SHERMAN

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of development for a renewable energy company. I work on our Midwest development team, overseeing the development, construction, and operations of our wind farms throughout the Midwest and Northeast regions.

What challenge were you trying to address with SHERMAN communications and marketing?

As a developer, we were looking to extend our outreach within the communities we serve by working with our external affairs department. We came across Jason (President) and figured out how we could best reach our audience to help inform people about renewable energy and all the positive aspects that our business does in the communities in which we serve.

What was the scope of their involvement?

SHERMAN communications and marketing helped identify audience members and influencers in our community. They developed branding and messaging to reinforce our strengths and speak to specific concerns throughout the community that we’ve identified through our engagement.

Jason also identified opportunities to conduct direct mailers and coordinate those resources to execute those mailers. He provided creative ideas, approaches, and solutions for project materials and media briefings as well as assisted with media training for our development department.

What is the team composition?

Jason’s been my main point of contact. He has team members who assist him behind-the-scenes.

How did you come to work with SHERMAN communications and marketing?

It was through external affairs. An internal colleague of mine found them. Together, my colleague and I identified the need for a partner that was based out of and understand the Midwest. Because our core market is located in the Midwest and Northeast, my colleague reached out to Jason when we were looking for firms. SHERMAN communications and marketing hit it out of the park in terms of approach and creativity of how they’d tackle our challenges.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in April 2018. We’re now discussing future engagement and what that’d look like for our development team. We’ve discussed brand new projects we’d be developing as well as projects that are in the mid- or late stage.

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

SHERMAN communications and marketing has made a positive impact on our audience engagement. A lot of our landowners are now better informed in some cases.

We had an open house in Indiana that was followed last year. With their help, we had over 200 attendees who came and wanted to hear about our project. Previous turnout for those types of events was far less. We had a panel of experts who addressed some concerns and answered questions. It was a very successful event. We’re very proud of this event and it was great to see that big turnout.

How did SHERMAN communications and marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been tremendous. We do weekly check-ins and communicate through emails, texts, and phone calls. I feel as if I’m their only client despite knowing they have others. Anytime there’s a question, they’re quick to respond — that goes for any type of interaction because everything is done in a timely manner. They’re professional and respectful.

There’s also an aspect of interpersonal relations. Jason reached out to me when my son was born a few months ago and gave me some books on fatherhood. Our relationship has transcended from a professional aspect to a personal one and it’s been great in both manners.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been most impressed with the personal touch and their creative solutions. When we’re trying to figure out the best way to proceed, they always provide a different approach. This has been very good considering the nature of our work and the challenges we’ve historically faced within the industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing jumps out at the present time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hold back. From the get-go of your engagement, be sure to have an open and honest dialogue with them. Sit down and have a little fireside chat while you work together to craft the solution. Jason is very approachable and willing to push when things need to be pushed and rein when they need to be reined in. He’s very customer-oriented.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Indraloka Animal Sanctuary is a nonprofit sanctuary that specializes in giving farmed animals a lifetime of protection. We also do educational programs for children and the community that focus on life skills and incorporates animals into the educational work. 

What challenge were you trying to address with SHERMAN?

He’s been helping us with public relations, getting us out there in the news to keep people thinking about the farm animals and the things that they face. We’re hoping this inspires compassion and kindness.

What was the scope of their involvement?

To get our organization covered in the media, SHERMAN writes media alerts, contacts the media, and assists me with scheduling interviews. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working directly with Jason (President, SHERMAN).

How did you come to work with SHERMAN?

After letting a friend know that we were searching for PR services, she introduced us. We hit it off, so we partnered up and have been working together for a few years now.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around October 2017 and are still collaborating now.

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

As we’ve tracked the number of media stories earned from their services, we’ve found that they’re making a significant impact. The articles are well written, and the press has responded to the writing very quickly. He’s always been professional and on top of tasks.

How did SHERMAN perform from a project management standpoint?

Jason is available to me seven days each week. Even if he’s on vacation, he’ll respond to me. I appreciate that he’s always there and ready to help. We communicate over text, phone calls, emails, or whatever is most convenient.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

He really cares about our mission, and that really makes a difference. Additionally, he gets us the results we need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I enjoy working with them. He has the tendency to thank me for something before I’ve completed a task. That can be a little confusing, but otherwise, Jason is fantastic.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your goals and communicate well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal and CEO of Usman Group, Inc. We’re a digital consultancy that guides customers looking to transform their businesses. We advise the integration of digital components such as websites, landing pages, digital marketing programs, and mobile apps.

What challenge were you trying to address with SHERMAN?

Our original approach to the market was hollow and uninspired. We needed a PR firm to help us create and implement distinctive messaging on our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

SHERMAN conducted a series of interviews with different parts of our team. They also interviewed our customers to better understand their challenges, perspectives, and experiences regarding our website. The interviews were transcribed and documented so they could compare both sets of data. SHERMAN used this information to write case studies and website copy that aligned with our marketing goals and perceived brand image. Ultimately, they wrote 90% of the content on our website.

