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.
When Instagram was first launched in the fall of 2010, nobody could have predicted its enormous success. Despite its simple concept, Instagram gained a total of 14 million users in its very short lifespan, and was sold to Facebook in April 2012 for $1 billion.
The free app allows users to snap, edit and post pictures from their smart phones in just a matter of seconds. As the app continues to attract new users at a meteoric rate, more and more companies are applying the app in an effort to reach consumers on a new and more personal level. According to an article from PR Daily, “If your brand is in the social media space, Instagram should be a part of your daily vocabulary.”
The top four reasons small businesses are using this service are to:
1) Connect with Customers. Instagram allows small businesses to get to know their customers in a new way. Through “following” their customers or clients, they can discover more about them through the pictures they post. This gives companies the opportunity to discover what customers really think of their brand, and also helps define who their best customers are. With this inside knowledge, a business is able to further target specific groups and make their business more attractive to that specific audience. Companies can use Instagram to inform their customers about new services, products or promotions to keep their customers engaged and build a feeling of brand loyalty.
2) Support Event Marketing. With millions of users, posting a photo of an upcoming event on Instagram is an instant way for a company to spread awareness of any occasion. Whether it’s a contest or a special event, posting an attractive image on Instagram is a sure fire way of enhancing the popularity and knowledge of the event. And the best part about this method of advertising? It doesn’t cost a penny for the company! The more people who “like” this photo, the more publicity it will get on Instagram and the more people will learn about the company.
3) Build Brand Awareness. Humans are naturally more attracted to images than they are to words. Small businesses should take advantage of the Instagram opportunity to tell the story behind their business and help consumers build a relationship with the brand. According to the article Instagram for Business by socialmediasun.com, “Instagram is more than just a photo-taking tool: it’s a story-telling opportunity. You should think of ways that you can take pictures of your product, employees, events or even the office. Take your followers behind the scenes by showing them what goes on at your office or how your product is made.” The more insight a person has on a company, the more connected they likely will feel.
4) Facilitates Share of Social Media. Instagram is an advantageous tool for spreading pictures onto other social media sites related to a particular company. With just the click of a single button, a photo on Instagram can be shared on a company’s Facebook page, Twitter account, and can be a positive visual addition to a company’s webpage. Instagram allows users to choose from a variety of filters that add an artistic and creative touch.
Being aware of the latest technology is crucial to the success of any new business. Instagram is proving to be an excellent new resource for companies to help reach out to their clients and facilitate brand building. To learn more visit www.instagram.com.
Google has a position called the “Chief Happiness Officer,” a title that sounds pretty enticing to me. The man behind the title is Chade-Meng Tan, who was an engineer with Google when it was still a nimble start-up company. Over the years, he has learned a lot about working in a stressful, deadline-driven environment, and he shared some of his stress-management tips with Inc.
Although we aren’t Google engineers here at Communiqué PR, we think Tan’s tips are quite applicable for PR and marketing professionals. Managing projects, client demands and internal responsibilities is quite a feat, and stress is inevitable. However, what differentiates the stars from the rest of the pack is how that stress is dealt with.
It’s common knowledge that consistent, high levels of stress aren’t healthy. It can result in all sorts of problems, from decreased productivity, to bad attitudes, to insomnia, to other serious health problems, like high blood pressure. In a hectic, deadline-driven environment, it is important for PR professionals to learn how to properly manage stress to ensure they are doing what is best for clients and what is best for them.
Tan’s three tips for managing stress are:
- “Learn inner calm.” Tan believes that mindfulness is key to keeping calm. When you’re feeling stressed out, projects are piling up, reporters are calling and you are stuck in meetings all day, he recommends focused breathing and meditation when you can manage it. Regarding inner calm, he says, “The analogy is a deep ocean: The surface is choppy but the bottom is very calm. If you’re able to go deep inside, you can access that calmness and exist in a world where you can be calm and in action at the same time.”
- “Increase emotional resilience.” Tan states that emotions, like stress, result in physical reactions, like chest tightening, nausea and sweating. He recommends acknowledging those feelings and just letting them go, without allowing the symptoms themselves to spiral you farther down the path of stress. Rather than letting the feeling of stress break you down, just let it pass and try to tap into that inner calm. A good way to do this is to take a breather. Tap into whatever activity will calm you down, take a walk, a run or put your headphones in a jam out to your favorite song.
