Royal Oak DDA Proposal DRAFT 4 26 19

Public Relations and Marketing Communications Services for the City of Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Submitted by Marx Layne & Company April 30, 2019

OVERVIEW

Downtown Royal Oak, within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), is the place to shop, dine, play and reside. The DDA has been very successful in attracting high-rise, multi-family housing as it continues to draw people to this safe, clean, friendly city. The Royal Oak DDA has a thriving culture, a walkable downtown and many positive attributes that are appealing to young professionals to baby boomers to seniors who desire a high density, urban lifestyle.

The immediate future represents a strong opportunity for the DDA to continue to progress as one of the most desirable areas in southeast Michigan. Factors like a young generation that is not desirous of the suburban, cul-de-sac residential model, a baby boomer population that wishes a pedestrian friendly environment, the benefits of high density vs. one home per acre zoning, and the affordability of living and doing business in Royal Oak all contribute to the positive momentum that has been generated since the Royal Oak DDA took a comprehensive approach to business and residential retention and attraction.

Recently, however, organized opposition to the DDA and specifically the new public parking system, threatens to derail the public’s perception of Royal Oak as a thriving destination location. A proactive, aggressive media and community relations campaign must be conceptualized and implemented, extolling the virtues of Royal Oak while concurrently addressing negative rumors and misinformation about the city. While shoppers, diners and residents crave an urban atmosphere that density offers, they equally demand the convenience of immediately accessible parking.

The evolution of the retail and restaurant segment in downtown Royal Oak has morphed over the years as the city has attracted high-rise residential. Many existing DDA businesses began when Royal Oak had abundant surface parking and became accustomed to that. The city’s new parking system must repetitively, aggressively and proactively communicated in Royal Oak’s print and online materials, the news media and on social media.

The Royal Oak DDA is a living, breathing organism. In order to continue healthy growth, all aspects must work in tandem – multi-family housing, retail, restaurants/entertainment, office and parking. The DDA has taken positive, aggressive steps to manage its growth from a Main Street type of environment to a higher density urban center.

In light of the above scenarios, how does the Royal Oak DDA position its numerous amenities in a way to significantly increase pedestrian traffic weekdays, continue to attract and retain specialty retail/restaurants, as well as other commercial and office entities – solidifying Downtown Royal Oak as the place to be – and, in light of recent negative press, continue to attract both buyers and developers?

Marx Layne & Company brings a unique combination of deep urban planning, development, restaurant, retail, multi-family and municipal experience to the Royal Oak DDA. We believe we would be highly effective in helping to craft Royal Oak’s key messages to both internal and external audiences, including existing and prospective businesses, area residents, existing and prospective patrons and the news media.

Importantly, Marx Layne has the skill set to effectively interact with business entities within the DDA who are disenchanted with the current parking situation and need effective dialogue to find creative solutions.

Marx Layne & Company believes in personalized service, accessibility and accountability. Importantly, we respect the correlation between dollars spent by the Royal Oak DDA and results.

In developing and implementing a communications plan for the Royal Oak DDA, our initiatives will focus on business retention and attraction and will tie together the advertising, special events, media relations, social media, promotions and other campaigns conducted by the DDA so that they all speak with a unified, cohesive theme – each campaign designed to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time in the most cost-effective manner.

Marx Layne & Company has drafted the following plan that would serve as a framework for our communication efforts on your behalf.

