Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
Over the last three years, Carbon Robotics’ groundbreaking developments have captured the attention of customers and top-tier media. The company, a leader in AI-powered robotics, is addressing the agricultural industry’s biggest challenges, inducing labor shortages and the cost and availability of herbicides. Most recently, CNN featured Carbon Robotics on a segment about how automation is supporting the evolving labor market and BBC highlighted how technology, including Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder, is disrupting the future of weeding.
Since we began working with the company in early 2021, the Carbon Robotics team has continued innovating at a rapid pace.
In 2021, we supported the announcement of the Autonomous LaserWeeder. A year later, the company announced a re-design of its LaserWeeder with higher performance. In 2023, we are supporting Carbon Robotics’ latest innovation, LaserThinning, a new capability added to its AI-powered LaserWeeder.
LaserThinning is the first innovation in the industry that targets areas where vegetable crops are purposefully overseeded and then thinned for optimal growth and yield. LaserThinning is valuable to farmers growing direct-seeded leafy green and cole crops—such as lettuces and broccoli.
In addition to LaserThinning, the company released several other product and software updates, including prioritized seed line weeding, speed optimization and crop models across more than 40 crops.
When planning the LaserThinning announcement, we knew there was an opportunity to highlight the impressive results that Carbon Robotics achieved since the product’s launch. These included helping growers reduce their annual weed control costs by up to 80% and selling LaserWeeders to growers across 17 states in the U.S. and three provinces in Canada.
Finally, we worked with Carbon Robotics to time the LaserThinning announcement with the World Ag Expo, one of the industry’s largest events. We engaged media ahead of the Expo, arranging interviews over the phone and scheduling in-person meetings at the conference. The LaserThinning announcement was a great way to entice media to visit Carbon Robotics’ booth, see the LaserWeeder in person and meet with executives to learn more.
Since the announcement was specific to growers’ needs, we targeted agriculture reporters, securing multiple broadcast interviews, as well as phone and in-person briefings.
Below is some of the coverage secured through this announcement. Congratulations Carbon Robotics!
- Carbon Robotics Unveils Autonomous Crop Control Laser—IOT World Today
- 3 hi-tech tools that are helping solve perplexing labor puzzles—The Packer
- Robots and automation at the World Ag Expo 2023—The Robot Report
- Top 5 Organic News to Help You Grow—Organic Produce Network
- Carbon Robotics adds LaserThinning capability to its LaserWeeder—Robotics and Automation
In PR, subject matter experts are invaluable when developing content for bylines, speaking opportunities and other messaging purposes. Interviewing a subject matter expert gives PR professionals a unique perspective that will ensure they are meeting their clients’ goals.
However, interviewing a subject matter expert is no simple task. If not done correctly, PR professionals may be left with unanswered questions, inconsistent messaging and an incomplete picture of the subject. It’s essential to follow these best practices to ensure your next subject matter expert interview goes smoothly:
- Identify and understand the subject: Determine what you need to learn from the subject matter expert, then research the subject to get a baseline understanding before the interview. For example, if you want to learn more about AI in the accounting industry, research current statistics and news on the subject so you’re familiar with what’s happening in the industry. This baseline knowledge helps you draft better interview questions and ask informed follow-up questions during the interview.
- Determine the right subject matter expert: This is critical. Once you’ve determined the subject of your interview, find the right person to speak with. This requires some background research. Take a look at job titles and previous experience to determine who may have a strong understanding of the subject. You could also see who has already been interviewed or written content on the subject.
- Share your questions before the interview: Sending your questions to the subject matter expert before the interview gives them time to prepare their responses. This preparation often yields more detailed and thoughtful answers.
- Define your goals and audience: At the start of every call, always define what you are trying to learn and how this will play into your larger plans. Are you writing a byline that requires specific knowledge? Are you drafting a speaking nomination on behalf of the subject matter expert? The subject matter expert should understand the call’s main goal. In addition, identify the target audiences. Will the byline run in an accounting magazine? Will the discussion aid the development of content for a company’s social media platform? Identifying the audience helps the subject matter expert tailor their responses to a specific audience’s needs.
- Ask follow-up and clarifying questions: Listen attentively, so you know what follow-up and clarifying questions to ask. Sometimes, a subject matter expert may not go into enough depth, and you’ll need to ask additional questions to get a full answer. Without this skill, you risk not having answers to all your questions, which can hurt your content.
