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SGP Digital

From an August, 2011 Press Release...

StevensGouldPincus, consulting firm to Public Relations agency owners and mergers/acquisitions facilitators, has announced the launch of its newest communications firm, SGP Digital.

According to Art Stevens, co-managing partner of SGP, the new firm will focus on digital, interactive and social media communications services. “We are finding that the need for firms which specialize in the new digital age are in high demand and warrant a totally separate focus from our traditional services.” Stevens said.

SGP is partnering with its investment banking affiliate, GT Securities, Inc. (GTS).  GTS’ parent corporation, Growthink, Inc., is one of the leading integrated strategy consulting, investment banking, and venture firms in the US.  Growthink focuses on rapidly emerging industries, such as digital media, technology-based marketing and advertising, the Internet, and related sectors. 

Troy Centazzo, the Engagement Partner at Growthink who specializes in digital and social media, stated, “I applaud SGP’s focus on digital media. SGP is second to none because of its sector experience, wide network of industry contacts, and overall expertise.”

The SGP Digital Survey

A recent survey conducted by SGP makes it clear that corporate clients are demanding greater expertise in new media.  “Public Relations agencies are devoting more training to these new areas and a whole new industry of inventive, creative firms has been launched during the past five years to address the rapidly changing technological and digital marketing services marketplace,” Stevens said. 

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Contrary to conventional wisdom, the least important reason PR agencies use social media is for media relations purposes.  The function ranked last among the top five reasons, according to the first PR agency “flash poll” by StevensGouldPincus, the national PR management consultants and mergers and acquisitions specialists.  

In rank order, the most important reasons cited in the SGP poll were:

·Build corporate brand – 77.5% 

·Dialogue with customers – 58.8% 

·Enhance reputation – 46.1% 

·Sell products – 42.2% 

·Gain online press coverage – 30.4%  

Far less important reasons included 1) solve crises – 8.8%; 2) communicate with employees – 4.9%; 3) interact with investors – 2.9%; 4) attract investors – 2.9%; 5) pass legislation – 2.9%; and 6) win elections – 1.9%. 

The 102 respondents to the poll included a cross section of agencies from the SGP U.S. agency database, said Don Bates, senior counselor and SGP social media M&A specialist, who conducted the poll.

“Discovering trends like this is exactly why SGP has launched the flash poll,” said Bates.

“Things move so fast in public relations, especially in the social media realm, that we have to move more quickly to keep up with what is happening. More important, we need to give the agencies we assist a more timely fix on how to use their money, staff and resources more strategically in dealing with change.” 

StevensGouldPincus has conducted industry wide surveys of PR agency trends and issues since its founding in 2003.  Included is its annual agency Best Practices Benchmarking study, launched in 1989 by SGP founding partner Rick Gould, CPA, J.D. 

SGP also focuses on agency management, profitability and growth. 

We didn’t develop SGP Digital because we are Social Media experts. Far from it. We don’t know how to develop a social media application and never will.

On the other hand, if you are a great social media / Internet marketing developer, chances are the last thing that you’re interested in is the “business part” of your business. Most likely you don’t really even know what your business is worth.

We do.

The purpose of SGP Digital is to value and develop the business part of your business on pace with the products and services you create. Having SGP Digital on your business side lets you be you, lets you do what you do best, and lets you get paid what you’re worth!

Wherever you’re at in your digital marketing business we can help you. Please feel free to contact any one of our senior partners directly for a free and confidential discussion.