OBJECTIVES

Based on your RFP document, Marx Layne & Company believes the Royal Oak DDA’s communications priorities to be the following:

• Create key messages about the DDA and the city’s investment in the parking program, including its convenience, availability and ease of use

• Assist the DDA with messaging for management, stakeholders and other supporters

• Educate targeted audiences, providing logical, not emotional information, to create a favorable impression of the DDA and specifically the new parking system

• Seek the support of prominent business owners and residents

• Create favorable awareness, through a media and community relations campaign, about the DDA’s offerings and parking program

• Deliver ongoing and timely information to all key stakeholders

• Gain and convey an increased awareness of the DDA, showing its relevance, business and consumer friendly environment and commitment to a convenient, accessible parking experience

• Overcome the stigma about the parking structures

• Overcome the reputation among existing and prospective retailers and restauranteurs that there is a parking shortage in Royal Oak

• Increase foot traffic in the DDA on non-weekend peak periods

• Attract and retain businesses that give the DDA its unique character

KEY AUDIENCES

Your key audiences have been identified as the following and we would devise strategies to reach the following constituencies:

• Residents • Millennials who patronize downtown bars and restaurants • Seniors who have difficulty navigating the new parking system • Regional visitors to Royal Oak • Existing and potential business owners • Potential developers • Community opinion leaders • Targeted print, broadcast and online media

KEY STAKEHOLDERS You have identified your key stakeholders to be the following and we will devise strategies to reach and engage the following constituencies:

• The Royal Oak Restaurant Association • The Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce • The City Administration of Royal Oak • The Royal Oak Farmers Market • The Royal Oak Music Theatre • Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle • Stagecrafters Theatre • The Royal Oak Retail Association • The Royal Oak Commission for the Arts

INITIAL STEPS

As we begin working together, our first steps in developing a tailored communications campaign would include the following:

• Identify those businesses most displeased and impacted by the changing parking situation and determine ways to work together to find win/win solutions

• Initiate and lead a fact-finding program to identify opportunities, priorities and the desired positioning and image of the DDA

• Serve as the facilitator in strategizing with key management to identify and develop messaging

• Finalize key messages and talking points for use by DDA spokespeople

• Identify DDA spokesperson(s) and provide media training prior to interviews;

• Develop and initiate a timetable that details and prioritizes all components of the communications plan, thereby navigating the action steps for meeting the DDA’s objectives.

PLAN OF ACTION

• Create a comprehensive position paper that unemotionally and logically details the benefits of the new DDA parking system. We would include among the benefits ease of use, affordability and convenience

• Establish the litany for the DDA and parking system with a detailed question and answer document. This Q&A would anticipate all questions asked by reporters and constituents and provide answers in keeping with the established key messages

• Coordinate a comprehensive media/message training session for DDA spokesperson(s).

This session will focus on effective methods for responding to difficult or confrontational questioning from reporters or the general public. Additionally, this session will assist the spokespersons in reiterating the predetermined litany, even in difficult situations

• Create a myth vs. fact document. This could take the form of newsletters, direct mail pieces, videos or e-blasts.

• Work with the DDA to identify the most vocal and dissatisfied business owners and meet with them one-on-one

• Work with the DDA to determine which business owners are supportive of the new parking system and enlist their support in the communications campaign

• Work with the identified supportive city key stakeholders and engage their assistance in a proactive social media and media relations campaign

• Seek to facilitate and organize a meeting of real estate brokers representing commercial properties in the DDA and create a coordinated approach to business attraction

• Research and draft copy to keep business owners and residents informed on parking and DDA updates during regularly scheduled correspondence and through the news media

• Consider the creation and implementation of a Royal Oak DDA parking app

• Serve as an intermediary between the DDA and the media on an ongoing basis

SITUATION ANALYSIS

In the past several years, Royal Oak has seen significant progress in terms of the attraction and development of high-rise multi-family housing within the DDA and as a result the city has been able to attract and retain convenience retail such as coffee houses, fast casual establishments and specialty restaurants. A challenge facing the DDA is the fact Friday and Saturday evenings tend to generate the greatest demand for public parking in the city.

In the past, Royal Oak was served by convenient street parking or surface parking adjacent to restaurants, retail and other businesses.

As the density of Downtown Royal Oak has built up, much of the convenience and availability of surface parking has diminished and the city has invested in public parking for ease of use and accessibility.

