With the advent of the permanent news cycle and the explosion in the number of media outlets of every conceivable genre, the demand for news, information, commentary and content has skyrocketed. If your side is not consistently making news in a high profile public policy battle, and defining the parameters of the debate in today's hyper-competitive news environment, the other side undoubtedly will.
Setting the agenda in the news media requires a steady, consistent flow of information and data that corresponds to a campaign's paid media program, that is relevant, and that complements and repeats in different ways and contexts the central message being conveyed to voters, policymakers and opinion leaders.
Founded in 1993, Strategic Media, Inc. and its principal, Gordon Hensley, has offered a specialized range of premium niche communications services for corporate, political, governmental, association and private clients to do precisely that.
The firm's operating premise is that a sustained, across-the-board message offensive is pivotal to achieving a public policy objective, defeating an opponent, maximizing a client’s investment in lobbying, grass roots and paid media, and succeeding in an increasingly competitive, complex and multi-tiered media marketplace.
SMI is a boutique entity long known for the high quality of its collective communications product, strategic counsel and client service. The firm, which often works with other consulting specialists, is customarily retained by large and mid-sized public affairs firms, late-cycle GOP statewide political campaigns, and other existing public affairs enterprises requiring a demonstrable boost in performance and output.
Typically, corporate, campaign and trade association clients seek more extensive expertise in the areas of data-driven strategic message development, the creation and management of integrated multi-platform content, and devising the level and type of news management operations, tactics and programs that can begin to quickly make a difference in competitive output.
Since 1999, health care issues before Congress and state governments has become SMI’s predominant focus. The firm has developed an expertise in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and has been retained by federal and state health care entities specifically to help design, manage and create compelling, effective content for successful communications efforts in Washington, D.C., Louisiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida and elsewhere.
With the growth of various coalitions devoted to impacting federal and state health care legislation, Hensley Health Strategies, LLC was established in 2009 to facilitate vendor management on larger efforts. The focus is optimizing accountability, output and results on behalf of clients.
SMI also takes on other short-term strategic communications projects such as comprehensive audits of corporate and campaign communications functions, and major speeches and op-ed pieces for private parties. Products such as op-eds written on behalf of private clients have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and major metro dailies across the nation.
Please call 703/739-4000 to discuss a particular project or public affairs concern, or to seek a referral regarding other media and public affairs needs such as polling and research. You will always receive an honest and frank assessment of your project's needs, goals and cost estimates.