The second and third focus on two of our main industry verticals: financial services and the public sector. REQ helps us get into publications and build up our presence in those industries.

REQ pitches our executives for interviews, which leads to content. The executive comes prepared with their comments, and REQ prepares the executive for the interview and ensures the topic is aligned with their expertise. On the other hand, we work with REQ on some authored articles. In those cases, REQ drafts the article and shares it with me and the executive to review and ensure it's in line.

REQ has also worked with one of our public sector leads to provide the content for an article. The team has drafted it, shared it for approval and review, and got it placed with Federal News Network, a public sector publication. This particular article is more thought leadership-focused, and it's authored by one of our executives.

What is the team composition?

We work with four teammates from REQ. An executive VP oversees our account, and Casey (Senior Account Director, PR) leads the day-to-day strategy. We also work with an account executive who is more in the weeds doing the actual pitching. The last teammate is an account coordinator who works on the administrative side of the account.

How did you come to work with REQ?

REQ was referred by a coworker who had worked with the company at their previous job in the marketing team. We were evaluating a couple of other agencies and ended up going with REQ because they proved to have a strong knowledge of the industries we wanted to target. The team had really strong work examples and relationships that we felt they could bring to the table.

Additionally, we got a good feeling from REQ when we met them. The team was very proactive and had smart thinkers. We liked speaking with REQ, and they presented themselves the best.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with REQ in January 2022, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a higher quality of media opportunities coming in for REQ's area of work. The team has been able to create an executive thought leadership program and looped in our customers to participate in that, which is something we hadn't been able to do. REQ has done an excellent job finding opportunities for our customers to participate in and build relationships.

Additionally, REQ does a good job of recommending things we can do outside of typical PR activities. For example, financial services is an important industry for us, and the publications are tough to get into. REQ has pitched and managed a small paid program supplement, which works well. We're happy with that.

REQ has placed an article in Federal News Network, which is a good publication for us. The team has done a great job coming up with the article's topic of why low code is important for the federal government, giving the article a differentiator. 

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

REQ is always very timely. I've never received anything late from them because the team is always on time or early. REQ also does an excellent job of managing the budget and the hours we have. The team always does a good job of accommodating whatever the priority is at the moment while staying within our budget.

REQ is good at account management and is always very responsive. I can always count on them to get back to me in a timely manner. We communicate via email and weekly 30-minute calls.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Casey is great and a nice person to work with. She's very professional and an active listener and participant.

What did you find most impressive about them?

REQ is great and doesn't just go through the motions. The team thinks about what we're discussing and the problems we need to solve. I really appreciate that REQ thinks outside the box to ensure we get more media coverage. The team is also willing to jump in wherever it's helpful. 

As I mentioned, the public sector is an important industry for us, and our public sector team has wanted us to have more press releases with public sector agencies. REQ has reached out to some of these customers and secured a press announcement. REQ goes above and beyond by reaching out to customers and taking on PR activities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I've been very happy with REQ's work and don't have any constructive feedback for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't hold anything back, and give REQ all the context when you speak to them. The team is very proactive and will bring new ideas. There have been times when I've mentioned something in passing that I don’t think is necessary for the conversation. Still, REQ provides good feedback and has evolved it into something we can actually work on. Be super open and treat REQ as a member of your team because they may think of something that wasn't even on your radar.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on July 26, 2024.

Valerie Verlander
Senior Manager of North America Media Relations, AppianSoftware

McLean, Virginia

1,001-5,000 Employees

Jan 2023 - Ongoing

Verified

Project summary
REQ has provided PR services for a software company; the team's tasks include press release management, pitch development, article writing, and award administration.

Feedback summary
Thanks to REQ, the client has secured 70 pieces of coverage across publications and industry verticals, attracted four US trade media attendees, and increased media attendance at their international conference. REQ's timeliness, communication, proactivity, and creativity are hallmarks of their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Manager, North America Media Relations of Appian

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Appian is a software company that automates business processes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire REQ to accomplish?