The Royal Oak DDA and other popular downtowns have seen increasing competition from downtown Detroit in the last three to five years as a specialty retail/entertainment destination. However, if you were to compare the cost and accessibility of public parking between the two cities, Royal Oak would be much cheaper and more user friendly.

The Royal Oak DDA has tremendous assets, including:

• A built-in consumer base with existing high-rise residential, office as well as the surrounding community, all within walking distance of the DDA

• Establishing itself as a desirable place to live, work and entertain in Southeast Michigan

The challenges and opportunities we see for the Royal Oak DDA

• Business owners must know that they customers can have easily accessible, affordable parking

• There has been negative news coverage about the very public and vocal departure of businesses who have left the DDA (e.g. Andiamo, Bean & Leaf Café) claiming parking was the cause of their departure. The DDA must dispel the perception that Royal Oak is not business friendly and parking is not problematic during restaurants’ highest revenue producing evenings of Friday and Saturday.

• On Friday and Saturday nights, the city’s restaurants busiest evenings, parking is at a premium. Clearly, there is a big discrepancy in the ease and accessibility of parking in the DDA on a Tuesday evening versus a Saturday evening.

• In terms of business attraction, the DDA must erase the perception that Royal Oak is not business friendly and parking is unavailable to potential customers

• Position the Royal Oak DDA as a premier location for Next Gen retailers like Warby Parker, Bonobos, Parachute, Casper, Indochino, UNTUCKit, BaubleBar and other clicks-to-bricks brands

• For parking issues, the DDA must address these audiences:

• Existing business owners who were used to having abundant surface parking behind or adjacent to their businesses and now feel their parking has been fringed upon by developers. As the city continues to grow, they need to be convinced that Royal Oak is properly managing the parking volume

• Consumers need to know they can come to the DDA and get a convenient parking space

• Prospective retailers need to know they can open a brick and mortar location and their customers will be able to park

• Parking key messages/observations

• The cost of parking in Royal Oak is reasonable

• At high traffic hours, only 75 cents per hour is much cheaper than downtown Detroit, as well as the $5 flat fee after 5pm

• Royal Oak is opening a brand-new parking structure with 565 spaces in June 2019

• Royal Oak opened a new parking garage on Center Street in 2018 which is never at full capacity

• Need to proactively and effectively communicate the improvements made to Royal Oak’s parking system

• The subject of parking is a highly inflammatory topic, and must be communicated differently to irate business owners compared to prospective retailers and developers

• Website copy on parking needs to be reworked, as does the parking map which is cumbersome and not user friendly

• Consider the creation of a Royal Oak DDA parking app

MEDIA RELATIONS

Marx Layne will implement and launch a proactive media relations campaign to create awareness for the DDA and parking program among journalists and editors in the newsgathering process. We will focus on garnering positive coverage through targeted media outlets (both online and traditional) and specific reporters.

• Write, distribute and post news releases announcing new retailers to the DDA

• Write, distribute and post a news release announcing the opening of the new parking structure in June

• Maintain a constant flow of positive articles on new, expanding businesses to the DDA

• Seek to arrange one-on-one or editorial board meetings with editors and reporters of newspapers important to the DDA, such as The Oakland Press, Daily Tribune, Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News.

In these meetings, we would present information and statistics about the DDA and parking system to garner the publication’s support and correct past misinformation

• Draft and submit guest editorials extolling the positive attributes of the DDA and parking program and seek publication in daily and weekly publications

• Write letters to the editor on behalf of key stakeholders, such as supportive business owners or residents, and seek to have published in local and regional publications