What is the team composition?

Jason (President, SHERMAN) is our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with SHERMAN?

SHERMAN came to me as a referral. I started talking with Jason and was impressed by his sense of humor and ability to problem-solve. His personable approach made it easy to look at our company through a critical lens. Additionally, his experience working with other agencies is a valuable resource. Having heard other companies describe their strengths and weaknesses, Jason could creditably suggest ways to differentiate ourselves in the marketplace.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $30,000 and $50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2013 and our relationship is ongoing.

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

Before working with SHERMAN, we were able to engage customers looking for our services, but they weren’t necessarily the audience we wanted to target. As a result of Jason’s efforts, we now receive 20 viable leads per month.

How did SHERMAN perform from a project management standpoint?

We have project managers on our side that help guide the project, so I can’t speak in much detail to SHERMAN’s performance. They meet our expectations when it comes to communicating schedules and producing deliverables. Their work influenced the site’s design and page architecture, but we were never held up. They complete tasks in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a fresh perspective and it’s current. Jason is insightful and looks at things differently than most people. He’s inquisitive and his questions often lead to more questions. I’ve found those qualities useful and different from other firms that communicate in a more direct or transactional way. Jason is humble and guides us to discovering answers ourselves. He comes off as a genuine guy who’s just trying to help us out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Jason’s a professional, but he could work on delegating tasks to his team and letting others lead specific projects.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the academic dean at the American Academy of Art, which offers bachelor’s degrees to students intending to go on to professional art careers. I handle all education-related administrative concerns.

What challenge were you trying to address with SHERMAN?

Our stakeholders like to tell us that we’re the “best-kept secret in Chicago,” so we wanted to raise our profile in order to connect more effectively with prospective students.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle all of our marketing materials, which includes content like write-ups of student activities. We’ve also done a large project that involved creating alumni profiles to draw more attention to the success of our programs. For a project like this, they’ll help us craft narratives for press releases, print media, and TV ads. They also provide strategic consulting about our brand and long-term marketing strategies.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with the president of the organization, but he’ll bring in the rest of his team whenever we need them.

How did you come to work with SHERMAN?

We interviewed a number of different companies. We wanted someone who would serve as a collaborative partner, and we also wanted someone who would be able to ensure consistency in the long term. SHERMAN seemed like the best fit in terms of providing attentive customer support and reliable service.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent somewhere between $100,000–$250,000 since we started working together.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since October 2008 and the relationship is ongoing.

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

Prior to hiring SHERMAN, we went through a strategic planning process that made us realize we needed to raise the profile of our institution and develop a communications plan. We undertook another round of strategic planning this past year and our results indicate that we’ve accomplished our goals for recognizability.

How did SHERMAN perform from a project management standpoint?

The offer very personalized attention to their clients. We communicate by email and over the phone, but that’s always been enough to establish good working relationships. They guide us through every step of each project and they’re always able to help us accomplish our goals. In addition, they know our organization well now, so they understand what sorts of materials we need and they’re very responsive when it comes to delivering projects for our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think the fact that our relationship has endured for ten years speaks to the success of their team. Their customer service is excellent, and they’ve been able to adapt with us as our needs have changed over time. Whether it’s landing a TV spot or writing a piece of content we can take back to our stakeholders, they convey the messages we want and they adhere well to deadlines throughout the process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of DJB Communications Group, a marketing and communications company. We offer strategic planning, web development, research, and facilitation to our clients.

What challenge were you trying to address with SHERMAN?

We had a medical device client who needed to improve their communications efforts. I needed a firm that was well-versed in internal communications and public relations.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated together on this account for about two years. We covered a variety of different subjects in over a dozen projects. They first did an analysis of the company’s public relations efforts and compared their findings to the rest of their industry. Then we developed processes and procedures for public relations and internal communication to build a long-term strategic plan. We assembled several press releases in those two years as well.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Jason (President & Founder, SHERMAN).

How did you come to work with SHERMAN?

A colleague introduced us when we realized we needed a public relations person. We spoke with Jason and really liked his work and his style. I can’t remember if we interviewed other people, but were pleased that Jason had healthcare experience.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first engaged them around February 2015 and our last project was completed at the end of 2017. They are going through some organizational changes, so we’re not sure if their plans include us in 2018.

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

Our client was slow to accept recommendations and were very selective about the information they were willing to share with the press. Jason convinced the client to take some of our recommendations and allow us to execute them. Even though he was a bit hobbled by the client, he did an excellent job. All the work he did helped their coverage.

How did SHERMAN perform from a project management standpoint?

The first three months were a little challenging as we got to know each other. They were great with follow up and quickly ramped up their game to beat their own deadlines and surpass expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not a typical PR firm. They really take the time to understand the situation and learn as much as they can. They genuinely care about the clients and the team and always have the best intentions. The quality of their work is flawless and they pay incredible attention to detail. They’re relentless in finding good placements and constantly push the client to make choices that benefit them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. The beginning of the process was a learning process as we got the team together, but they did a good job overall.