Tag: communications

Joseph Grano Blog

6 Tips for Marketing in the Post-Pandemic World

Here we are—a whole year since the pandemic began to pick up speed in the U.S.  Lockdowns and working from home became the new norm while businesses learned how to adapt in a fast-changing world. 

In the blink of an eye, many marketing professionals were forced to revisit their strategies.  Marketing isn’t just about selling a product. It’s about creating an experience and many of these consumer experiences were disrupted. Though things looked bleak a year ago, businesses can still thrive if they apply what’s been learned about the changing world and consumer needs. So, after a year of COVID, what have we learned regarding marketing? What is still relevant and what needs to change? Here are six tips for marketing in the post-pandemic world.

1. Keep up with Social Media

Social media has always been part of the marketing conversation. But this past year has proven that it’s here to stay. Social usage has increased dramatically and new users continue to grow. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram became crucial in communication and social interaction since in-person meetings became nonexistent. Having a business presence on social media is essential in B2B and B2C opportunities and is key to spreading awareness and promoting your product or service.

2. Show Empathy

The approach to messaging has undergone a substantial shift due to flashbulb events and cultural changes in 2020. To remain relevant and show respect regardless of background, financial status or circumstance, show empathy within your messaging and promotions strategy. Use encouraging messages on social, offer your support in local community outreach programs or sponsor events like food banks. Many people are looking for a helping hand which provides an important opportunity for any business to lend a helping hand, and as a by-product, potentially gain community exposure and establish a strong customer-company bond. Establishing programs that give back to the community and getting employees involved has been proven to increase office morale and drive employee advocacy.

3. Invest in SEO

Digital marketing is heavily reliant on an efficient SEO strategy. Major corporations are investing more in search engine optimization, with the average consumer shopping more online. Digital channels are becoming more and more crowded, fueling greater website competition.  Small businesses especially need to invest in SEO to stand out from the noise and traffic of their larger competitors. Creating engaging, concise content is key to encouraging engagement and driving more clicks to your website.

4. Professional PR Practices

When it comes to PR in a post-pandemic world, showing high ethics and professional morals needs to be an intricate part of all communications. Also, be sensitive about your content.  Some have lost their jobs and loved ones. Always be researching the current state of your community and stay relevant.  Virtual meetings will also continue to be an option for years to come. Without a face-to-face set up, keeping the media’s attention can be difficult.  Instead, bring your story to light through social media, e-commerce platforms, your website, add the press release as a blog or share your own content on as many platforms as possible.

5. Innovative Content

To survive change on a worldwide scale, you need to be an innovator. Innovation arises from need and needs have certainly changed within the past year. Consumer expectations were already on the rise before Covid-19 and now they expect experiences to be even more personalized. This is where creative and innovative content is key. Create a fast and convenient user experience. What kind of visual journey will keep users engaged and want to learn more?

6. Create Experiences

Marketers need to be storytellers. What journey will the consumer embark on leading to closing a sale or onboarding a new client? The customer journey has been disrupted in many industries this past year, requiring new and creative ways to engage customers primarily online. Run exclusive deals and offers that get people interested by issuing exclusive coupon codes. Use Facebook and Google ads to broaden your reach across the country with strong and eye-catching creative showcasing your product or service. Reach out to existing customers and run referral offers where people receive discounts for each person they refer to you. The creative ideas businesses can think of to interact with their customers and create memorable experiences are endless.

For those up to the challenge, the coming years will be bright. Most people run from change, but change is truly inevitable, especially in the marketing world.  Those with the willingness to learn, grow and adapt will come out on top and prove to be more resilient than they ever thought possible.  The post-pandemic world will be what we choose to make it, so let’s make it great.

Joseph Grano Blog

Three Reasons Why Your Marketing & PR Needs an Integrated Approach

Three Reasons Why Your Marketing & PR Needs an Integrated Approach

PR has quickly become an essential component to any business’s marketing strategy – Here’s why an integrated and proactive plan delivers better results

The craft of public relations or PR has always been considered an ambiguous term by those outside the industry. A quick Google Trends search confirms this, as many of the top trending searches around PR include phrases like “what is,” “definition” and other similar terms. Those unfamiliar with the inner-workings of PR might hear the word and imagine celebrity crisis management campaigns or wordy press releases.

Individuals more familiar with the inner-workings of PR, like business leaders and seasoned marketers, know the value of strong communications strategies but may not be aware of the recent shift top agencies have made towards a new model. This new model called integrated PR or integrated communications is more efficient and leads to greater long-term success.

But first, what is PR?

The Public Relations Society of America qualifies the term as “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

PR professionals are communicators and storytellers. They work with brands or companies to portray them in a positive light through various communications tactics, which help build trust with their audience and communities. This exercise accelerates brand awareness and, if done effectively, can help form positive, meaningful ties, which drive engagement and business success.

