Power in Partnership

The strategies and tools corporate communicators need to gain awareness, support, and brand affinity, have radically changed. Sadly, the traditional PR agency model hasn’t been able to keep up. Weighted down by overhead and investment clients don't want or need, agencies continue to frustrate client partners.  At a critical moment when corporate communications leaders are looking for deep and committed partnership, their agency leads have been beaten down and spread too thin – leaving them little time to think beyond the immediate.

Unhappy with this scenario, many corporate communications leaders are cutting agency budgets and leaning on freelancers as a faster and more efficient way to meet immediate needs. While this meets a short-term need, the relationship is transactional, the free-lancer is only rewarded for the immediate deliverable and therefore not incented to invest in the relationship.

IT'S TIME TO STAND UNITED

This moment demands a new social compact between agency and client – shared investment for a greater shared impact AND radical transparency built for mutual benefit.

We believe there’s a better solution, where the sum is greater than its parts – delivering the efficiency of a freelance model with a deeper commitment to long-range mutual success. 

First Person United is designed to provide the efficiencies of the freelance model with the deeper commitment and investment that big agencies used to provide.

HOW IT WORKS

United members share in the investment of the business as well as the profits of the long-term success. Beyond being compensated for immediate work we are building a model where our members are invested and incented to each client’s longer-term success through quarterly and annual business reviews and planning sessions that measure both short-term and long-term metrix. 

Clients that engage with First Person United are also a part of a new shared compact –agreeing to a year-long partnership where beyond covering the core cost of the program, the profits of a successful program are held until the end of the year and only paid to the team when everyone agrees we’ve been successful and built longer-term value. Both United members and client partner are incented to do great work day-to-day because they are investing in the partnership and committed to the longer-term success of the business.

WHY IT WORKS

Radical transparency around compensation and shared rewards for growth and success cuts to the heart of what’s broken in the traditional agency model -- fostering an environment where team members can focus on doing great work rather than fearing for their job. We are clear up front on what’s being held back as the profits of the partnership (for both our members and our client partners). The end result is a deeper relationship and better work built toward long-term success.

Where the traditional agency model wears down and overburdens account teams, United members are respected, valued and rewarded for their commitment to the success of clients – an environment that encourages both clients and members to think beyond the immediate tasks and adapt to change in real time.

UNITED IN  A SHARED SUCCESS

Because of the profound change impacting the communications industry, old constructs and traditional operating models inhibit the ability to reimagine what is needed. Purpose built and carrying minimal overhead, this united approach provides the efficiencies and cost-savings of freelance, while fostering a deeper commitment to long-term client success.

Clear and measurable success metrics are established collectively by clients and the United team team at the beginning of the partnership during a joint-onboarding meeting. These metrics are reviewed and adjusted on a quarterly basis as part of a progress and planning session.

Clients are asked to grade each program element and work stream. The focus and scope of the client services rebate is determined at the end of the third quarter of the contract, with implementation in the final quarter of the contract year.