How we engage

Engagement formats describe the shape of work — who is involved, what is produced, how drafts move, and how an assignment ends. We do not publish rate cards or package tiers on this site; commercial terms belong in a written scope agreed with you directly.

Most organisations arrive with a situation rather than a format name. A launch date forces a project shape. A leadership change that will unfold over quarters suits a retainer. A board weighing whether to hire outside help at all often starts with a discovery briefing. We name formats here so procurement teams and communications leads can compare structures — not so you must choose a label before the first conversation.

Every format follows the same working cadence: listen, assess, draft, align, release. What changes is duration, intensity and who from the firm is in the room. Roles, not names: a director sets scope and approves outward-facing language; a senior consultant leads drafting and client sessions; an editorial specialist handles press materials and proofing; an issues lead joins when the subject carries reputational sensitivity.

Hand marking corrections on a printed press draft — Marking draft · revision pass

Discovery briefing

A discovery briefing suits organisations at the start of a conversation — when the question is whether we are the right firm, which practice areas apply, and what a first phase of work might look like. It is bounded and short. You receive a written summary, not a slide deck that disappears when the call ends.

We begin with a single working session, usually at our Keong Saik studio or by video, with the decision-maker and anyone who holds the core facts. We ask what is happening publicly, what is not working, who the audiences are, and what constraints exist (legal, regulatory, timing, internal politics). We read whatever you can share beforehand — prior releases, website copy, news coverage — so the session spends time on judgement rather than dictation.

Within a few working days we send a brief-back document: our understanding of the situation, the practice areas we think apply, a proposed sequence of work following our cadence, open questions that need answers before drafting starts, and a suggested engagement format for the next step. If we are not the right fit, we say so plainly and, where we can, point you toward a better match.

The briefing ends when you have a document you can circulate internally or take to procurement. It does not include draft press materials or media outreach — those belong to a project or retainer scope. Many clients treat the brief-back as the foundation of an internal memo requesting budget.

Project

A project engagement covers a defined piece of work with a clear end — a launch announcement, a leadership transition package, a crisis playbook, a single media programme around news, an executive messaging refresh before an annual general meeting. Scope lists deliverables by name: a press release and Q&A, a stakeholder map, a spokesperson briefing deck, and so on.

Projects run in working sessions and draft cycles. We prefer two or three review rounds with named approvers; open-ended revision without decision-makers in the loop is where quality thins. A typical week includes at least one live session and one written draft for review. Urgent timelines are possible but must be agreed explicitly — compressed review means your team carries more risk on accuracy.

A director stays accountable for scope and sign-off. Day-to-day drafting and client contact sit with a senior consultant. Editorial and issues support join when the subject demands it. We document decisions in writing so a later reader — including your in-house team after handover — can see why a line changed.

Projects end with handover: final files, a short memo describing what was delivered, and optional walk-through with your team. We archive working materials according to the retention period in your contract. Extensions beyond original scope require a written addendum, not verbal scope creep.

Retainer

A retainer suits organisations with steady communications needs — ongoing media relations, regular executive messaging, issues monitoring, internal briefings tied to a rolling news calendar. Instead of scoping each task from zero, we agree a monthly rhythm: standing sessions, a set number of draft cycles, and priority access when something urgent arises.

Retainers are not open-ended hours banks. We define what a month includes in plain language — for example, two working sessions, one press materials cycle, issues monitoring with a weekly written note, and one spokesperson rehearsal. Work outside that frame is discussed before it starts. That discipline keeps the relationship predictable for both sides.

Retainer clients get continuity: the same consultants learn your organisation, your approvers, your landmines. A director reviews quality monthly even when not in every session. We hold a quarterly scope review to adjust priorities — launches, quiet periods, leadership changes — without renegotiating from scratch.

Retainers end on notice agreed in the contract, with handover of files, contact logs, message maps and a transition memo for whoever succeeds us — your in-house team or another firm. We do not hold materials hostage; we do require written confirmation of what may be transferred to third parties.

Fountain pen resting on handwritten notes beside a printed brief — Ink pen · scope notes

Advisory

Advisory engagements suit leaders who need senior judgement without a full draft-production cycle — a second opinion on strategy before a board meeting, a review of materials your in-house team has already written, counsel during a live issue when you have capacity to draft but want a experienced pair of eyes, or periodic check-ins with a communications director who carries the writing load internally.

Advisory work is conversation-heavy and document-light compared with projects. You might receive annotated comments on your drafts, a written memo answering specific questions, or a structured call with follow-up bullet points. We do not silently rewrite your work without instruction; we advise on what we would change and why, and you decide what to implement.

A director-level consultant leads advisory work. Sessions are scheduled in advance except when a retainer or advisory contract includes priority access for urgent issues. Advisory does not replace approver discipline on your side — we comment; you remain accountable for what goes out under your name.

Advisory ends when the agreed questions are answered or the live issue stabilises. Some clients move from advisory into a project once the direction is clear; others stay in advisory for years. Both patterns work when scope stays explicit.

What we need from you

A decision-maker available for the opening session and for approval when language goes external. Access to the people who hold facts — finance, legal, product, operations — without intermediaries who paraphrase incorrectly. Honest constraints: timing, sensitivities, internal disagreements we should draft around rather than paper over. Materials in editable form where they exist; photographs and data we can verify. A single communications lead on your side who convenes reviewers and returns consolidated feedback, so drafts do not chase six separate email threads.

Working session at a table with natural light from a shophouse window — Working session · client side

What we do not do

We do not buy advertising space or paid placement; we prepare the narrative and materials your team or media agency uses. We do not speak to journalists on the record as your spokesperson unless explicitly agreed in scope and briefing. We do not guarantee coverage, rankings, sentiment scores or commercial outcomes — public attention depends on factors no firm controls.

Microphone on a desk beside printed briefing notes — Microphone · boundaries of scope

Practical questions about formats and starting points are answered on our queries page. To begin, see locate for address, hours, and what makes a first email useful.

Keong Saik · Tanjong Pagar