TrizCom PR

Please give me a brief description of your company.

My company is 1st Service Solutions. We are a full service, commercial real estate advisory firm. 1st Service Solutions works strictly on behalf of commercial real estate owners (never lenders). We provide advice and solutions for anything ranging from the addition or removal of collateral on an existing commercial mortgage-backed security [CMBS] performing loan to the most complex loan restructure for all loan types.

What is your role at the company?

I am the founder and chief executive officer [CEO].

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached TrizCom PR?

We simply needed more exposure and press for our firm.

Can you tell me about the scope of the project?

We didn’t undertake our relationship with TrizCom PR as a “project” but rather as a partner. TrizCom’s major focus was on press releases and media placement. They also helped with verbiage on our own social media and e-blast campaigns. 

What was your process for selecting TrizCom PR to work with?

They were referred to us by another firm.

Can you give us a sense of the size of the project in financial terms or personnel work hours?

The fee for their service was around $5,000 a month.

When was the project completed?

We have worked with TrizCom PR for a year now, and we are viewing this as a partnership rather than a project with an end date. 

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

TrizCom PR always delivered everything they promised! During the one year I worked with TrizCom PR, we definitely had more media coverage. I am not sure how it ultimately translated into new business, but the exposure was definitely enhanced. We were featured in publications that I supplied to TrizCom PR for our industry. All in all, they performed excellently.

When working with them, was there anything unique or special about them?

The attribute I appreciated the most was the way they immediately became part of our team. Their view was always based on the big picture for our firm and they spent a lot of time making sure they understood our business.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

As part of the engagement process, TrizCom PR required us to hire an external company. We paid them over $12,000 initially for a branding exercise. This exercise was not productive and was definitely not worth the expense. If I had to recommend something to do differently, it would be to hire TrizCom PR but save the expense of the exercise. 

Please describe your organization.

We are a full-service precious metals firm that specializes in wholesale trading, refining, and storage domestically and internationally.

What is your position?

I'm the director of sales and marketing.

What business challenge were you trying to address with TrizCom PR?

We were looking for help in gaining greater awareness of our company within the industry, positioning us as experts in the field and, as a result, growing the business.

Please describe the nature of their work for you.

TrizCom PR just handled our public relations. Their job was to help promote our brand.

How did you come to work with TrizCom PR?

They were referred to us by our advertising agency. We met with them because of the quality of the referral and made the decision at that meeting to try them out. 

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We have a contract with TrizCom PR for around $60,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them about four years ago, and the work is ongoing.

Could you share any statistics, metrics, or other feedback from this engagement?

We've been extremely pleased with the visibility TrizCom PR has helped us achieve. We've been positioned in The Wall Street Journal, the Market Watch online and the Financial Times, all of which are part of our target audience. As a result of TrizCom's efforts, we received calls from reporters seeking information on the market, which we did not get prior to working with them.

What distinguishes TrizCom PR from other providers?

Their understanding of our business is very beneficial, but most importantly it's their overall will to succeed. They have one person there who is a real PR pit-bull. The guy just does not give up. He loves to take a story, get it pitched, and get it picked up. They're just great to work with. They're very flexible and intuitive. I just really like working with them.

Is there anything TrizCom PR could have improved or done differently?

I can't think of a single one. Any problems we have had are on my end, not on theirs.

Please describe your organization.

We're a social media software company located in Texas.

What is your position?

I'm the CEO.

What business challenge were you trying to address with TrizCom PR?

We needed to promote our brand.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The work was exclusively PR. We were looking to be placed into publications

How did you come to work with TrizCom PR?

We were introduced by mutual friends. We did not consider any other agencies at the time.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It's about $9,000 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the relationship in February 2013, and we are currently working with them.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It was exclusively PR. We've been in AdWeek, Dallas CEO magazine, and The Wall Street Journal Digital, as well as various other publications. I would say TrizCom PR performed in the top quartile.

What distinguishes TrizCom PR from other providers?

They're very hard working and they're as strategic as they could be.

Is there anything TrizCom PR could have improved or done differently?

No.