- “Develop the habit of wishing success to others.” It is easy to develop a sense of competition with your peers, but this does not correlate to happiness. Competition adds stress and pressure to your work – instead, you should be pleased for your coworkers’ successes and help them achieve success. This focus on the “greater good” helps you inspire those around you and allows you to celebrate achievements without beating yourself up or feeling resentful.
Even though the environment we work in is much different than life at Google, Tan’s tips for workplace calmness are certainly applicable for just about any industry. Another good resource for stress management is the book “Perfect Breathing” by Don Campbell and Al Lee, the book offers simple tips to relieve stress and anxiety. What are some other ways you manage stress while you are at work?
It’s graduation season, and that means one thing: new job hopefuls searching for their first “real job.” While networking and interviewing skills are important, the first step to almost every position is a resume. In fact, this is the one aspect of job applications that you can totally control. Heading out into the job market this fall myself, I have been paying extra attention to headlines that focus on resumes. A resume shows how you are qualified for a position; it may be the most important one-page document out there. Here are a few tips I have picked up while preparing my own resume for the job hunt.
Keep it simple. As Tony Beshara, author of Unbeatable Résumés (Amacom, 2011), a Dallas-based recruiting and job placement powerhouse and president of Babich & Associates, shared in a recent piece with Forbes: The content should be on a level any high school senior could understand. Language in a resume should be clear, concise, and to the point. 1-2 pages is the absolute maximum length—any extraneous minor details or relevant work experience can be mentioned during an interview.
Eliminate the objective and summary. The use of the “objective” statement at the top of a resume is outdated, says hiring manager Sean McGinnis in his recent post, “20 Resume Tips From a Hiring Manager”. Additionally, forget about the summary as well—stating you’re a driven, hardworking college graduate is not necessary. Save the space for information relevant to the position.
Convert to PDF. In “20 Resume Tips From a Hiring Manager,” Sean McGinnis calls the PDF “a gift to job seekers.” Using a PDF prevents formatting accidents from converting to different versions of Word, which might skew your careful formatting. If you convert to PDF, you can use tables and other formatting tools without running the risk that your creative spin will be ruined by different computer settings.
Upload one document. Instead of separately attaching your cover letter and resume, consider linking them in one document. This will ensure your documents don’t get lost if they become subject to forwarding.
Include achievements instead of responsibilities. This is the most valuable resume advice I received from Communique PR’s own Jennifer Gehrt, and the sentiment was echoed in “44 Resume Writing Tips” from Daily Writing Tips. Rather than noting what your previous positions tasked you with, mention results that you achieved. For example, at Communique PR I am responsible for a variety of tasks, including ordering lunches and office supplies. Are these relevant skills to future employers? Probably not. Instead, use achievements such as “researched 10 new business proposals.” If you gained administrative experience from previous employment, save this for your skills section (i.e. familiar with Cision, well-versed in Microsoft Publisher).
Use numbers. Numbers immediately register with a reader. For example, I was vice president of standards of my sorority’s chapter last year.
Before editing my resume, I simply listed:
Vice President of Standards
1/2011- 9/2011
Managed internal affairs
After incorporating numbers:
Vice President of Standards
1/2011- 9/2011
- Managed internal affairs of 100 members
- Annual budget of $10,000
- Organized, supervised, and ran weekly committee meetings of 7 members
- Planned 2 chapter events with 80% member participation
- Facilitated negotiations between an elected council of 10, members, and national management
Incorporating numbers is a much better representation of what the position actually entailed, and makes the information easier for the reader to digest.
Know your audience. Applying for a wide range of positions? In this job market, that’s great thinking. However, tailor your resume to the different industries, companies, or even hiring managers with whom you are applying. Even if you keep the same positions, alter your achievements to include ones relevant to the position for which you’re applying.
Make use of action verbs. When describing your achievements, use action verbs to drive the point home. Examples of action verbs include ”conceptualized,” ”addressed,” or ”demonstrated.” Find an excellent list of action verbs at Quint Careers.
Avoid templates. While it is easy to Google ”resume templates” and find some visually appealing examples, avoid using them. You don’t want to run the risk of having a resume that might be confused with someone else’s, and that is not unique. If you’re looking for inspiration, look at templates—but take the time to do original formatting.
Make use of white space. While formatting, don’t cram too much in there. A resume needs to be visually appealing and easy to read. It can be painful to remove hard-earned achievements or job experience, but if they are not relevant and leaving your resume overcrowded and difficult to discern—ditch them. You can always refer to them in the interview later.