SOCIAL MEDIA

Digital trends and tools emerge and evolve rapidly. However, the underlying behavior that technology facilitates is not all that different from the behaviors that came before it. Social media relies entirely on the people that harness the digital platforms. At Marx Layne, we have a foundational understanding of people: their networks, their environments, their behaviors and their social norms. Our social media strategy begins with our genuine understanding of area residents, business owners, elected officials, community leaders and media outlets in southeast Michigan. We will align the DDA with its target audiences through content to establish authentic connections, ultimately shifting behavior and allowing the DDA to effectively tell its story and correct parking misconceptions.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram We will assist your internal and external teams in maintaining and updating Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages by: • Drafting, for your approval, posts, tweets, photos and videos for the pages, including links to interesting articles from outside sources, such as newspapers or television newscasts • Organically grow reach and engagement with targeted groups such as business owners, residents, municipal leaders and the media • Develop scalable, repeatable and shareworthy content that appeal to the DDA’s target audiences while keeping the DDA top-of-mind • Connecting with key publications, groups and reporters who cover the city • Creating a cohesive look and text • Pursuing cross promotional opportunities • Posting DDA news releases and placements • Monitoring pages for messages, comments or inquiries and opportunities to respond • Research possible advertising opportunities

ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AND VIDEO

Active Listening and Media Monitoring Online media would be monitored on a regular basis to determine what is being written and said about the DDA and the parking system, as well as to identify potential engagement opportunities. Media to be reviewed include:

• News media websites • Traditional or mainstream websites • Social networks • Social news and bookmarking sites • Independent discussion forums • Blogs • Blogging communities

We are available 24/7 to respond to and monitor crisis situations that take place on social media channels. Working with your internal and external social media team, we will create statements, images, videos and provide support throughout the situation. We will develop quarterly digital recaps detailing engagement, reach, audience demographics, audience psychographics, recommendations and goals to help the DDA and Marx Layne measure the success of our digital efforts.

Research, Analytics and Reporting

Marx Layne utilizes an advanced, sophisticated monitoring system that allows us to monitor media mentions in real time and provide detailed media impact analysis, with metrics such as impressions, sentiment/tone, ad equivalency, social amplification and more. This gives us the ability to set benchmarks for our clients and maximize opportunities to engage with their key audiences.

Further, we measure success in stakeholder involvement and enthusiasm, attraction and retention and overall awareness among DDA stakeholders, business owners, residents and the general public.

Web traffic and social media engagement as a result of media campaigns also can be measured, including an increase in friends and followers, comments and sharing of content.

Videos and YouTube Video content is a very effective tool and is easy to share through a variety of social media channels.

Our agency would work with the DDA to: • Generate outlines of video scripts • Examples could include • Owners of new businesses discussing why they chose to locate in the Royal Oak DDA • Interviews with existing supportive business owners and residents • “On-site” interviews with drivers talking about their positive parking experience • Interviews with seniors who successfully navigated the new parking system • Update videos on the construction progress of the new parking structure • Coordinate all aspects of video production for social media channels and/or accept already made content from the DDA. • Edit video footage to appropriate length and affix logos and contact information • Place on the DDA website and social media channels

Online Content Marx Layne will research and write high quality web content, such as • Blogs • Guest editorials • Article submissions to mainstream media All online content will be written for optimal Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

ABOUT MARX LAYNE

Marx Layne & Company brings value to clients who want to generate top-of-mind awareness among consumers, businesses decision makers, employees, board members, donors, voters, patients, clients, municipal leaders, legislators and other stakeholders.

Established in 1987, Marx Layne is a Detroit area-based, full-service public relations, public affairs and digital media agency successfully serving clients locally, regionally and throughout North America. We have earned a reputation as a valued partner to clients, many who have been with the agency since its inception, including publicly held companies, small to medium-sized private entities and nonprofits.

Our success is attributed to our ability to identify cost effective strategies, beyond traditional paid for advertising, that best help clients generate maximum positive exposure.

We start with message development – making certain our clients’ messaging is clear, concise and resonates with targeted audiences. We then detail our clients’ needs and assist in delivering key messages through a range of traditional and “non-traditional” communications disciplines. In partnership with clients, we design, launch and manage impactful and ongoing dialogues with their key constituents.

