Areas of Expertise

In today’s business environment, we know that communications programs need to go beyond the boundaries of traditional public and investor relations firms. By integrating knowledge and experience from a variety of career disciplines and industry sectors, we are able to continually develop our skills to keep pace with a company’s evolving needs and deliver measurable results that can make a meaningful difference to their business.

Our areas of expertise are arranged in four distinct, yet complementary categories of “C” activity: Capital Markets, Corporate Communications, C-Suite Consulting and Connection Marketing and Management.

Capital Markets

Our team brings a wealth of insight from the leading financial centers in the US and globally. Whether supporting initial public offerings; mergers and acquisitions; spin-offs or demergers; bankruptcies and restructurings; or quarterly earnings outreach and support, Capital C Partners has the experience and market knowledge to guide companies. We do so with a sure and steady hand, steering and managing effective communications with the investment community.

The well-documented contraction of the sell-side community, coupled with the ever-increasing demands on the buy-side’s time and attention, means that the ability to deliver a compelling message on target has never been more important. Whether raising funds, marketing a transaction, communicating fund performance to Limited Partners or reporting quarterly earnings, today’s communications programs need to take into account a myriad of constituencies - shareholders, bondholders, employees, customers, suppliers and regulatory agencies. We understand that these key influencers all have a role to play and that they do not reside in tightly compartmentalized, easy-to-manage groups. Our integrated approach ensures a nuanced yet consistent approach to all relevant audiences.

Working with banks, insurers, consultants, investment managers, private equity investors, hedge funds, accountants, law firms and government agencies, we have a deep understanding of the markets and the issues facing the financial services sector in particular. The Capital C team can create highly effective communications programs to help manage the complexities of operating within the investment community, whether as a listed or would-be listed entity, a service-provider or an investor. Our capital markets capabilities include:

• Earnings counsel and support
• IPO and follow-on offerings
• Transaction support (M&A and spin-offs)
• Equity and debt offerings
• Restructuring and reorganization
• Management changes
• Investor targeting, marketing
• Market research and intelligence

Corporate Communications

The team at Capital C Partners has developed highly successful corporate communications programs for a diverse range of companies across a broad spectrum of industries. From early stage growth to Fortune 500 companies, we work with executives to identify their company’s key strengths, vulnerabilities, unique points of differentiation and brand relevance. This is used as a basis for developing integrated corporate communications programs that target and engage with the key audiences who have the most impact on their business success.

The environments in which companies and organizations operate, and therefore communicate, have changed dramatically over the past few years and it is critical that communications strategies continually evolve to ‘converse’ in this new environment. The emergence, and now mainstream acceptance, of digital and social media has significantly increased the speed at which stories, both good and bad, can reach key audiences making it ever more challenging to ensure one’s position is heard clearly and accurately represented.

Given that not all audiences are equal and sources and levels of influence are shifting constantly, we deliver customized programs focused on measurable outcomes. Specifically aligned with a company’s business goals our corporate communications programs are integrated with our other offerings, as well as a company’s other communications activities, and typically draw upon one or more of the following disciplines, according to a client’s particular needs:

• Corporate, Financial and Trade Media Relations
• Thought Leadership
• Strategic Positioning
• Reputation Management and CSR programs
• Crisis Communications
• Brand Management
• Internal communications
• Social Media and Digital Strategies

C-Suite Consulting

Even the most effective leaders - those with the right blend of vision, execution and results - can undermine their success if they don’t make communications and engaging stakeholders a priority. We have worked extensively with senior executives to improve their effectiveness as leaders by helping them win the support and loyalty of key constituencies. They must be able to articulate their goals and visions, and convince people to work together to achieve those goals - the ability to exert influence rather than rely solely on authority is a must.

Senior executives want specific training and counseling programs to help enhance and refine their leadership and communication skills. Our assignments have ranged from specific one-off projects to prepare for a new role or in advance of critical events to longer-term, ongoing development programs. Everyone at Capital C Partners has worked extensively with senior executives from a broad range of industries in developing their skills through a variety of means. Our C-suite offerings include:

• Board relations
• Leadership alignment
• Employee engagement
• Executive visibility/thought leadership
• Media and presentation training
• Executive coaching

Connection Marketing and Management

In today’s light-speed, socially networked world, with the ubiquity of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the ability to make connections has never been easier. However, it is also clear that the ability to create and manage relationships has never been more complex, nor more vital for the success of businesses and organizations.

At Capital C Partners we’re a partial subscriber to that old adage “it’s not what you know it’s who you know”. Having something interesting or intelligent to impart is obviously important, but getting access to the appropriate person to listen at the right time is key to the success of any endeavor - be it raising finance, finding a business partner, identifying an acquisition target or making a sale.

While communications is at the very heart of Capital C’s offering, we believe that column inches or analyst coverage alone are not always the appropriate indicator of success. Drawing on our collective extensive network of US and international relationships across multiple media and a wide variety of industries, coupled with a deep understanding of the new media and business environment, we make productive connections with key influencers, wherever companies may need them. These activities can be undertaken on a discrete project basis or as part of an integrated communications program, but the focus of all our Connection Marketing and Management activities is to ‘move the needle’ on a company’s business. Our Connection Management and Marketing offering includes the following:

• Influencer mapping
• Potential partner research and introductions
• C-level introductions
• Senior candidate referrals
• Advisor ‘beauty parades’
• Industry speaking engagements and panel events
• Capital introductions