These points have been especially helpful in fine-tuning my own resume, and they are useful for recent graduates and experienced professionals alike. Your resume is the one thing in your job search over which you have control—keep it fresh and unique by frequently updating and tweaking it.
For more useful tips check out the following:
- 44 Resume Writing Tips
- Want an Unbeatable Resume?
- Resume Writing Tips
- 20 Resume Tips from a Hiring Manager
- 17 Resume Tips that Will Get You that Job Interview
For more on news from recent graduates from Communique PR:
Recently, Communiqué PR had the pleasure of helping our client RPI, a leader in make-on-demand private label personalized photo books, greeting cards and stationery products for mass and specialty retailers, unveil an innovative technology platform at the 2012 National Stationery Show in New York.
RPI’s new personalization storefront offers personalized print products made by RPI and branded by the retailer and consumer. Specifically, the platform enables any stationery manufacturer, online retailer, e-greeting site and specialty retailer to extend their brand experience through mass customization. This is significant because for the first time, it eliminates barriers for retailers to offer hundreds of personalized products to their customers with zero inventory and through a cohesive online experience. Along with the launch of its storefront platform, RPI also introduced its new line of print products specific for the pet industry.
In the weeks leading up to the launch, Communiqué PR was charged with identifying RPI’s overall communication strategy, developing media materials, securing interviews both leading up to and onsite at the National Stationery Show, and landing coverage placements.
As a result of our efforts and partnership with RPI, thus far, we’ve helped the company secure five coverage placements in a mix of photo merchandise and stationery industry publications, helping them reach their core target audiences. In addition, we secured a pre-brief meeting with a top-tier industry analyst to brief him on the personalization storefront, receive feedback on the platform, and build a relationship with an influential third-party expert who can serve as a press reference.
Below are a few coverage highlights:
- PMA Newsline, “RPI launches personalized storefront and new pet print products,” May 21, 2012
- Photo Reporter, “Photo Book & Creative Printing Retailer: RPI Launches Personalization Retailer Storefronts & Customizable Pet Photo Products,” May 21, 2012
- What They Think, “RPI Launches Personalization Storefront,” May 22, 2012
- Stationery Trends Magazine, “RPI offers personalized stationery collection for pet parents,” May 22, 2012
- Imaging Executive Podcast, “RPI offers Personalized Printing Storefronts,” May 31, 2012
Currently, RPI works with some of the world’s most well-known brands that represent more than 40 percent of the total on-demand, personalized product market and offers more than 350 customizable print products from personalized photo books to greeting cards. As the trend of mass customization continues to increase among consumers, retail brands are exploring options to rapidly adopt the concept of personalized goods to expand their brand equity and drive incremental revenue. The National Stationery Show was a great platform to showcase how RPI will continue enabling brand owners through its personalization storefront to help move the mass customization industry forward.
What do Coca-Cola, Apple, FedEx, Target, Amazon and Southwest Airlines all have in common (besides being incredibly successful companies)? According to Entrepreneur magazine, they are examples of the top 10 most trusted brands in America.
In its April 2012 cover story, Secrets of the 10 Most-Trusted Brands, Entrepreneur partnered with The Values Institute, a Virginia-based think tank, to examine why some brands rise above others. After surveying 1,000 Entrepreneur subscribers and the general public to rate particular American brands on the basis of five values that instill trust—ability, concern, connection, consistency and sincerity—results indicate today’s most trustworthy brands have fostered emotional relationships with consumer through “experiences that trigger a visceral response.” How did these firms develop that sense of trustworthiness over others?
Here at Communiqué PR, we think this article is a great reminder of how to build a trusted brand within the scope of PR. We examined the five key values used to measure the trustworthiness of brands and developed recommendations on how to incorporate these values into strategies and messaging:
Ability: Your company’s ability to provide a reliable product or service can make your name recognizable and trustworthy. FedEx received the strongest ratings in ability for “specifically being able to achieve what it promises and for efficiency of its operations.” Although shipping and handling is a crowded market, the firm utilized its knowledge of category norms and competitor tactics to redirect an agenda specifically catered to their company mission statement, “Whatever It Takes.” FedEx’s dependable performance has lived up to this promise and fostered a strong corporate identity. Think about how your messaging positions your company as a market leader and differentiates your brand from the competition.