• Enhance Appian's presence in tech trades
• Improve Appian's presence in Public Sector media
• Improve Appian's presence in Financial Services media

SOLUTION

How did you find REQ?

Referral

Why did you select REQ over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from REQ were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

REQ is our North America corporate PR firm. They manage the following activities to support Appians media presence:

• Press release management
• Proactive pitch development
• Authored articles
• Awards management

Focus areas for these activies include tech industry and public sector and financial services verticals. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working together they have delivered 70+ pieces of coverage across key publications and industry verticals. 

They have also increased media attendance at our annual Appian World conference. Historically we have not had media attend from US trade media, but they were able to secure four media attendees. Two of which attended and produced coverage of the event. They also secured follow up coverage. This was a great improvement for us. 

REQ also reccomended paid PR programs to support our PR program and our key industries. This has been a great complement to the earned activities we are pursuing. They have also engaged Appian customers whereever possible wether it be media opps, awards, press releases, etc. Customer engagement is a bug priority for Appian. 

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

REQ is extremely timely. They meet all deadlines and commincate clearly if there will be an update to timelines. They are also creative and scrappy, and are always taking the initiative to build on the direction they are provided. They are also willing to help whenever needed and offer their assistance with projects outside of our normal purview without hesitation. 

What was your primary form of communication with REQ?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to learn my company's goals, and run with it. I appreciate being able to provide them direction, but also having them bring ideas and proavtive ideas to the table routinely. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something REQ could have done differently?

No

STAR RATINGS
Overall rating: 5
Quality: 5
Cost: 5
Schedule: 5
Willing to refer: 5

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of Clearlight

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Clearlight is one of the oldest and largest sauna manufacturers and wellness companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire REQ to accomplish?

• Our primary objective is to boost sales and effectively monitor them in relation to our advertising expenditure, ensuring that our efforts either maintain or drive progress in these key areas.

SOLUTION

How did you find REQ?

Other

Why did you select REQ over others?

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

How many teammates from REQ were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

REQ oversees our entire online advertising strategy, encompassing PPC campaigns and management of social media channels. Additionally, we collaborate with REQ to optimize our website's SEO, ensuring top rankings for our targeted keywords. Regular keyword research is conducted in partnership with REQ. Their expertise extends to providing social media support across platforms such as Meta and beyond.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There has been significant advancement in both sales and lead generation, although precise figures are pending. The optimization efforts have resulted in heightened visibility and improved rankings across pertinent search platforms, contributing substantially to overall growth. Since assuming control of the organic social media operations in December 2023, there has been a noteworthy surge in engagement and audience expansion. 
This growth underscores the effectiveness of strategic social media management in enhancing brand presence and fostering meaningful connections with the target demographic.

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

Certainly! Without a doubt! Their communication skills are excellent, consistently delivering tasks promptly. Whenever we've required assistance, their responsiveness has been exceptional, and they've been adept at clearly articulating their requirements from us.

What was your primary form of communication with REQ?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They are committed to ensuring the success of our project, prioritizing its outcome over merely running a campaign for commission. Their meticulous attention to detail enables us to achieve profitability in our collaboration with them.

Are there any areas for improvement or something REQ could have done differently?

Nothing comes to mind! REQ has consistently managed its ongoing projects and tasks with meticulous care and effort throughout the years. Whenever faced with new challenges, they swiftly collaborate with us to adapt and find the rhythm.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of brand and marketing for a full-service real estate platform that works across industrial, office, residential, and renter investments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We wanted to increase brand awareness and multi-group audience engagement. Our goal was to position our company as a national player and elevate our profile, thought leadership, and value within the corporate real estate investment industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ provides us with PR and social media management (SMM) services, including content development and strategy. They create content for LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. We respond to social media comments internally. Although REQ doesn't directly provide reputation management services, the team considers reputation management in the tactics and strategies they deploy. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Lisa and Elizabeth (EVPs, PR),  Eileen (Account Manager, PR), Mary (Senior Strategist, Social Media), Ella (Account Coordinator, PR), and Bailey (VP, Content & Digital Syndication). Lisa and Eileen are our day-to-day contacts. Additionally, REQ assigns interim team members to our account when we need more resources. 