The services Marx Layne provides our clients include:

• Message development • Media training • Media relations • News releases and media advisories • Writing and placement of bylined articles or opinion pieces • Community relations • Identity and brand development • Social media management • Video production • Professionally written, designed and executed collateral materials including brochures, newsletters • Website design, programming and updates • Database management • Internal communications • Event Coordination, such as Groundbreakings and Grand Openings • Crisis Management

MARX LAYNE TEAM

Our team that would service the Royal Oak DDA will include a former City Planner, members of the media and an attorney, backed by highly capable account executives and social media strategists - with prior experience in your industry sector.

Michael Layne, President

Michael Layne will be leading the Royal Oak DDA account. His responsibilities will include strategic development, quality control and interfacing with key DDA members and management.

Layne earned a master’s degree in Urban Planning from Wayne State University and worked as a City Planner prior to joining the public relations profession. Layne has utilized his background to provide comprehensive communications services to DDAs and municipalities seeking to reposition their brand image. Working with both government entities and real estate developers, retailers and homebuilders, he has been able to create excitement and economic vibrancy in areas designated for renewed growth.

Layne has experience in organizing Merchant’s Associations, including the very successful West Dearborn organization he helped create. As a City Planner for the city of Detroit, Layne was instrumental in organizing and creating special events for the Eastern Market Business Association. Through these events, he garnered significant publicity and assisted in promoting urban areas under revitalization.

Representing leading restaurants, specialty retailers and multi-family developers, Layne has extensive experience planning and launching integrated marketing campaigns for his clients that include the development and implementation of high-profile media relations campaigns, as well as graphic design, dissemination of brochures, newsletters, direct mail, print ads, website development and electronic marketing campaigns.

Leslie Pardo, Senior Vice President

Leslie Pardo will serve as one of the daily contacts for the Royal Oak DDA account, and will help facilitate the day-to-day implementation of account initiatives.

A senior vice president, Leslie Pardo is a member of the agency management team, supervising employees, providing insight into hiring and training initiatives, and developing tactics to sustain and grow the organization. She has expertise in several industry sectors, including restaurants, retail, hotels, health care, nonprofits, education and professional services. Pardo oversees the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association account, as well as other numerous entertainment clients.

During her 20-year tenure at Marx Layne, Pardo has specialized in executing community programs, media relations, product launches and store openings, adversity communications management and coordinating large-scale events. Prior to joining Marx Layne, Pardo practiced business law. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

Glenn Oswald, Vice President

Glenn Oswald will serve as one of the daily contacts for the Royal Oak DDA account, and will work with Leslie Pardo on the day-to-day implementation of account initiatives.

Focusing heavily on real estate, technology, education and retail clients, Oswald combines his public relations skills with a 20-year career in broadcast media.

Oswald has more than 15 years’ experience serving clients in the municipal and real estate development industry, such as Grand Sakwa, a leading mixed-use developer, Lockwood Companies, a developer of multi-family and affordable senior housing and RHP Properties, the nation’s largest independent owner and operator of manufactured home communities. Oswald’s work includes coordination, execution and securing significant media coverage of high-profile events, such as groundbreakings, grand openings, charitable donations and milestones.

Oswald also has led public affairs campaigns and community relations initiatives for a Fortune 50 retailer, leading to zoning approvals and subsequent store construction.

Prior to joining Marx Layne & Company, Oswald served as the Director of Operations for Metro Networks/Shadow Broadcast Services in Detroit.

Christine Snyder, Senior Account Executive

Christine Snyder will work on the day-to-day implementation of account initiatives. Prior to joining Marx Layne, Christine held 20 years’ experience as a business journalist and corporate communications specialist, which included managing a two-year publishing project for Ford Motor Company. For many years Christine worked as a freelance journalist and corporate communications specialist writing for such publications as Crain’s Detroit Business, The Detroit News, trade publications and providing corporate communications materials for Fortune 500 companies as well as local small businesses. Christine has held staff editorial positions at a community automotive newspaper, a corporate communications firm and at Corporate Detroit magazine. She is a graduate of the Wayne State University School of Journalism.

