What We Do
Our Approach
From developing a comprehensive strategic plan driving all aspects of an organization to cultivating engaging, interactive social media content, our full-service in-house team loves a challenge. No matter the tactic, NST always starts with a strategic foundation. Many times this involves taking clients through our proprietary Compass planning process, which helps uncover the brand positioning framework that becomes the foundation for an integrated communications plan. Other clients turn to NST for the development of organizational strategic plans that live far beyond the marketing department.
Our Services
Public Relations
- Media relations
- Public affairs
- Community relations
- Research
- Message development
- Media training
- Influencer relations
- Stakeholder outreach
Marketing Communications
- Branding
- Integrated marketing
- Content development
- Product launches
- Video production
- Paid media
Strategic Planning
- Mission
- Vision
- Values
- Purpose
- Strategic priorities to achieve the vision
- SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound)
Issues & Crisis Management
- Issues identification
- Issues prioritization and response plans
- Crisis planning
- Crisis simulation and training
- Crisis communications
Digital & Social Media
- Website design
- Website development
- Social media strategy
- Social media management
- Social media and digital advertising
- Blog development
- Company newsletters
- Email marketing campaigns
- Content creation
Creative Development & Design
- Logo development
- Brand identities
- Digital content
- Annual reports
- Flyers
- Brochures
- Product catalogs
- Point of sale displays
- Tradeshow booths
Compass Branding Process
To help organizations develop a meaningful communications, marketing or outreach program, we employ Compass, a proprietary planning process that examines your company’s corporate character (purpose, mission, values, culture), current brand perceptions and desired perceptions before formulating a custom brand positioning and messaging platform. The end result is a clearly identified, relevant and distinct brand platform and detailed communications plan uniquely tailored to reach your goals and drive results. We take this deep dive into your organization because we believe the best creative concepts and communications plans are rooted in strategy.

Strategic Planning Approach
While many partners turn to us for branding and communications planning, others are looking for help thinking through their big-picture organizational strategy, including the development of purpose, mission, vision and areas of focus to achieve their goals. Our strategic planning approach is streamlined, focusing on three main questions: Where are you now as an organization? Where do you want to be as an organization? And, importantly, how do you get there? Our process is designed to be inclusive, involving the right players at the right time and ensuring organizational alignment behind the plan. It also allows for organizational agility within a greater strategic framework.
Client Partners
We’ve worked with some pretty great organizations since opening our doors in 1974.
Below you can find clients who have trusted NST from a variety of industries.
- 1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Fan Fest
- 2-1-1 San Diego
- ACE Parking
- Almond Board of California
- Agricultural Research Institute
- American Red Cross
- AT&T
- Bank of America
- Barton Hill Farms
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization
- British Columbia Blueberry Council
- Bridgepoint Education
- Cal Expo
- California’s 5-A-Day Campaign
- California Association of Food Banks
- California Agriculture Issues Forum
- California Citrus Mutual
- California Citrus Research Board
- California Department of Food & Agriculture
- California Dried Plum Board
- California Dietetic Association
- California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement
- California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
- California Association of Wine Growers
- California Avocado Commission
- California Farm Bureau Federation
- California Rice Commission
- California State Lottery
- California Tomato Commission
- California Walnut Commission
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
- Capstone Advisors
- Carmel Partners
- Center for Produce Safety
- Central California Lettuce Products Co-Op
- Challenged Athletes Foundation
- Chilean Avocados Importers Association
- Chicken of the Sea
- Chicken of the Sea FrozenFoods
- Church Brothers
- City of Carlsbad
- Civic San Diego
- Corporate Directors Forum
- Dairy Council of California
- Davillier Law Group
- Driscoll’s
- DuChateau
- Duda Farm Fresh Foods
- Duncan Family Farms
- E3 Civic High School
- Empress International
- Extreme Sailing Series
- Five Point Capital
- Florida Food and Vegetable Association
- Foley & Lardner
- GAP Legal
- Gourmet Gardens
- Guild Mortgage
- Granite Gold
- Greater San Diego Association of Realtors
- Green Giant Fresh
- Growers Express
- Gordon & Rees
- Hass Avocado Board
- Henry’s Marketplace
- Hilmar Cheese
- Home Start
- HomeAid San Diego
- HopSkipDrive
- Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation
- Hughes Networks Systems
- International Community Foundation
- International Relief Teams
- Junior Achievement
- Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
- LEAD San Diego
- Left Coast Brewing Co.
- LCMS Solutions
- Life Insurance Finance Association
- Life Settlement Solutions
- Lodi Winegrape Commission
- MacroAir
- Marcoa Publishing
- Markon Cooperative
- McDonald’s of Southern California
- Milton’s Craft Bakers
- Museum of Making Music
- National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
- National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
- National Mango Board
- National Watermelon Board
- National Cattleman’s Beef Association
- National Pork Board
- Naturipe Farms
- Northern California Water Association
- Ocean Mist Farms
- Old Town Trolley Tours
- Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association
- Palomar Airport Center
- Palomar Health
- Pandol Brothers
- Paramount Citrus
- Penske Ford
- Pioneer Balloon Company
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- Port of San Diego
- Premier Exhibitions
- Produce Marketing Association
- Produce for Better Health
- Rady Children’s Hospital
- Rancho Simpatica
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego
- Ready Pac
- Sailing Events Association, San Diego
- SpaceBag
- SCORE San Diego
- San Diego Association of Governments
- San Diego County Bar Association
- San Diego County Farm Bureau
- San Diego County Medical Society
- San Diego County Water Authority
- San Diego Convention Center
- San Diego Fleet Week Foundation
- San Diego Foundation
- San Diego Housing Commission
- San Diego Humane Society
- San Diego Music Foundation
- San Diego Public Library Foundation
- San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
- San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation
- San Diego State University
- San Diego Tourism Authority
- San Diego Trolley
- San Diego Unified School District
- San Diego Workforce Partnership
- San Diego Zoo
- Scripps Health
- Senior Community Centers
- Sony Electronics
- Special Olympics of Southern California
- Sunkist Growers
- Sun World International
- SureHarvest
- Super Bowl XXXII
- Super Glue Corporation
- The San Diego Council on Literacy
- The San Diego County Veteran’s Day Parade
- The San Diego Union Tribune
- Tri-City Medical Center
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
- Union Bank
- United Way of San Diego County
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, San Diego
- Veterans Medical Research Foundation
- WD-40 Company
- Westcore Properties
- Western Fair Association
- Western Growers Association
- Wonderful Citrus
- University of Southern California
- Team USA45 Racing