How did you come to work with REQ?

I found them through my network. Someone I had worked with previously joined REQ, and I wanted to see the company’s potential. My initial interview with REQ was incredibly clear, streamlined, and on-point. Moreover, they were very well-researched. The whole team, from Lisa and Elizabeth to Eileen, had a thorough knowledge of our company and its progress before even coming to the meeting. 

We also chose REQ due to their foundational relationships across the New York, Washington DC, and San Franciso markets. These relationships made it easy for REQ to help us offboard our outgoing provider. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have REQ on a monthly retainer, and we’ve spent between $250,000–$500,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Quarter-on-quarter (QOQ), REQ has doubled or tripled our media reach and earned media positioning. The team's work has dramatically increased our thought leadership placement, bylines, and speaking engagements across all markets we want to be in. REQ has made the difference between us being a boutique firm and becoming a futureproof national player — they’ve taken us there.

Eileen is efficient, logical, and strategic at managing social media accounts. She’s mobilized a best-in-class social media team led by Mary. Since REQ works on our social media content strategy, we’ve seen a monumental rise in engagement and general market sentiment.

I’d like to congratulate the whole REQ team — their work is a team effort. I never feel like one team member is carrying a heavier load while others are checking in and out of the project. No matter who I talk to, every REQ teammate is on the same page and connected — they finish each other’s sentences. As a result, working with REQ’s team is a pleasure. 

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on time and within budget and communicate exceptionally well — I give them top marks. Since we’re a small team, we work quickly and are stretched thinly. REQ, Eileen, and Ella’s project management is always one step ahead, keeping us on point and creating a space for all of us to do our best work and deliver it on time. Nine times out of 10, Eileen has already asked and answered any question I can think of. 

We use Google Drive, phone calls, emails, and occasionally text messages to communicate. We also have a quick and efficient meeting cadence and workflow. From day one, REQ has understood our goals. They’ve come to almost every meeting with ideas or strategies that evolve those goals, so they’re an incredibly valuable strategic partner. Therefore, collaborating across the team to get the best possible outcome has been easy. 

Additionally, when we have busier months, Lisa and Eileen bring in additional resources who seamlessly integrate into our service. There’s no repetition or lag in getting these new resources up to speed on our goals. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with many PR agencies in the US, Europe, and the Caribbean, and Lisa and Eileen’s team at REQ are in a class of their own. Overall, we have a phenomenal partnership with REQ. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, they were a bit conservative on the social media side. Thanks to Eileen’s project management and Mary’s open-mindedness, they were receptive to our feedback when we asked them to push harder on that side. Ultimately, this initial stage was good to go through together to build our trust. REQ listened to us and went out on a limb for us while we trusted that they had our best interests at heart.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When working with REQ, listen to collaborate and understand and let the REQ team do their best work. Trust them because they’re at the top of their game. They take their job seriously, so your goals will be their goals. I also recommend working with Lisa and Eileen’s team at REQ — they’re incredible. At the same time, I don’t want anyone else working with them!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Brand and Content at a company that provides security software.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company provides data-centric security software to help organizations encrypt and protect sensitive information while still being able to share it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire REQ to accomplish?

• Amplify our company's message in the media
• Write and edit press releases, op-eds, and blog posts
• Secure media placements for our company's executives and subject matter experts

SOLUTION

How did you find REQ?

Referral

Why did you select REQ over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from REQ were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We needed a partner for building and executing on our public relations strategy, including pitching stories to reporters; promoting new products and events; preparing executives and subject matter experts for interviews; and collaborating with our team on content strategy and go-to-market plans.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The REQ team is exceptional at setting a media strategy, pitching stories from a variety of angles, and writing great content for press releases, op-eds, and blog posts. They secured dozens of media placements for the company in 2023 alone, including radio interviews, TV interviews, podcast features, op-eds, and featured quotes in articles. This coverage amplified the company's brand and enabled us to showcase our products and services on a broader scale.

