RENEWPR, LLC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of Bluesource, a one-stop-shop climate and energy advisor. We help our customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and achieve their energy use and climate sustainability goals. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RENEWPR, LLC?

Our business has a lot of divergent business units, and we've struggled for the last two decades to characterize our company's services and develop consistent messaging. We've also wanted to expand our reach to ensure key audiences knew about our services and products. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RENEWPR, LLC provided us with PR services. First, they developed consistent messaging — they dug into our business and learned about the market's key issues and how we message about them. Then, RENEWPR, LLC helped our team develop PR strategies to improve our discoverability. We collaborated to create content to put out and then determined where it needed to be published. RENEWPR, LLC also helped us develop relationships with reporters covering our industry. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three teammates from RENEWPR, LLC. 

How did you come to work with RENEWPR, LLC?

We found RENEWPR, LLC because an internal teammate had worked with them in the past at a different organization. We compared RENEWPR, LLC against several other PR and communication firms, but RENEWPR, LLC provided the most grounded and concrete descriptions of their deliverables and services. RENEWPR, LLC was extremely clear about what they would do to achieve our goals, explaining everything without using complicated jargon. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with RENEWPR, LLC from December 2020–November 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RENEWPR, LLC delivered messaging points that we can use to characterize our organization. They also provide dozens of collateral marketing items we can provide our clients. We're delighted with the relationships with the media their team helped build. 

How did RENEWPR, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

RENEWPR, LLC had outstanding project management. They were highly communicative and were always available when we needed them. RENEWPR, LLC's team delivered on time, and if there were any delays, it was because of delays from my team. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

RENEWPR, LLC was a grounded and understandable communications firm, which had a huge, positive impact on our engagement. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Looking back now, the relationships that RENEWPR, LLC cultivated for us with the media could've been more in-depth. I'm not saying they were aiming for quantity over quality relationships, but I do wish our relationships had deeper roots than they did. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to have a high level of engagement with RENEWPR, LLC to maximize their effectiveness. Customers will get out what they put in from a partnership with RENEWPR, LLC.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Federal Policy for Family Equality, an organization working for legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire RENEWPR, LLC, and what were your goals?

We are working to pass legislation and promote policies providing equality for LGBTQ+ families and children touched by the child welfare system. We face opposition from those who feel that taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies should be allowed to turn away LGBTQ+ people from their services, or treat them in a discriminatory fashion.

We hired RenewPR to promote events and media placements lifting up the stories of children and families harmed by such discrimination.

SOLUTION

How did you select RENEWPR, LLC?

We put out an RFP and selected the best of three proposals.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Inviting reporters to Congressional briefings, hearings and press conferences; providing framing, talking points which are effective with reporters and the public; coordinating logistics of these events; training spokespeople; and ensuring media placements.

How many people from the RENEWPR, LLC team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two: Ben Finzel, Director, and Annette Larkin, Consultant.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Many media placements, spokespeople who were comfortable and empowered, and effective, smoothly run events.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Excellent communication by email, phone, and slack; excellent reports summarizing the work.

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

Their deep understanding of the issues we are addressing. I was absolutely mostly impressed by their ability to train and support vulnerable people who had been harmed by discrimination in the foster care system, both young people and parents, and make them feel safe, confident, and empowered by their media experiences. They are excellent all around.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a nonprofit organization that pushes for policies that make buildings more sustainable.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RENEWPR, LLC?

We started our organization only recently, and we needed help communicating and engaging with the public. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RENEWPR is providing us with PR services. They formulate our messaging, and they conduct media outreach on our behalf. Their team is building our communication strategy as we grow our organization.

At one point, RENEWPR helped us get a journalist to serve as a moderator in one of our webinars. They also provide strategic guidance to help us prioritize what we’re working on. In addition, they help us connect with potential coalition partners, utilizing their good networking contacts in the environment and energy industry.

They are also helping us publish op-eds in several influential Washington, DC publications. They support us in drafting the pieces and pitching them to publications.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Ben (President). 

How did you come to work with RENEWPR, LLC?

I connected with Ben through LinkedIn, and I reached out to him, knowing he was at the center of energy policy and communications. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve started working together in April 2020, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RENEWPR is an important partner in raising our profile and demonstrating to people in Washington, DC, that we have influence. They’ve helped us focus our work in ways that put us on a path of continued growth. 

How did RENEWPR, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

RENEWPR is reliable, and they keep their commitments. Their team is accessible and responsive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

RENEWPR is outstanding at communications, and they understand energy and environmental policy. They appreciate both the issues and politics, and they are resourceful in thinking ideas. 

Additionally, they have experience working with coalitions and understand the internal dynamics involved — they can balance the competing interests of different members. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront about where you want to be. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Sustainable Energy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Clean energy trade association that educates and advocates on federal policy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire RENEWPR, LLC to accomplish?

• Raise profile
• Pitch report findings
• Manage a communications strategy for a project

SOLUTION

How did you find RENEWPR, LLC?

Referral

Why did you select RENEWPR, LLC over others?

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

How many teammates from RENEWPR, LLC were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

RENEWPR developed a media strategy for a signature report for the BCSE and led outreach to media contacts. The firm also helped with message development and led a media press briefing on the report.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had strong press and media engagement. RENEWPR was an excellent partner and service provider and worked well with a small organization.

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

Tasks were completed on time and RENEWPR has excellent communications with project implementation.

What was your primary form of communication with RENEWPR, LLC?

Virtual Meeting

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

They are great people and produce high-quality work!

Are there any areas for improvement or something RENEWPR, LLC could have done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Regional Communications Manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire RENEWPR, LLC, and what were your goals?

Public Relations

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Conducted interview followed by a trial period

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Public Relations and Media Outreach

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We work directly with Ben and Annette

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Being an agile but highly complex and matrixed organization it was imperative we find a public relations team who could quickly adapt to scale with us as priorities evolve. RenewPR has done just that while consistently delivering fantastic results and has become an invaluable extension of our in-house team.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We have bi-weekly meetings

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

Their commitment and dedication are impressive.

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

No