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.
I recently came across an article in The New York Times that I thought would be helpful to those of us with a commitment to perfection. The article is titled, “It’s Never Going to Be Perfect, So Just Get It Done,” and focused on how challenging it is for perfectionists to get things accomplished, specifically when it comes to writing.
Too often, we perfectionists fall into an editing and re-editing spiral in a never-ending feat to make it better. As Tim Herrera writes, “By agonizing over tiny improvements in our work — if they even are improvements — we prevent ourselves from achieving the actual goal of, you know, doing the work.”
Essentially, we inadvertently paralyze ourselves with this thinking, which leads to no action at all. It’s a slippery slope and at some point, we have to realize when to cut bait. When stuck in this position, Herrera suggests that we must ask ourselves if the changes we are making are to make it better or just to be different, which doesn’t always translate into better.
Dr. Alex Lickerman wrote in Psychology Today on the topic of just getting things done. “Recognizing that inflection point — the point at which our continuing to rework our work reaches a law of diminishing returns — is one of the hardest skills to learn, but also one of the most necessary.” He added that “overworking something is just as bad as failing to polish it.”
In this article, Herrera points out that there are two types of decision-making styles: the maximizers and satisficers. He writes, “Maximizers relentlessly research all possible options in a scenario for fear of missing the ‘best’ one, while satisficers make quick decisions based on less research.”
The interesting takeaway, for one who identifies as a maximizer, is that research shows satisficers are more satisfied with their decisions than maximizers are. All this to say, just getting it done will leave you more satisfied than if you struggle with the fallacy of perfection. Not to mention, you’ll actually get it done.
Herrera also shared two strategies in the article that might help those of you who have experienced the perfection roadblock.
First, “Embrace the magic of micro-progress,” by focusing on small wins rather than the full-picture completion. It’s important to break big projects or decisions down into incremental steps, focus on one step at a time, and celebrate the wins along the way. This strategy dismisses the self-imposed expectation that we need a perfect idea before we even start something.
Second, “Reframe the way you think about the things you have to do.” Rather than focusing on the result, it’s important to take time to think about the process and how you get to said result. This strategy enables you to be aware of the forward momentum you’re making rather than getting bogged down in the stress of the result.
As the writer James Clear put it, “When you think about your goals, don’t just consider the outcome you want. Focus on the repetitions that lead to that place. Focus on the piles of work that come before the success. Focus on the hundreds of ceramic pots that come before the masterpiece.”
Herrera’s article motivated me to be more mindful about the power of positive thinking and personal expectations. I am going to apply his thinking the next time I approach a perfection roadblock.
Some 90 percent of brands use social media to increase brand awareness. However, 58 percent of those brands say measuring the effectiveness of social media efforts is challenging and only a small percentage (38 percent) measure social media ROI, according to Hootsuite’s Social Barometer 2018.
The obstacles hindering success of corporate social media campaigns can vary; for one, the time investment can be daunting and teams might not know what platforms are best to engage with their target audiences. For example, Instagram can be a great tool for hiring design executives but might not be the best tool for engaging with engineers in niche industries.
Additionally, keeping up with platforms’ frequent updates can be tricky but necessary to ensure the marketing team is leveraging the platform effectively and maximizing the tools available. Teams also need to dedicate time and personnel to draft and distribute content and monitor metrics to ensure the brand is properly engaging with its customers and that social efforts are tying back to larger business and communication objectives.
With these factors in mind, it can be difficult to feel confident investing marketing budget in social media campaigns and effectively distributing the content.
Luckily, there are a number of social media marketing tools available to help businesses better organize and schedule content, as well as engage with users and report results. Below is an overview of three of the social media marketing platforms Communiqué PR is currently using on behalf of our clients, as well as some of the platforms’ benefits and unique capabilities.
Optimized for web and mobile IOS and Android use, Buffer is a software application designed for managing social media accounts on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Buffer allows a business to include a variety of profiles (i.e., corporate and executive accounts), which can help synergize the cadence of posts and ability to track metrics.
