What We Do
STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS PLANNING
An effective communications strategy is essential to any major corporation, not-for-profit organization, and every level of government. LBMG believes the first step in successfully communicating with the public is developing a plan for getting your message out. Your message is your theme – with an objective. At LBMG we capture your ideas in a way that can be understood and accepted by others. We have the expertise to produce a communications strategy that is distinctive, pro-active and reflective of your corporate culture and values, and that supports and drives your goals and initiatives.
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MEDIA RELATIONS STRATEGY & EXECUTION
Perhaps our greatest strength as an organization is our ability to synthesize complex communications issues and develop creative, strategic media approaches that meet our clients’ goals and secure placement of key messages.
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EVENT MARKETING & MANAGEMENT
The team at LBMG brings a vast amount of experience in marketing over 200 events throughout Western Canada. Our work with clients such as Feld Entertainment's Disney on Ice brand, The Vancouver International Auto Show, Vancouver Motorcycle Show, EPIC The Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo, West Coast Women’s Show, and the Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair illustrates our integrated approach to getting the message out and driving the right kind of event traffic.
LBMG brings a journalistic, story-driven approach to each project, combining media relations and marketing into an advertising strategy. Our goal in marketing events – drive attendance. We are proud of our track record of increasing attendance year-over-year in over 85% of the events we have worked on since 2000.
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MEDIA CENTRE DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT FOR LARGE SCALE EVENTS
LBMG has built a strong reputation as one of the country’s leading on-the-ground agencies for generating and handling media on site at major national and international events. We’ve had the privilege to work on some of the largest events in the country, running some of the most heavily utilized, sustainable, and technologically advanced media centres in Canada.
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MEDIA BUYING & PROMOTION DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION
LBMG has extensive experience integrating media plans with brand strategies and campaigns. For many of our event clients LBMG is the brand strategy designer, media buyer, promotions developer, as well as provider of strategic media relations services. It is our goal to integrate the media plan and brand strategy so closely together that the two work in complete tandem to promote the client or event. In fact, we find this approach extremely cost efficient, resulting in a decrease in the amount of advertising dollars required.
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STRATEGIC ADVICE & COUNSEL
LBMG is proud to provide strategic advice and counsel to the majority of its clients. We act as special advisor during many of our campaigns, quite often using our wide range of experience to provide valuable guidance to communications staff and management within organizations and companies.
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VITAL RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS
LBMG works with a number of organizations which thrive on partnerships and strategic relations, including The GLOBE Foundation, Vancouver Economic Development Commission, Forest Products Association of Canada, Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. Our agency has considerable expertise in identifying mutually beneficial opportunities to further our clients' goals as well as advise them on forging new partnerships for new opportunities; our Director of Strategic and Corporate Initiatives is a senior executive with more than 15 years of experience dealing with both social and and economic development issues in the B.C. public sector and brings a wealth of intergovernmental knowledge to our respective clients.
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WRITING EDITORIAL BRIEFS AND BY-LINED ARTICLES
Our team at LBMG includes a number of former journalists with extensive writing experience. We know what’s required to get an article in print or online and our staff is fully equipped with the skills to produce written pieces for local, national and international publications.
We have provided written editorial briefs and by-lined articles, as part of our media relations campaigns, to clients including the Forests Products Association of Canada, Canadian Wind Energy Association, and the Pacific National Exhibition.
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MESSAGE AND Q & A DEVELOPMENT
Your messages are the essential element of the media relations campaign LBMG develops specifically for you. Our team works with you to define the messages you want to get across about your company or organization. We build on those messages to develop strong pitches aimed at your key audience.
As part of our commitment to ensuring that your messaging is well-received LBMG staff will design a communications plan that includes pro-active responses to potential hot button issues directed at you from your key audience.
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MEDIA TRAINING BY FORMER JOURNALISTS
Who better to train your staff how to handle situations involving media, than those who’ve worked in media themselves? At LBMG we have former journalists on staff who have worked in some of Canada’s largest newsrooms. Our knowledge of what journalists value and our experience anticipating potential hot button issues make us an asset to any company, organization or government.
In the past we have provided media training for key top executives. We have also assisted the Office of the BC Premier and the Public Affairs Bureau for the Province of BC in presentations and speeches made by the Premier and various government Ministers.
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CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY & SPOKESPERSON SUPPORT
Crises can happen anywhere, at any time, and often occur when they are least expected. When a crisis does occur, events usually unfold rapidly, leaving little time for planning. That is why advance preparation is essential.
At LBMG we have a team of people with the expertise to provide one time crisis management advice, or issues management support over an extended period of time. We are prepared to act as spokesperson for your organization or provide you with the skills you need to address the media in a way that will bring positive, proactive results.
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TARGETED MEDIA DATABASE & MEDIA LIST MANAGEMENT
Through our extensive network of media contacts LBMG maintains accurate, up to date, targeted media lists in the areas of sustainability, automotive, business, arts & entertainment, natural resource management, and energy. LBMG has a proven track record in contacting the media with stories and getting clients’ messages placed in all forms of media, locally, regionally and abroad.
We have secured high-profile coverage for our clients with the Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun, the National Post, Canadian Press, the Toronto Star, MacLean’s Magazine, TIME Magazine, the Associated Press, the Today Show, the CBS Early Show, CNN, Fox News and countless local, regional and national print, TV, and radio media outlets.
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NEWS MONITORING & REPORTING
Laura Ballance Media Group Inc. believes strongly in accountability to our clients incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research tools.
The LBMG team’s overall goal is to ensure our clients achieve all business and performance objectives. The team accomplishes this by setting measurable objectives based on clearly defined targets.
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COLLATERAL MATERIAL ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT
The LBMG team has extensive experience in developing content for media outreach and utilization, both within Canada and abroad.
For each of our clients we prepare a suite of collateral material to be used by media, key stakeholders, spokespeople, government agencies and the general public. Those outreach tools include websites, newsletters, stakeholder backgrounders, community mailings and more.
For the media we routinely prepare and coordinate the distribution of local, national and international press materials including: news releases, by-lined articles (for utilization by major media, specialty and industry publications), editorial briefs, pitch decks, video news releases, video b-roll for story support, backgrounders, fast facts sheets, tip sheets, media calendars, media alerts, daily advisories.
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WEBSITE ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Your website acts as a round the clock extension of your organization, interacting with audiences that could have a direct effect on you. At LBMG we believe a well-designed site is key to delivering your message in a positive, pro-active way.
Our staff has experience launching a number of successful websites for clients including The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair – for which we were recognized by the International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions for best website of events under 100,000 in 2007.
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VIDEO PRODUCTION
Our team has extensive experience developing content for media outreach and utilization, both within Canada and abroad. For a number of our clients we have created professional video productions using our network of videographers, editors and producers – who are equipped with the latest video and editing technology.
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