We have expertise in several areas of written and spoken communications, including:

 

Providing High-level Strategic Advice – What is the best way to handle various audiences, be they the media, government, staff, shareholders, unions, competitors, industry bodies? First Communications prides itself on working through the mire and coming up with strong, common sense and practical solutions to even the trickiest of conundrums.

 

Issues and Crisis Management – For all the positives in business, there are also the inevitable pitfalls. First Communications is used to diplomatically handling sensitive and potentially damaging problems –such as the release of your annual results, a takeover bid, a product recall or downsizing – which threaten to undermine your reputation and/or your business.

 

Writing and/or distributing news releases to be disseminated to the print and electronic media. This also means preparing targeted media databases so that you can be assured the right journalists receive your information. Often preparatory and follow-up phone calls to individual journalists are required. We offer this liaison and can also arrange News Conferences, should that be your preferred method of approaching the media.

 

Developing written and display material including brochures, flyers, speeches, newsletters, annual reports, position papers, strategic plans, company profiles, backgrounders and display panels to help you project a positive image and to send the right messages to your various audiences.

 

Turning technical writing into plain language so that it is readily understood by all readers. The writing could take the form of brochures, letters or proposals.

 

Acting as media spokesperson for companies, businesses or associations on an ongoing basis or in times of crisis, regardless of the issues. We maintain a positive, caring face on behalf of the organisations we represent, ensuring the media receives key messages in a timely and appropriate fashion.

 

Publicity and promotions for specific events, products and services, which involves creating and orchestrating campaigns to help reach your target audiences, thereby building awareness and/or generating a sense of expectation.

 

Constructing PR plans – First Communications is adept at preparing full public relations plans, which will address all your communications needs. The beauty of this approach is that it ensures we take a careful and critical look at your entire business before identifying and addressing any communication gaps that may exist.

 

Facilitating meetings, conferences, seminars and events to help generate ideas, initiatives and strategies that will form the basis of growth and development for your organisation, industry group, company or enterprise.

 

Monitoring of all media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet) for stories on particular subjects of interest to you e.g. finance, business, IT, health, the environment, sport, the arts etc. We provide you with transcripts, sound bites and/or video material, depending upon your requirements.

 

Training your management and executives to tackle media interviews with greater confidence and to become better and stronger presenters or public speakers through our specialised day and two-day communications training courses (one-on-one training is also available). Our trainers are highly experienced media performers and public speakers who set out to maximise individual potential, minimise the nerves and take away the guesswork.

 

Conducting targeted and carefully tailored effective business writing and media release writing workshops, thereby strengthening the output of your organisation in reaching all audiences.

 

Political and general lobbying to create and foster worthwhile and sustained links with government, industry and community groups and thereby increase awareness of your organisation, its intellectual property and talent base.

 

Sponsorship Negotiation – developing worthwhile and cost-effective community, sport and arts-based sponsorships, which will project a positive image for your company or organisation and, at the same time, bring kudos and recognition.

 

Market research – providing direction and focus following the analysis of the findings of quantitative and qualitative studies, specifically designed to gain insight into an organisation, its services and/or its products.

 

Creating digital brochures, a new, timely and cost-effective way of informing clients about your products and/or services and of increasing your bottom line. This unique offering – which involves electronic page turns rather than scrolling (which is the traditional form of scanning a web site or working your way through an emailed document) – combines text and brilliant graphics and can be emailed and subsequently printed by the recipients.

 

Assisting you on specific pitches, bids, tenders and proposals to maximise your chances of success by working on the content, style, quality and approach of your written, verbal and visual presentations. This includes advice on getting the most out of your team, the best words to use, enhancing your presentation technique, even tips on what to wear.

 

Instituting public information programs to help raise your company's profile or to focus on an issue/s, which can involve the creation of display, written and audio/visual material and finding appropriate avenues/outlets through which to get your message across.

 

Event Management is another integral part of our business. Should your company or organisation be celebrating an important anniversary, entertaining clients or breaking new ground, you may wish to host a special function. We take away the worry by carefully selecting an appropriate venue and arranging everything from the catering to the style of function, from invitations to photography, from the lectern and dais to the audio visual needs.

 

Conducting business forums to help raise and maintain the profile of your company or organisation. This includes procuring guest speakers on relevant issues and helping to formulate the topic for discussion/debate, organising the venue, audio-visual requirements and catering, preparing invitations, a running sheet, speech notes and take-home material.

 

Preparing the content for Internet sites. This entails mapping out a proposed site, in much the same way as an architect prepares plans, laying the foundations and then building the structure. Included is all written, audio and visual material, such as photographs, videotapes and sound bites.

 

Producing corporate DVDs, CDs and audio files to assist in positioning your business as a market leader with a keen understanding of the needs of your clientele.

 

Generating Telephone Messages On Hold in the form of CDs or audio tapes. This involves creating information-based and marketing text, providing the voice and music for and orchestrating the production of a series of succinct but important messages to retain your callers on the line while your receptionist is engaged on other calls.

 

Devising and implementing advertising strategies, including writing, producing and arranging placement of television, radio, newspaper and magazine ads and negotiating "good value" advertising and advertorial packages/rates with media outlets.

 

Graphic design and printing – from logos, corporate identities, web sites and interactive presentations to annual reports, brochures, newsletters and display panels, First Communications is skilled at handling your total requirements. Beginning with the instigation of ideas and the development of designs, we see these through to effective delivery of the final product in a form that will maximise its impact, value and appeal.