- Record the interview: With the permission of the subject matter expert, record the interview so you can refer to it when developing content. A recording helps you develop accurate content without needing to ask the subject matter expert unnecessary follow-up questions after the interview due to incomplete notes or spotty memory.
- Check-in with the subject matter expert: As you end the interview, it’s a good idea to ask the subject matter expert if there is anything that wasn’t discussed that should be on the record. This gives the subject matter expert a moment to reflect on the conversation and fill in any holes or discuss something that wasn’t asked, helping to ensure the conversation is well-rounded and that everything on the subject is covered.
These best practices can help you make the most of your time with the subject matter expert and become an expert yourself. Before your next interview, consider implementing these steps for a smooth and constructive conversation that will help you develop content.
Recently, I heard an advertisement for a medication with a memorable-yet-grating name. The marketers might have chosen it for its uplifting connotations, but to me the name felt immature, juvenile and lacking in sophistication. It led me to reflect on the art and science that is naming, and how a name can impact a brand’s identity and success.
Brand names can be words or acronyms. They can come from actual words or can be completely made up. Names can be descriptive and evocative, or not. Each option has strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right name for your company, product or service can be the difference between a strong connection with consumers or a slow fade into obscurity.
In this post, I’ll delve into each type of name and unpack considerations for selecting a memorable and effective brand name, a name that stands out from the competition.
- Brands using actual words: Think about brands like Apple, Sprint, Target and Twitter. Their names are common words used in everyday conversation and writing. They weren’t created specifically for a particular brand or product. The advantages of these kinds of names are straightforward—they’re easy to remember, easy to pronounce and have positive connotations. The downside, though, is that they can be overly generic and may be hard to trademark.
- Brands with made-up words: Consider Kodak or Google. Made-up brand names often create a unique and memorable brand identity. They are also more easily trademarked. However, made-up words can be challenging to remember and pronounce, have negative connotations and lack meaning. According to Britannica, Google comes from the word googol, a mathematical term for the number represented by one followed by 100 zeros. The founders selected it because it was short, memorable, and easy to spell. It was a perfect reflection of the company’s mission to organize vast information on the internet.
- Descriptive brand names: These are names that describe what a product or service does. Brands like Best Buy, EasyJet, Softsoap, QuickBooks and Whole Foods fall into this category. Often the people who select these names want to immediately convey what the brand stands for and directly describe the product or service. However, this type of naming convention may be too generic, making it difficult for the brand to stand out from its competitors. A descriptive name may also make expanding into new markets or offerings challenging.
- Evocative brand names: Evocative names create a feeling, mood or image in the consumer’s mind. They’re often abstract, poetic or imaginative. They aim to evoke a specific emotional response in the consumer, such as happiness, excitement or sophistication. For instance, Amazon and Apple evoke different emotions and images. The name Amazon is often associated with the world’s largest and most powerful river, suggesting vastness, energy and limitless potential for growth and expansion. It also creates a sense of adventure and exoticism, harkening back to the ancient Amazon warriors and their association with strength, bravery and fierce independence.
- Apple may evoke feelings of simplicity, warmth and wholesomeness. It may create a sense of playfulness and innocence, a connection to the natural world.
- There are potential drawbacks. The name might confuse consumers about the product or service. Additionally, an evocative name can be difficult to trademark, as it may be challenging to prove that it has a distinct and unique meaning.
- Acronyms: These are names formed from the first letters of a series of words, such as NASA, OPEC or HNTB. They can be easy to remember, catchy and convey a professional or technical image. The downside is they can be challenging to pronounce and may not have any inherent meaning.
- Hybrid names: These combine elements of different names to create a unique and memorable brand identity. Consider Netflix (a combination of “internet” and “flicks”), Instagram (a combination of “instant camera” and “telegram”) and Microsoft (a combination of “microcomputer” and “software”). Hybrid names must create a memorable and distinctive brand identity that clearly communicates what the brand offers. (These are a personal favorite.)
- Location-based names: These names create a connection to a specific place or region. They can evoke positive associations, such as Beverly Hills Polo Club, a fashion brand that specializes in clothing, accessories, and fragrances, or The Texas Roadhouse, a chain of casual dining restaurants that serves steaks, ribs, chicken and burgers. Like the descriptive name, a location-based name can limit your brand’s growth if it doesn’t appeal outside of the region or convey a clear sense of what the brand offers.