Concern: How are you considering your customers’ needs? When a corporation applies its core capabilities to advance customer service, while simultaneously contributing to business results, it has a competitive advantage. For instance, Amazon.com is in a league of its own for creating a superior online shopping experience. Customers can have user profiles, tracking not only their purchases, but also their tastes and preferences. Although the multiplicity of products may seem overbearing, Amazon helps shoppers make decisions through user reviews, ratings, customer favorites and suggested purchases. Consumers like to be taken care of, and merchandise catered directly to customer desire offers both emotional and functional value. Consider how your company shows concern for customer needs and be sure to showcase these qualities in your PR activities.
Connection: If customers feel a connection with a brand, they are more likely to spread their positive feelings through word of mouth or testimonials. How are you sharing customer success stories? In every PR endeavor, including observable success stories boosts brand credibility. Consumers are more likely to trust a brand when they understand how your products and services solve a broader business problem for a company similar to their own. Whether in a news story, physical store location, or your company website, include a section to highlight case studies or positive quotes from happy customers. The customer voice is a powerful third-party force for generating future sales.
Consistency: Maintain a steady drumbeat of PR activity. This means not only a consistent brand message and identity, but also announcing achievements with products or services on a relatively regular schedule. Sustaining buzz-worthy product launches, upgrades or awards increases the perceived dependability of your offerings. Brad VanAuken, chief brand strategist for The Blake Project consultancy, states, “Once you have developed a unique and compelling value proposition for your brand, repeat it again and again.”
Sincerity: Preserving transparency with customers helps build brand confidence. Make sure to not only be open and honest about your product, but helpful as well. Apple stores do a great job of bridging the gap between technology and human sentiment through their on-site specialists, Genius Bar “Geniuses,” who provide hands-on technical support, and complimentary one-on-one workshops about products. The empathetic staff strives to show clients the Apple brand philosophy and innovation rather than sell you. In PR, sincerity is essential, especially during a crisis situation. If a problem or bug with a product is discovered, address the issue directly and then be sure to explain how you will solve the problem. Remember, consumers are humans too and appreciate an honest, personal touch.
Keeping these values of trust in mind while developing PR strategy can help ensure your PR strategies are building a sense of trustworthiness around your brand. What values have you found helpful in building your brand’s PR strategies?
Here at Communiqué PR, we believe strongly in the value of testimonials. Client or customer testimonials are an excellent way to validate a product or solution. Not only do they offer credibility for your service, but they provide real life examples of how a technology works. A well written testimonial shows potential customers how a technology may fit their needs.
So how do you go about garnering testimonials that will resonate with potential customers?
1. Identify customers who can provide a compelling story. A good testimonial tells an engaging story. Go through your client list and determine who is using your technology in a new and different way, garnering interesting results, achieving significant savings, or gaining an excellent ROI. These are the types of clients that will give compelling, unique stories that can both drive coverage and engage a potential market. If you want tips on how to reach out to these customers, check out “Four Steps to Getting Customer Testimonials” at Flying Solo.
2. Find customers who showcase your technology’s use. If you want to break into a new industry, it is helpful to have a case study that shows how your technology is being used in that field. As Chris Garrett recommended in ”5 Tips for Knockout Testimonials”, use testimonials that fit with the point you are trying to get across.
3. Develop a questionnaire or set of interview questions that will draw out a storyline. Questions need to prompt a storyline, so make sure that they are open ended, not yes or no questions. Why questions are especially helpful. Keep the questions relevant to the industry, but try and draw out a story. Ask what their original problem was, why they chose your technology as a solution, and what they have been able to accomplish with your solution.
4. Determine what type of testimonial you would like to build. At Communiqué, we have secured a variety of testimonials, including videos and written case studies. Oftentimes, people like to simply use short quotes from satisfied customers. Video testimonials, like the following prepared for our client, Attachmate, can be fun and engaging. Case studies tell a more in depth story; quotes may be easier to get ahold of because they are less time consuming for your customer.
5. Transform an interview into a story. For an example of this, check the Bookrenter case study Communique completed for Opscode. Use a narrative style to explain what the customer’s context was, why they needed a solution, how they decided to use your service, their experience deploying the service, and their results. Incorporate direct quotes where they fit, and include unique points of the story. Refrain from exaggerating or straying away from the actual details of the story.
Most of the tips in this post come directly from the staff at Communique PR; if you are looking for additional information on testimonials, try this very helpful blog post at 21CenturySales. When thinking about how to build your company’s website and add to your current PR strategy, remember the power of testimonials. Whether they are quotes, videos, or written case studies, Communiqué PR has found testimonials extremely valuable in showing how our clients’ solutions are useful in a variety of situations. Testimonials allow you to show how your clients’ services are useful, in a format that is relatable and engaging.