A properly planned and executed media relations strategy can make a huge positive difference for organizations. It can enhance their reputation among key audiences, engender greater shareholder support, advance public policy objectives, and help them attract and retain the best employees.

At Cornerstone, we’re known for our ability to deftly manage complex media situations in both positive circumstances and times of crisis. Our media relations professionals, who include former journalists and corporate communications executives , have delivered major results throughout the country.

Using solid research and analysis, messaging, journalistic skills and close media relationships, we deliver real, measurable business impacts.

Our services include:

• Story proposals & pitch recommendations
• Coverage and placements in magazines, newspaper, television, and radio, as well as blogs, podcasts and other online sources
• National media outreach
• Trade media outreach
• Media kit development
• Media briefings & press conferences
• Media training/support
• Online Forum and comment monitoring
• Reactive online commenting

A wise person once observed, “Every little thing counts in a crisis.” We couldn’t agree more. Anticipating a crisis is critical to every organization; just as important is making sure you have a team in place, with a thorough, carefully thought-out plan at the ready, if and when a crisis strikes. An organization’s reputation often stands or falls based on how it manages a crisis during the first 24 hours. Whether you need information disseminated, or messages closely and carefully managed, Cornerstone Communications has media professionals with strong relationships with local and national media. We’ve been tested under fire; let us put what we’ve learned to work for you.

We hope you never experience a crisis. But if you do, here’s what we can do for you:

• Crisis plan preparation
• Identify organization’s vulnerabilities
• Develop key messages, and potential Q&A
• Assist you to provide timely, consistent flow of information
• Post-situation evaluation
• Continued communication with your key audiences

Cornerstone provides strategic counsel and guidance to help companies and organizations determine the best avenues to gain exposure, develop an ongoing relationship with targeted print, online, radio and broadcast media outlets, enhance public opinion, and build, maintain and defend their hard-earned reputations. We combine best practices with strategic insight to ensure coordinated planning and execution to help you achieve your business goals.

We provide:

• Integrated communications programs
• Message and positioning development
• Issues development
• Q & A Messaging

You don’t have to think very hard to come up with examples of companies whose once sterling reputations were severely blemished by a poorly executed online adventure. Make no mistake: What companies say and do online is having a profound effect on their reputations and brands. More than ever, companies need guidance on how to harness the potentially positive power of social media by building community around an issue or a brand, driving engagement and building strong relationships with all audiences — all in a way that is open, honest and genuine.

From identifying how social media is shaping your industry to helping define your social media strategy, we’ll make the complex online social world an inviting place for you.

We will help you:

• Create a presence across a variety of social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Digg, etc.)
• Manage social media accounts — contributing content, controlling messages, providing regular updates
• Help gain followers/fans across platforms
• Develop and execute contests/special online promotions
• Create and maintain a corporate blog that conveys your key messages

With proactive communications, organizations can build trust with policymakers and the community to help shape the agendas that impact their business climates. Our professionals have decades of experience with local governments and connections to key decision-makers. We have a proven track record of helping our clients build relationships with policymakers quickly and effectively in order to deliver their desired outcomes.

We will work with you and your team to:

• Create strategic communication plans to meet objectives
• Identify local constituents and decision makers
• Determine key messages
• Manage communications, meetings and presentations
• Develop outreach programs for target audiences
• Monitor political climate & anticipate outcomes
• Establish speakers bureaus

Gaining entitlement for new construction — from individual office buildings to entire master-planned residential communities — is an increasingly complex process involving myriad key audiences, including public agencies and private interests. Cornerstone Communications’ principals have many years of experience in helping major landowners secure entitlement for a broad range of projects throughout Southern California.

Our expertise in this area includes:

• Community relations campaigns
• Media relations, including media briefings, media kit preparation, and media training
• Governmental relations

Successful internal communications is not just about telling people things. Employees need – and want – to be engaged in a meaningful conversation about your company’s mission, values and goals… and their roles in helping achieve them. By creating authentic, memorable and interactive communications that make the best use of available resources, employees feel much more connected to their jobs and colleagues, and become natural, effective company ambassadors. Cornerstone Communications is well-versed in helping companies help their employees become more engaged during times of change.

We provide:

• Newsletters
• E-blasts
• Special events
• Employee orientation programs
• Presentations

Communication is all about building relationships with key internal & external stakeholders. A good communications program will establish a positive climate and increase knowledge and understanding, ultimately leading to support. It should also provide opportunity for public feedback and input. Through a variety of outreach activities and communication efforts, Cornerstone will help you achieve goodwill, garner project or organization support, and achieve your objectives.

The following services can be provided:

• Development & implementation Community Relations Plan Identification of key stakeholders
• Conduct outreach activities
• Community and stakeholder event planning
• Preparation and dissemination of communications, including newsletters, direct mail, fact sheets, e-blasts, and social media outreach
• Establishment of speakers bureau

Whether it’s a small media briefing or a large community-wide open house, event planning is all in the details. We provide comprehensive event planning to meet all of your community outreach needs.

The services we provide:

• Preparing comprehensive event plans
• Logistics — site selection, space planning, equipment & AV coordination, catering, security, staffing & volunteers, decorations
• Design & Printing — invitations, programs, posters. display materials, name tags, giveaways, advertisements
• Presentation coordination & agenda development
• Speech writing

Cornerstone Communications offers award-winning writers who can deliver lively, interesting, on-target copy for virtually every type of project you may require.

Our long list of writing services include the following:

• Media materials — news releases, fact sheets, corporate backgrounders, executive bios, media advisories
• Feature stories and opinion pieces
• Letters to the editor
• Case studies
• White papers
• Bylined articles
• Newsletters and direct mailnternal communications
• Speeches, talking points and presentations