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

The team was diligent in producing and delivering great work on time, adapting to shifts in deadline whenever needed. They were very responsive to our requests and proactively offered ideas and solutions to us based on organizational strategy and context.

What was your primary form of communication with REQ?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team really absorbed our messaging and mission, and was able to identify opportunities that would provide the best fit based on our priorities. I really appreciated their genuine curiosity and interest in digging into our technical products and differentiators.

Are there any areas for improvement or something REQ could have done differently?

The team has been wonderful to work with!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing lead of an Agile software consulting firm. We provide Agile-based software solutions to federal, commercial, and nonprofit clients. Our clients span federal agencies in national security and health. We also work with various well-known commercial organizations and trailblazing nonprofits.

In my role, I oversee the company's different marketing initiatives to grow our brand and business and engage with our customers. I report to our strategic growth department. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with REQ?

We hired them for strategic PR services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

REQ helps us with all our PR initiatives across awards and press releases. More recently, they’ve also become a strategic partner regarding content, thought leadership, and many other aspects our marketing department is interested in. 

When we brought on REQ, they started by helping us build our employer branding. This first project aimed to increase our employees' visibility on social media within the technology and consulting industries. For this purpose, REQ has submitted us for various awards for our employees to gain recognition for their work with our clients. 

Regarding content, REQ helps us write award submissions and much of our thought leadership writing. The team also helps us identify opportunities with media outlets to get our subject matter experts’ (SMEs’) opinions on the media. REQ helps us put together these media participations in a way that answers the reporters’ questions. REQ also helps us streamline our SMEs’ ideas into various pieces of content we place across our digital space. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Robin (SVP of PR), and we work with three other REQ team members who are more or less permanently assigned to us, including Eileen (Account Manager, PR). Additionally, REQ brings in other members of different teams, such as social media experts and their editorial team, to help us when needed. 

How did you come to work with REQ?

REQ was referred to our manager by someone she had worked with. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with REQ in July 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our relationship with REQ has been absolutely wonderful. We recently met to discuss strategy and results, and REQ brought forth that we’ve won over 50% of the awards out of around 40 submissions this year. This result is in addition to all the other projects REQ helps us with.

Moreover, the quality of REQ’s work is amazing. Usually, there’s not much to fix when they deliver work. We’ve reached a point where we trust them in our relationship, so we usually only require minor tweaks, such as small grammatical preferences. 

REQ’s team is very approachable, making them easy to work with. I’ve previously worked with other PR firms that could be a bit stiff and inflexible. Meanwhile, REQ is the opposite — I wish other firms could operate like REQ. 

How did REQ perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always within the budget, and deadlines have never been an issue. REQ is usually ahead of schedule. Eileen and I keep closely in touch about the projects’ progress to get ahead of any deadlines. 

We mainly communicate through Slack and have weekly Zoom meetings. REQ’s team also comes into our office for strategic meetings when asked. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Eileen coordinates all our PR efforts and is our primary contact when we want to get a project started or completed. She’s there throughout the process and is very knowledgeable of all things PR and writing — she’s amazing to work with. 

Moreover, Eileen understands our needs; even when we have issues verbalizing what we’re looking for, she provides strategic thought to help us get where we need to be. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed by REQ’s work ethic and ability to present themselves as a strategic partner. We’re a small marketing team, so there are some things we can’t fully wrap our arms around. Having REQ as a partner has been extremely valuable due to their sheer knowledge and expertise around the intersection between PR and technology consulting. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. If anything, we would like more teammates like the ones we work with! 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t keep REQ at arm’s length; be honest with them about where your company is and what your strategic goals are. Instead of treating them like a PR arm, bring them in as a partner so that you can truly get value from the team’s expertise and willingness to help and try new things.