Isn’t that the same end goal as a marketing campaign?

PR practitioners and marketers share common ground – spreading awareness, engaging consumers, and driving performance; however, historically, these two entities have worked separately, relying on different tactics. This holds true for most agencies, as well as across companies of all sizes. Unfortunately, this approach leaves a lot to be desired, as an integrated approach often yields more significant success.

Why an integrated approach is the “future of PR”

Creating a strong, unified brand is top of mind for leading businesses. This is only possible through consistent messaging and design. Having a unique brand voice that speaks to your audience is crucial.

With this in mind, imagine the issues created when marketing professionals, designers and PR practitioners work independently with no coordination. This is why an integrated approach to PR is best.

1. Seamless Experience For Your Audience

Having an integrated PR plan means key communications and marketing components are aligned and their messaging is consistent across all channels. With media pitches, digital ads, social media posts, and other strongly linked elements, the message is clear and compelling. This builds credibility and brand authority while creating a seamless experience for audience members.

2. Shared Resources Make Your Campaigns More Effective

The classic saying “content is king” is more relevant than ever. Creating a stream of compelling content is a never-ending battle for marketers and PR pros alike, which is why shared resources can help ease the burden on individual teams and improve success. For example, your marketing team discovered that your company’s workforce leads its industry in diversity. It has designed an infographic that explains this and will be sharing it on social media. While this would undoubtedly draw positive engagement from followers, it could have been used alongside a press release announcing this success if shared with the company’s PR team. On the other hand, press releases being created by a company’s communications team have the added versatility to be converted into blog posts, newsletter content and social media announcements.

3. Navigating Pay For Play Opportunities

While many media outlets still have a strong separation of editorial and sales teams, there has been a significant shift of late that has increased the likelihood of your next press pitch being met with an invoice. Pay-for-play media opportunities are often a major roadblock for PR professionals tasked with generating organic media coverage. Because most PR agencies operate on retainer and do not budget for marketing “buys” they generally are only left with the option to decline and move on. With integrated marketing plans in place, there’s greater efficiency in allocating advertising into these kinds of opportunities as they occur. Moreover, the relationships marketers often form with media outlet sales personnel can typically be leveraged to garner organic news coverage with an integrated team.

There are countless reasons to integrate your communications and marketing teams. It is even more critical to have open communication lines between your business’s marketing and PR arms if relying on an agency or multiple agency partners. Better yet, having a unified, cohesive team under one roof can bring even greater efficiency to your business, drive higher engagement among key audiences and most importantly, enhance the bottom line.

Next-mark was created by the belief that exceptional branding, marketing and public relations should be aligned. Our in-house team of talented creatives, data-driven marketing experts and passionate PR professionals work in unison to accomplish client directives and exceed their individual goals. Curious how an integrated communications and marketing plan can help your business? Contact us today. 

Joseph Grano Blog

Strategic marketing through community relations

It’s no secret that the success of most companies is influenced heavily by its connection, communication and trust with its community. Whether a group is connected through physical location or through digital mediums, successful community relations can enact change, boost employee accountability and engagement, lead to positive publicity and even increase revenue. Here are a few tips for developing a successful relationship with your organization’s target audience:

Be genuine

Can you imagine Philip Morris sponsoring a walk to end lung cancer? Of course not. While most cases aren’t as clear as this example, you do need to find charities or organizations that align with your company’s core values. In an ideal world, your employees should be involved in any outreach efforts, so make sure they are able to genuinely recognize and speak naturally about the connection between the business and the cause.

Be consistent

Effective connections with your community are not developed in a day; this takes time. Thus, gain trust through continued effort year after year. In doing so, you’ll also establish a culture of giving within your organization, which can lead to increase employee engagement and retention.

Be transparent

Any decision or issue that impacts the community should be openly communicated. This may take the form of town halls seeking feedback on a decision, events where local members can mingle with company representatives, social media outreach, or any other ways your company can reach out to target audiences. Change is inevitable and crises happen, but you’re sure to garner a more understanding response if you’ve built good will with the community through effective, transparent dialogue.

Community relations is more than simply sponsoring a race or volunteering a leader for a board member position. It’s a sustained and strategic effort that will elevate the company and enact good within the communities it serves. Wondering where to start? Give us a call.

 

Joseph Grano Blog, Homepage Post

4 Questions to Ask Before You Rebrand

Are you considering an image refresh for your company? Rebranding can benefit organizations of all sizes, signifying evolution and intent. Whether you want to change the perception of your brand, attract a new audience or simply increase sales, make sure your efforts are strategic. Although image updates can be time-intensive and costly, if executed correctly your efforts will pay off in the long run. Before you rush into a rebrand, it’s important to ask yourself these questions:

Is your target market changing?