Buffer also has “approval” features so that posts can be reviewed or edited if necessary before they are published by the team, as well as simple collaboration capabilities, so that multiple users can access or tee up content.
Another attractive feature Buffer offers to business customers is the ability to engage with its followers by replying to comments and messages. This “reply” feature helps marketing teams directly engage with audiences on different social platforms though one application. The ability to quickly respond to conversations and leverage social media to resolve customer support requests helps brands provide quality customer service.
Hootsuite is a social media management platform where the user interface acts as a dashboard to view all integrated social media accounts. Hootsuite supports Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest offering scheduling, monitoring, content curation, analytics, team management, security and content boosting capabilities.
A differentiating factor Hootsuite offers is tailored packages for the financial services, government, healthcare and higher education industries. Many users also leverage Hootsuite’s special integration features to improve the effectiveness of ad campaigns, employee advocacy, analytics and insights.
The ability to respond to posts quickly, create approval workflows and manage platform access helps improve collaboration among brands and their audiences, as well as increases the efficiency of social media campaigns by streamlining the process of posting and measuring impact.
Unlike Buffer and Hootsuite, HubSpot is an inbound marketing and sales software that offers full CRM and CMS tools, as well as social media management capabilities. HubSpot provides companies with content management, SEO and web analytics tools.
The ability to integrate CRM, SEO and social media management helps brands reach their target audiences on their preferred platforms, drive more traffic to specific landing pages and improve coordination of communication and activities on all marketing and sales avenues. Lastly, through HubSpot’s robust platform, users can track and convert visitors on across all platforms into qualified.
Despite any negatives associated with leveraging third party platforms, social media management applications offer a host of benefits. The comprehensive overview of accounts in one location, combined with improved analytics tracking helps businesses measure how investments in social media impact the company’s bottom line.
The USC Center for Public Relations secured input from these business leaders as well as more than 1,500 public relations professionals around the world to gather answers to numerous questions about where the industry is headed. The results were released earlier this year in its Annual Global Communications Report.
This was the first time the Global Communications Report solicited input from CEOs and sought to “determine where they think their company’s communication efforts should be focused.”
While the report provides more data and insights into the perspectives of PR professionals (agency and in-house) and students, it is interesting to see how CEOs responded to questions regarding their communication goals and the strategies they feel are most valuable. Below we have recapped some of the findings.
When CEOs responded to the question regarding their most important communication goal for their company:
- 44% of CEO respondents shared that their most important communication goal for the year is to sell products and services. Interestingly only 25% of in-house communicators indicated this was the most important goal for their company.
- 39% of CEOs indicated their primary goal is to differentiate their company’s brand from the competition. In-house communicators were in sync with the CEOs on this goal with an identical 39% indicating this was the most important goal.
- Marshalling data and analytics to gain insight into opinions, issues and trends was the top priority for 12% of CEO respondents and 14% of in-house communicators.
- Only 1% of CEOs stated that shaping position on social issues was the most important communication goal for the coming year. Eight percent % of in-house communicators felt this was the most important goal for their organization.
When asked what communication strategies CEOs feel will be most valuable to their company in the future, the results were divided:
- 38% stated shared media (i.e., social media and online influencers) were most valuable
- 36% percent responded that owned media (i.e., original content distributed through company channels) is most valuable
- 14% indicated earned media is the most valuable media strategy for their company in the future
- And only 12% felt that paid media was the most valuable media strategy
The full report can be accessed here: https://uscannenberg.formstack.com/forms/2019_gcr.
In a quickly changing business landscape, there is one timeless, but important, activity you shouldn’t lose sight of – networking.
Whether you are stepping into a new career, or have made it to the top of your industry, networking can play a critical role in your professional life. Consider it a long-term investment than can lead to new opportunities, insights and growth.