Josh Jackman, Assistant Account Executive Josh Jackman is responsible for social media and website management for a variety of clients including nonprofits, restaurants, information technology and aviation. Jackman has elevated the online presence of clients utilizing social media, SEO and Google Analytics campaigns. He monitors social media to ensure a brand is secure from negative feedback and misinformation. Jackman’s skills include graphic design, photography and videography, which help boost engagement and online brand presence. Jackman graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business with a bachelor of business administration with a focus on marketing and strategy.

EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK

Marx Layne & Company designed and implemented a complete brand identity and communications package for the East and West Dearborn DDAs. This campaign successfully marketed the development of the Michigan Avenue corridor, and played a vital role in both areas’ resurgence and subsequent status as popular entertainment districts.

Marx Layne coordinated one of the most vibrant merchant associations in the state of Michigan as part of this campaign, with more than 50 Dearborn retailers attending quarterly meetings, the adoption of bylaws and an active committee structure with participation in the areas of arts and entertainment, community reinvestment, marketing and promotion.

Marx Layne & Company designed and produced effective marketing tools for the East and West Dearborn DDAs including a newsletter with the corresponding selling of advertising space, a pocket-sized guide and an annual calendar of events.

Marx Layne served as the liaison between the media and the DDAs.

Marx Layne & Company coordinated the southeast Michigan roll out of the nationwide introduction of McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee. With coffee being an $8.3 billion business, it was important for McDonald’s to establish with customers that it serves a great cup of coffee.

Marx Layne created a one-day outdoor event in a high-traffic area to generate “buzz” and create a “WOW factor” about Premium Roast Coffee. The goals of the event were to secure positive brand positioning in the community, draw significant media attention and provide sampling opportunities for new and existing customers.

To demonstrate McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee is “great anytime, anywhere,” and McDonald’s “goes to great heights to serve a great cup” of coffee, Marx Layne contracted Nikolas and Lijana Wallenda of the legendary tight -rope walking Wallenda family, to take a coffee break while seated on the middle of a high wire suspended 80 feet over Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit.

Media coverage was extensive, totaling more than $950,000 in PR value and nearly 19 million impressions nationwide. Premium Roast Coffee sales spiked the week after the event and continue to grow.

Marx Layne & Company created and implemented a comprehensive media relations campaign surrounding the expansion and subsequent grand opening of the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi. After 30 years in operation, Taubman Centers, Inc., which owns and manages the mall, expanded the retail center by 40 stores, anchored by Nordstrom, and completed the project in late September 2007.

The media relations challenges with this story included the lackluster southeast Michigan economy and a looming state government shutdown. Marx Layne & Company was successful in generating a positive media buzz surrounding the grand opening by focusing on retailers in the expanded Twelve Oaks Mall who were new to Michigan. Additionally, in the days leading up to the grand opening, we coordinated numerous media hard-hat tours of the mall, and arranged editorial meetings for Taubman officials with targeted media outlets, including three Detroit TV stations and the major daily newspapers.

As a result of our strategic media outreach, coverage prior to, and on the grand opening day, was extensive. Several stories had prominent placement in The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Novi News and other community publications. At the grand opening, WJBK-TV FOX 2, WDIV-TV 4 and WXYZ-TV 7 sent on-air talent to Twelve Oaks, with FOX 2 devoting two to three live hits per hour in its four-hour morning news program.

Customer response was equally as positive. Mall officials had anticipated 600 people on the morning of the grand opening. As a result of the extensive media coverage secured by Marx Layne & Company, in combination with a complementary ad campaign, more than 2,500 people showed up when the doors opened.