- Person names: These are based on a figure, such as Ford or Johnson & Johnson. The names often convey a personal or human touch and can be easily remembered. The challenge, though is person names may not have any inherent connection to the product or service, can be difficult to trademark and may limit the brand’s growth or scope.
I hope this is helpful the next time you’re naming something, whether it’s a new product, company or even a beloved pet. If you have a favorite brand name, I’d love to hear what it is and why you like it!
When it comes to best practices, social media can be tricky to navigate, especially when the platform is used predominantly for networking in a professional environment like LinkedIn.
Specifically, it can be hard for users to decipher what content to share, when to share it, who to engage with, and how to represent their best professional selves.
Below I have outlined engagement, content and reposting dos and don’ts for LinkedIn.
Engagement & Interaction with Others
- Do: Engage with your following. Follow your company, colleagues and the partners you would like to engage with on LinkedIn. Like, comment or repost other accounts’ content when the post is relevant to you, your work or your industry.
- Don’t: Like or comment on content from spam accounts or accounts posting inaccurate information. LinkedIn displays your engagement of likes and comments on your profile; anyone can access your history of likes, comments and reposts. You do not want to be associated with the wrong type of content.
Content Creation
- Do: Create content with a conversational yet professional tone. Keep posts concise. If possible, aim for 25 words to avoid the “See More” button so viewers can read the entirety of your content. Shorten URLs with tools like Bitly. Do add visual content such as graphics to drive engagement. Do include hashtags and tag relevant individuals or companies. Posts with one to three hashtags earn the most engagement.
- Don’t: Use slang or acronyms you do not fully understand, because if you are unsure, your audience will be unsure of the intended message as well. Do not be too salesy – constantly pushing your product or service will seem unauthentic. Avoid posting outside of regular work hours. LinkedIn is most active during the regular work week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Reposting or Re-Sharing Other’s Content
- Do: Your background research. Make sure the content you are reposting is from a reputable account, and read any articles that may be linked to the post. Your audience will associate your reposted content with you. When reposting articles, be sure to add your own commentary to the repost to make the post unique. Your commentary can include adding your perspective, a summary or hashtags. When appropriate, it can be a good idea to tag authors or other people mentioned in the original post. Do repost a variety of content from different, relevant accounts, and do have a variety of original posts and reposts. Try a 3:1 ratio with three reposts for every original post.
- Don’t: Only repost content without adding a description or caption. Your audience may not understand why you are reposting the content. Do not repost content that many people from your organization have already shared. This can be repetitive content to your following. Make sure the reposts do not consume your LinkedIn feed.
Leveraging your LinkedIn for professional purposes does not need to be overly complicated. By keeping these dos and don’ts in mind, you can build your personal brand, support your company and increase your engagement with your network.
Customer experience is a priority for companies more than ever before, with many brands shifting their primary presence online rather than in brick-and-mortar stores. Think about companies such as Asos, Girlfriend Collective and Everlane, which have built strong online presences and offer the majority of their products and services through these channels.
As the competition among brands intensifies in the online space, companies need to find ways to attract and keep customers. One way to do this is by considering how the experience (CX) and public relations (PR) teams can work together.
By collaborating, these teams can create a positive customer experience and build customer loyalty and trust, ultimately helping the company to achieve its business goals. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and improving the overall experience, companies can differentiate themselves from their competitors and increase their chances of success online.
In addition, by leveraging customer experience insights PR pros can tailor their communications and marketing plans to focus on customer voices and stories. Below are three other reasons why CX and PR should collaborate.
CX and PR Both Impact Reputation
According to Brianna Langley Henderson from Waste Connections, who wrote an article for CMSWire, companies need both public relations strategies and a focus on delivering high-quality customer experiences, especially during times of crisis, to enhance their brand awareness and reputation.
In today’s connected world, where information is readily available and quickly spread, managing a company’s reputation has become even more crucial. Negative publicity, whether justified or not, can spread rapidly and have long-lasting effects.
On the other hand, a positive reputation can contribute to increased trust and credibility, helping companies establish a competitive advantage and drive business growth. If CX and PR teams work together more closely, people may be able to spot potential issues before they become a bigger problem.