Below are three tactics to help you build and maintain meaningful connections:
- Create a Relationship Action Plan. Networking may seem like an arduous task, especially if you are content with your career. However, just because you finally landed your dream job or a new client, doesn’t mean you should stop networking. A strong network can often provide you with the knowledge and resources needed to continue moving forward in your profession. Best-selling author of “Never Eat Alone,” Keith Ferrazzi suggests one way to maintain relationships and practice intentional networking is through Relationship Action Planning. In case you’re not familiar with the term, Relationship Action Planning, according to LinkedIn, is “the act of proactively working to advance relationships with the people most important in achieving your business plan.” Ferrazzi has even created a downloadable Relationship Action Planning PDF you can fill out to keep yourself on track. You can’t get more intentional than that.
- Diversify your networking strategies. Although the concept of networking may be timeless, the strategies for building one’s network are constantly evolving. Resources such as LinkedIn and email can serve as useful avenues to spark and follow up with new connections, however, they are only a small piece of the networking puzzle. Attending events is still a wonderful way to meet new people. Expert Forbes panelist Frances McIntosh suggests looking “for local events such as Chamber of Commerce networking events, book launches, or art walks – something you wouldn’t ordinarily do.” This gives you an opportunity to exchange knowledge with individuals outside of your immediate field and gain new insights.
- Follow up with new and existing connections. Effective networking is not a one-and-done activity. While handing out a business card can be an effective networking tactic, this is only the first step. Once you have made a new connection, it’s important that you follow up and maintain the relationship. Like Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI (Business Networking International) said, “It is not what you know or who you know – it’s how well you know each other that counts.”
With this in mind, building on old relationships with friends and colleagues can serve you just as well. Don’t be afraid to bring out your college yearbook and call up a few old friends to meet for coffee. You never know what information or connections you may glean!
What are some helpful networking tactics you’ve used? I’d love to hear about your experience.
In 2007, when a major ice storm hit the East Coast, Jet Blue was forced to cancel 1,000 flights over five days. Customers were upset, and in the weeks that followed, thousands of articles scrutinizing how Jet Blue handled the crisis were published around the globe.
So, how did the airline respond?
To combat this public relations disaster, David Neeleman, Jet Blue’s CEO stepped up to address the crisis as well as announce the steps the company would take to ensure it never happened again. In addition to responding to journalists, Neeleman made appearances on Letterman, the Today Show, and on CNN with Anderson Cooper to respond to critics and relay Jet Blue’s messages to the public.
Jet Blue’s messaging was immediate and apologetic. Neeleman repeatedly went to the media to explain what went wrong and express how sorry he was for the effects this crisis had on his customers. The company’s messaging also highlighted its new Customer Bill of Rights, which ensures customer safety and satisfaction in the event of a crisis by way of new company protocol, including a detailed compensation package for passengers.
If your company finds itself in the midst of a crisis, take a piece of advice from Jet Blue. To survive the crisis, choose a spokesperson who can communicate with the public, often through the media. Here are some guidelines for the designated spokesperson to follow when handling a crisis:
- Establish the spokesperson. The spokesperson is determined by the severity of the crisis and the amount of attention it is receiving. If the crisis is severe and there is growing interest from local, regional, or national media, the spokesperson should be the CEO or head of the company. This conveys that handling the crisis is of the upmost importance to the company. If the crisis is less severe, choosing a different executive may be acceptable.
- Notify employees about their role in the crisis. If the media approaches employees for a comment, under no circumstances should they respond. Instead, employees should refer the media to the spokesperson or the spokesperson’s published comments and notify the communications team about the inquiry. Ideally, the communications team will develop a strategy to combat the crisis, and the spokesperson will deploy that strategy through communication with the media. Once you have chosen a spokesperson and notified employees of their role in the crisis communications strategy, the communications team should brief the spokesperson in order to communicate most effectively with the media.
- Stick to the facts of the crisis. When dealing with a crisis, it is critical that the spokesperson has the facts of the situation before making any public statements. Know the who, what, when, where and why of the situation. Once the facts have been considered and addressed, the spokesperson and communication team can develop a strategic response that provides the public with the facts of the situation. This helps prevent the story from spinning out of control.