REFERENCES

• John Hiltz, President OHM Advisors 734-522-6711 [email protected]

• Justin Winslow, President & CEO Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association 800-968-9668 [email protected]

• Robert Gibbs, President Gibbs Planning Group 248-642-4800 [email protected]

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

Effective damage control communications require a public relations firm on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that can develop key messages and produce reliable internal and external communications. At Marx Layne, we know how to work with your legal advisors and are experienced in training key management as spokespersons during crisis situations.

As your public relations agency, Marx Layne would work to properly manage any crisis in order to protect the best interest of the DDA. We are flexible and can quickly shift priorities into “crisis mode,” as situations arise. At Marx Layne, we stand ready to provide crisis communications counsel on an as needed basis.

Marx Layne has dealt with issues such as fires, property damage, product recall, theft, workforce reduction and many other circumstances, including when clients have faced pending litigation.

Our staff has deep bench strength and expertise that includes former news directors who are skilled at managing the media frenzy that occurs immediately after a crisis.

We will devise a crisis communication plan that could include:

• Identification and training of a crisis team, including a media training session with “ambush” interviews that are videotaped and critiqued by our account professionals • Development of crisis plan protocol • Coordination of a comprehensive media list for effective dissemination of information during an adverse situation

MARX LAYNE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROYAL OAK DDA

At Marx Layne & Company, we pride ourselves in the timely and thorough completion of all initiatives. We will work closely with the Royal Oak DDA staff in order to ensure the success of this campaign and your overall satisfaction. We will not begin on any project without the express authorization of the DDA staff. As public relations specialists, we know firsthand the importance of clear communication, and we will bring this understanding to our relationship with the Royal Oak DDA.

Michael Layne will oversee strategy development, Leslie Pardo, Glenn Oswald and Christine Snyder will spearhead planning and execution, and all four will be backed by a capable account and administrative team.

BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS

Public relations programs for our clients are primarily conducted on a retainer basis, with a monthly fee covering an average number of hours. To engage our services, we have drafted the following contract that would allow us to start this engagement.

Upon your signature on this document, we propose a retainer fee for all professional services of $5,250 per month. This retainer fee would cover up to 35 hours of professional time per month. Any professional time above 35 hours per month would be billed at $150 per hour. Our invoices are sent at the beginning of each month, net 30. While our team will make every effort to achieve your priorities, we cannot guarantee tangible results from marketing endeavors.

Professional services fees do not cover out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to mileage (standard IRS rate), travel, long distance telephone calls, postage, photocopies and courier service are billed separately at month’s end.

All production and creative costs, including graphic design, printing, photography, advertising time and space, and related expenses, will be pre-approved, outside of the retainer, and billed to the client at month’s end.

Ownership. Upon the termination of this contact, we shall transfer, assign, and make available to you or your representative all property and materials in our possession or control that belong to you.

We will keep confidential any and all information concerning your business and operation that becomes known to us by reason of the performance of our services as your public relations agency. We will not disclose any such confidential information to any person outside our agency. We will obtain from our employees who, in the performance of services on your behalf, may become privy to any such confidential information, a similar covenant and agreement to keep confidential all such information.

This agreement may be terminated by either party upon 30 days written notice. In the event of such termination, Marx Layne & Company will receive professional fees and other charges covering any work already performed at the time of such notice, providing such work has been previously authorized by the client.

This document is intended to be the full and complete agreement between us. This agreement may be modified only in writing, signed by both parties.

SUMMARY

At Marx Layne & Company, we are not merely “consultants.” Our role is to become a trusted extension of your organization, responsible for taking the lead in the development and implementation of your communications strategies.

If this proposal is in accordance with your expectations, we would appreciate your acknowledging acceptance by signing and returning the enclosed duplicate copy. We look forward to advancing the interests and meeting the needs of the Royal Oak DDA.

Accepted for the Royal Oak DDA

______Signature (date)

Accepted for Marx Layne & Company

______4/30/19 ______Signature (date)