Both Teams Have Valuable Data to Share
CX and PR teams often both have important information and knowledge to share. Victoria Zambito, Vector Solutions with Forbes, reminds people to get out of their silos and communicate with each other because “the customer experience is not the sole responsibility of any single person, team or department; it is a universal value within your organization.”
In addition, as companies collect more data from a variety of sources, like customer engagement from social media campaigns or user experience data at online checkout, they’ll want to share that information broadly throughout the enterprise for improved decision making.
Both Can Play a Role in Shaping Brand Messages
A brand message is the central idea or message that a company wants to convey to its target audience through its marketing and communication efforts. It encapsulates the unique value proposition, tone of voice, and personality of the brand, and serves as a guide for all internal and external communications.
The brand message should be consistent across all touchpoints and channels, from advertising to customer service interactions, to reinforce the brand identity and create a memorable experience for customers. The brand message should also reflect the company’s mission, values, and personality, and be relevant and appealing to its target audience.
As brand messages evolve, PR and CX will each have unique insight. PR teams will likely understand the media and influencer landscape and their current perceptions of the brand, whereas CX may have direct access to customer feedback, the customer journey, insight into pain points and preferences. Both perspectives are important when considering brand evolution.
As companies focus on building a strong online presence, customer experience and public relations remain vital functions for most companies. By working together, CX and PR teams can leverage valuable data to improve customer satisfaction and create a consistent, positive experience. This collaboration can help companies differentiate themselves from their competitors and achieve their business goals, making it a priority for brands that prioritize the customer experience.
Today, there are a plethora of tools that an organization may use to communicate with employees. These include email, company intranet, video conferencing solutions like Zoom, instant messaging platforms like Slack or Microsoft teams and more.
Creating an internal communications strategy, including guidelines for how to use tools, can benefit communicators in their efforts to share information with employees effectively. A strategy will help deliver important information to employees in a timely and effective manner, which can improve collaboration, enhance employee engagement and drive better business outcomes.
When putting together a strategy for internal comms, it’s important to keep these key points in mind:
- Outline objectives and goals. When creating a strategy, it’s critical to define what you want to achieve. Do you want to improve employee engagement? Streamline communication? Foster a more collaborative work environment? All the above? Once you know your objectives, you can then plan accordingly.
- Develop your plan. Clearly outline the steps necessary to implement the strategy, including defining a timeline and milestones and determining the resources and budget necessary to execute the plan. Additionally, consider who your stakeholders are, such as leadership, HR or communicators involved in internal messaging. Identifying stakeholders early on will ensure that everyone involved understands their role and can effectively contribute to the success of the plan.
- Define roles and responsibilities. Assign communicators, such as internal communication, PR or marketing teams, or other team members with specific roles and responsibilities, including administrators, content creators and/or project managers. Designating team roles from the beginning can help drive success and better communication. For example, a company intranet is a key tool for sharing company updates, business performance, leadership changes and more. Having a defined intranet team will ensure that they coordinate to gather and share information quickly and accurately.
- Consider the advantages and disadvantages of communication platforms. Think about how tools integrate with your company activities, such as team meetings, town halls, employee and team recognition programs and other business-related activities. Another consideration is the message itself. Is it relevant to all employees or a select few? Is the platform’s format (video, email, etc.) the right fit for the message’s intent? Timeliness is also crucial. Messages should be sent at the appropriate time, considering time zones and working hours, so some messages may be better via email than instant messaging platforms.
- Develop content creation guidelines. To implement your strategy successfully, it’s important to ensure all employees are aware of the processes and standards. Develop guidelines for employees that include the following: purpose and goals for the channel, best practices and etiquette for publishing content, the content approval process, and the platform’s owners and their role. Establishing clear content creation guidelines, accessible on the platform, can effectively communicate expectations and foster engagement.
- Provide training to employees. Consider training employees on how to use the company’s communication tools to their benefit. This can promote familiarity with a tool’s purpose and reduce discomfort and increase knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Measure effectiveness. Evaluate the impact of your communications activities on your organization and employees and adjust your internal comms strategy and processes as needed.
Having a well-defined internal communications strategy can be a game-changer for companies. Companies can more effectively get their message across to employees, helping people feel more engaged, self-sufficient and satisfied. It all adds up to be a more productive and connected workplace, leading to improved overall outcomes for the company and its employees.