Stagnant sales often lead companies to turn their attention to new audiences, leading to a necessary image refresh. Old Spice is a great example of how rebranding can peak interest in a new demographic. Traditionally seen as a brand for older customers, Old Spice launched a marketing campaign featuring Isaiah Mustafa. The ads were amusing, quippy and somewhat strange — appealing to the humor of a much different generation. As a result, the campaign went viral, sales spiked and younger consumers began reaching for Old Spice.

Have your offerings expanded?

As your company grows, it will undoubtedly begin expanding its offerings to increase revenue. Does your current message and branding reflect this growth? Your image should evolve to demonstrate the company’s focus and inform both new and existing customers.

Does your aesthetic look outdated?

Consider the evolution of design in all aspects of society, from clothing styles to interior design trends. We even have a “color of the year” that inspires designers everywhere, until a new shade kicks it out of the top spot 12 months later. The point? Aesthetics change and your brand can quickly appear outdated if it doesn’t evolve. Consider Taco Bell’s growth from a logo sporting bright colors and exaggerated fonts to a more on-trend, minimal style. The company recognized that their brand was obsolete and opted for a refresh.

Will a rebrand fit into a larger strategic plan?

Rebranding is more than simply changing your logo. Take a critical look at your messaging, website, outreach, buyer persona, brand personality, internal communications strategy and organizational goals. These all have to align with your new visual strategy for a rebrand to be successful. Consistency across mediums and messaging is key!

So before you launch headfirst into a rebrand, do your research. Or better yet, let us do it for you! Give us a call to see if crafting a fresh identity is the right move your company.

  

Joseph Grano Blog

Crisis Communications in the Digital Age

A dependable crisis communications plan is an anchor in a sea of instability. It aligns the response of an organization, provides step-by-step directions, offers essential resources and establishes roles and responsibilities. Recent gaffs that shook the stability of several large companies — from United Airlines’ violent removal of a passenger to Pepsi’s distasteful commercial — have highlighted the significance of a measured, strategic response. While some corporate reactions made the public wince, other organizations adroitly backpedaled with profuse apologies and promises of change. In the digital age, damaging incidences like these are amplified by the pervasive use of online social mediums. Now, traditional geographic barriers aren’t a hindrance to the spread of information and anyone armed with a smart phone can spark a wildfire response online. For communications professionals, time is a luxury we simply don’t have anymore and our ability to act quickly and strategically is paramount. Here are a few ways you can expand your crisis communications plan to ensure your organization uses digital channels to its advantage.

What you have: Key messages that can be tailored to the situation and the organization’s position. Messaging is a standard piece in crisis communications planning, and it gives representatives a foundation for content creation during an incident.

What you should add: An expanded set of content with short, preliminary responses that representatives from your organization can quickly push out online. A swift response, even if it’s simply a reassurance to the public that you’re investigating further and will have an official message soon, can help quell the spread of misinformation. Your organization will also appear proactive in investigating and remedying the situation. These responses should be developed for a number of scenarios, approved by senior leadership and included in your plan. So if an unfortunate circumstance erupts, a representative can make a quick recommendation for an initial response with one of the already-sanctioned messages.

What you have: Instructions for how to remote-access your company intranet portal and other secure documents. These guidelines ensure your communications teams can connect with the resources they need even if they aren’t at their workstations.

What you should add: Directions for posting on your numerous digital channels. A crisis rarely strikes at an “opportune” time when the office is fully staffed and at-the-ready. Don’t get stuck in a situation where you can’t access your online communications tools. In the event your social media and web experts are unavailable, there should be simple but detailed instructions for logging onto the organization’s digital channels and posting content. Make sure you specify the appropriate approval processes and, of course, all usernames and passwords should be stored in a secure space only accessible by a group of authorized users.

What you have: A triage plan for fielding media requests. One of the most crucial elements of a crisis is how the media reacts, and a plan for responding to inquiries from the press in a timely manner is the cornerstone of crisis response.

What you should add: Guidelines for video recording and live streaming on social channels. This strategy will certainly not be applicable for every situation, but outlining the protocols for uploading videos or streaming online should be included in your crisis plan. Consider a situation where your spokesperson is unable to meet with reporters, but needs to connect with audiences through more than a written memo. Employing video is simply another tool you can use to efficiently communicate and successfully control a disruptive situation.

The goals of any crisis communications situation are to ensure safety, manage organizational reputation, communicate effectively and prevent financial loss. In our 24/7 world, an active online presence is one way your organization can quickly respond and navigate through a crisis.