"We translate complex science into terms the non-scientist can understand and relate to."
Chris Atack, Atack Associates

Question of the month: March, 06

How important is it for you to meet your clients face-to-face?
Meeting clients in person is always a pleasure - but it's not necessary. In fact, we have never met many of our best clients face-to-face. Most often, we interact with clients over the Internet and via telephone. It's an efficient, economical and highly effective way to do business! That said, we are always happy to travel to a client's location for meetings, provided that travel time and out-of-pocket expenses are covered.

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Frequently asked questions

Why hire Atack?
Because we can save you time, money and energy! With a combined total of over 60 years in health care and communications, we know the players, the rules, the products and the pitfalls. You don't have to pay us to learn about the health care industry or about how health professionals see issues —- all you pay for is productive time. Because of that, projects go faster and cost less. And, because we are independent, self-pacing workers, you can free up your own time for other work, secure in the knowledge your project is in good hands.

 

When in the project cycle should we contact you?
At the earliest possible moment! By planning ahead, and calling before deadlines are looming, you'll get best value for your money. Why? Because we'll have time to really understand your needs and develop alternative strategies with you.

What kind of briefing do you need?
We always work from a written project brief. The brief is the cornerstone of any project. It provides essential reference points and benchmarks for evaluating progress. If you don't feel comfortable preparing a brief, we will prepare one for you as a preliminary step in the project.

Do you do research?
Research is a major component of health care communications. We are particularly skilled in this area. We can do one-on-one interviews, quantitative research or full-scale, statistically valid studies.

Do you write mainly for health professionals, or for lay people?
Both. We write a wide range of material (articles, newsletters, videos etc.) especially for health care professionals. We also write patient information material, including booklets on medical procedures, background information on various disorders and material for web sites geared to consumers and lay audiences.

Are you comfortable working directly with health care professionals?
It's second nature to us.

How many drafts are required for an average writing job?
Three - at least in an ideal world. Draft one of a writing project should provide the broad outline of the finished piece and give the client an opportunity to comment, add or revise extensively. Draft two should reflect changes and revisions which have emerged from a detailed review of draft one. Draft three, therefore, should require only minor "tweaking" and polishing. If more than three drafts of a piece are required, it's often a sign that the process is not as efficient as it could be.

How fast can you turn a project around?
It depends on the project! We are fast, efficient and very focused. However, we are not “"overnight turnaround" specialists. We do not commit to unrealistic deadlines. This is actually good news for clients, because once we have agreed on a deadline, we meet it. Always.

What are your rates?
You'll find them competitive, because we keep overhead low and work efficiently. We usually quote on complete projects, although some clients prefer us to charge by the hour. Naturally, if we quote a project fee and project parameters change, we reserve the right to requote the project.

How can we get the most for our money when we work with you?

  • Call us as early as possible in the project.
  • Think of us as part of the team, not outside suppliers
  • Prepare a written project brief!

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