Merritt Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Director of Corporate Communications & Customer Marketing at GoodData. A software company based in San Francisco, we're a platform to create, distribute, and manage analytics at scale.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merritt Group?

We wanted to work with a PR agency that could help us get our message out to targeted media publications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Merritt Group works with us on developing a PR strategy and thought leadership platforms. They target trade and technology publications and publications that focus on AI and machine learning. We brainstorm together for articles and pitch outreach. They create all of our pitches and work to secure bylines for GoodData. We also wanted to launch an influencer program on Twitter, which they manage for us.

What is the team composition?

We have three primary contacts. We work with an account manager, the lead for our byline pitches, and a manager of our influencer program.

How did you come to work with Merritt Group?

We’d put out an RFP, but it was actually a former employee who brought them to the table. They came in and pitched to us. We chose them after going through the RFP process.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $12,000–$15,000 per month as the scope of work has grown over the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together started in June 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They're responsible every month for tracking and sharing project metrics. They track how many bylines were placed every quarter against goals, as well as how many articles we contribute to (e.g. a quote from our CEO, or a quote from one of our data scientists within a larger article). They also track metrics that pertain to our influencer program, such as how many engagements, conversations, and new followers we have.

How did Merritt Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is excellent and responsive. Not only do they do all of the pitching, but they also manage the project logistics. They’re responsible for keeping track of every pitch and where each pitch stands. They also provide a lot of strategic direction and suggestions. We do most of the content creation in-house, but we use them for editing and helping us expand on a story if needed.

They're prompt, responsive, and helpful. We frequently text back and forth, and I always hear back from them immediately. I’m comfortable sending them an email to ask their advice on an opportunity to pursue. We have a regular cadence for our status update meetings, as well as regular meetings for all of our thought leadership platforms.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re extraordinarily easy to work with. They're willing to do research before making final strategic decisions. They provide strategic feedback, and they're willing to say if something isn’t a good idea and we should try something else. They’ve expanded our thinking by bringing us new opportunities that have proven fruitful. Merritt Group’s knowledge of our competitors and the industry helps with competitive differentiation when pitching stories. They're also very knowledgeable about the industry as a whole, which is imperative for our thought leadership platforms.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing negative to share.