- Stay on message. Key messages should be determined before speaking to the media. These are a list of messages that you want to relay to the public regarding the crisis and your company. Key messages should:
- Share the facts of the situation
- Explain how the crisis is being handled
- Target stakeholders of the company
- Work to regain trust
- Highlight your company’s reputable actions during the crisis
You can incorporate key messages in your responses to the media in order to control the dialogue and to have a handle on the story.
- Respond to the media appropriately. When talking directly to the media, there are a few things to keep in mind. If members of the media ask you a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t speculate or say, “No comment.” Stick to the facts. However, if you don’t know the answer to something, it is acceptable to say, “I don’t know that right now.” Express a willingness to keep the public informed as details are available. Make sure to include, “But we will keep you updated as we gather more information.” This helps maintain transparency with the media.
Additionally, never make comments “off the record.” “Off the record” can mean different things to different reporters – so it’s better to completely avoid it. Even if the reporters don’t include your quote in an article or name you as a source, they may pursue a story based on the information you provided. A good rule of thumb is: If you don’t want something to appear in print, do not share it with the media – even if it’s “off the record.”
In a crisis, it’s important to operate conservatively. It’s better to stick to the facts of the situation and the official statements of the company rather than spark multiple, possibly inconsistent narratives by responding to the media in the wrong way.
- Create perspective by emphasizing the steps your company has taken to mitigate the crisis. This will help to deescalate the crisis, as well as to shed a positive light on the company during this time of scrutiny. Express that you are working hard toward solutions and improvement by showcasing specific innovations your company is producing as a result of this crisis.
By following these guidelines, you will not only be able to survive a crisis but you will also be able to highlight the work your company has done to resolve problems and innovate solutions, prompting the public to look toward the company’s future of improvement and success.
Entrepreneur published, “How to communicate effectively over emails at workplace.” The article states that, “Email is the most widely used tool in the workplace,” therefore making it imperative to use our emails to communicate well-written, clear and effective messages.
A key focus of mine when starting at Communiquè was watching how my colleagues communicated by email to our team internally, as well as how they communicated with our clients. Through my observation and research, here are several tips for developing an email:
- Have a compelling subject line. This is the first and possibly the most important step for developing an email, especially in the world of public relations. Subject lines either engage people further or cause disinterest, leading to either the email not being read or being deleted. It’s also a best practice to include the most important words at the beginning, as different platforms (i.e. desktop computer, mobile phone) read differently, says Dmitri Leonov, vice president at SaneBox, an email management service.
- Keep tone in mind. A study conducted by Psychologist Justin Kruger, PhD, and his colleague, Nicholas Epley, PhD, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that people misinterpret tone over email more than 50 percent of the time in comparison to 75 percent of time when speaking in-person. The study also found that interpreting tone improves significantly when senders read their emails out loud.
- Include all elements. If your email indicates there are attachments, double check that the correct attachments/images are included and clearly label them, so the attachments are easily identifiable to the receiver.
- Direct your message to the appropriate audience. It’s important to assess who the intended audience is before sending an email. For example, an email to a whole company about an idea for a product will be received and interpreted differently than the email announcing that fresh cookies are in the kitchen. Keep in mind, every company is different in how it operates, and one form of communication is not the same for all.
- Proofread before sending. Typos can be easily missed when responding hastily, even sometimes after re-reading the email multiple times. There are multiple resources for online spelling and grammar checks, including Grammarly and Grammar Check that you can utilize in advance of sending messages. If you’re using Microsoft Outlook, you can also leverage its “Read Aloud” tool to have your email message read back to you.
- Remember that email is not meant for everything. Simply put, some things are better said in person. Forbes’ contributing writer Liz Ryan provided a list of things to never convey over email including the expression of unhappy feelings towards a person or that someone’s opinion is the wrong one, among other topics. Email is also a target for hackers, so it’s a best practice to keep private conversations for secure spaces, in-person.
Knowing that this form of communication is widely used in the workplace, crafting effective email messaging is a critical ingredient to bring to the broader messaging table.