Make it rain...ideas, that is!

Lauren Hannaford

Let’s brainstorm! We love getting that email around here. Brainstorming sessions are not only fun, but you can also get a lot done in a short amount of time thanks to the brainpower of your co-workers.

When we come together to brainstorm for a client, the entire team discusses a certain need and addresses the objective. Then, we open the floodgates and let the ideas start flowing. It’s a simple strategy that goes a long way. Brainstorms can cover a wide variety of topics from renaming a company, developing a tagline and generating pitching ideas to social media strategy, community relations tactics and ideas for events. Sometimes, brainstorms last 30 minutes, and sometimes, they can seem more like a marathon if we’re on a roll. However long it may take, the end result is that you get an Olympic-sized swimming pool full of ideas to take back to the client.

There also are a few simple “rules” to be mindful of in order to ensure a productive brainstorm. 

1. Listen. Listen to the co-worker leading the brainstorm. Listen closely to what their need is. Yes, offering up other ideas might be helpful in the long run, but focusing on what they need will help them achieve their immediate goal. 
2. Try not to interrupt. While we are all guilty of interrupting someone at some point, I think we all know how it feels to be interrupted in mid-sentence. 
3. Get funny! Sometimes, taking five minutes to yell out the most ridiculous ideas can lead to the some of the best ideas. Oftentimes, you get that “aha” moment during a round of the funnies. 
4. Research. Bring your smart phone or laptop and research helpful information during the discussion. Stay on topic. This relates to the first point in a way, but is also important for different reasons. If the group meets to brainstorm ideas for a new program tagline and a question arises about social media, well, that’s not staying on topic. While social media will no doubt come into play sometime down the line, it’s not the objective of the brainstorm.

Here’s how Google employees brainstormed in 2007! I wonder if things have changed since then?

The Donut Tells All

Sarah Lichterman

It’s quite amazing how a delicious, glazed pastry can put social media into perspective. More than 1 billion people in the world are active users on social media sites, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Facebook users make up 90 percent of this population with more than 900 million active users. The remaining 10 percent of the market is dominated by Twitter, with 200 million users, and LinkedIn, with 150 million users.

Needless to say, social media usage is growing every single day. With new sites emerging, it is easy to get lost in the never-ending web of social networking. The overall intent of social media is for users to communicate and interact with other people on a global level. Reconnecting with old friends, creating new relationships, promoting a business and receiving store coupons are among the many perks of this new-age technology.

The problem with the rapid growth is that it can be difficult to decipher the differences between the sites. You wouldn’t want to go to YouTube if you were looking to connect with old friends from high school, would you? No, you would use Facebook or LinkedIn. This confusion, and frustration to some, is where the donut steps in.

Photo courtesy of Tosh.O

Social media explained:

• Twitter: In 140 characters, update your status by saying what you are doing. Hashtags can be used when discussing a popular topic to connect you with others discussing the same idea.
• Facebook: Use your profile to share your likes, interests and background information.
• Foursquare: Smart phone application that allows you to share and save places that you visit.
• Instagram: Smart phone application that turns you into a photographer with your own personal photo blog, complete with the ability to edit photos and use different lens filters.
• YouTube: Video-sharing website where you can view and share videos.
• LinkedIn: Connects people in professional occupations by sharing skills, previous work experience and education. Capability to upload resume and receive recommendations.
• Pinterest: A social photo-sharing website where you can create and manage themed image collections.
• Last FM: Music recommendation service where you can share your favorite tunes and the music you are currently listening to.
• Google+(G+): An extension to the search engine function of Google.com, includes messaging, video chat, photo editing and forums. Atmosphere is more formal than other sites.

And so here we are, social media in a nutshell (or should I say, do-nutshell?). There are many similarities between these sites. Nevertheless, if you have a specific target in mind, make sure to choose the correct outlet in order to maximize the benefits social media. Good luck!

The Case of the Stinky Watermelon

Courtney Liebenrood Ellett

Recently, my domestic bliss was briefly interrupted by a heated discussion with my husband about the proper way to dispose of a watermelon. Let me explain.

Last week, a stench started emanating from our garbage can outside. I never knew about it or smelled it because I keep my car in the garage and rarely have to pass by said trash can. My husband, however, has to walk past the garbage can to get in his vehicle every morning. Bum luck for him given these particular circumstances.

Anyway, we were both in the garage when he said to me: “Dear, the watermelon leaked out of the bag it’s in and attracted a lot of bugs. And the smell is horrible. Can you please let me put out that kind of trash from now on?”

Being the type A person I am, I retorted with something like this: “I’m a big girl. I’ve been taking out the trash for years now and think I can handle it on my own.”

Well, that didn’t lead down a productive conversation path, to say the least. His argument was that if it had been done right, the leak and ensuing smell wouldn’t have happened. I maintained that I’ve been doing it that way for years, and this had never happened before. How could I be to blame?

There is actually a PR lesson in all of this. Sure, I’ve been throwing out the trash (and multiple watermelons rinds) for years without such negative repercussions. However, this time around, the trash sat in there for a good six days, and the summer heat has been intense – circumstances that may have ultimately undermined my success in containing the mess.

Business circumstances change, as well. Companies evolve. Landscapes become harsh. Customer expectations shift. And when this happens, we can’t just simply say, “Well, that’s the way we’ve always done it,” and then expect tried-and-true results.

We must pay attention, we must adapt and we must heed good counsel. We must never be too proud to say we’re wrong and that we made a mistake. If you do that, you (unlike me) won’t be stuck cleaning up an impossible mess of stinky ole watermelon in 100-degree heat.

Before the Launch

Crissy Lintner

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous companies and startups to plan for and implement strategic communications initiatives to launch new products, services, brands or businesses. Whether we helped in naming the business from day one or simply handled the media relations, the common denominator is this: We were involved from the early stages.

I often hear this from business owners: “We’re in development right now and simply not ready for a big PR splash.” And I absolutely agree that if you’re in the midst of getting organized operationally, you are not ready for the official external launch. However, don’t make the mistake of missing out on the benefit of involving a PR team in the early stages of any endeavor.

There’s so much more to PR than the big “splash” into the media and public arenas. Public relations serves a bigger purpose than simply getting a great article on the cover of your local business news section. We are an integral aspect of building your communications arsenal. And our efforts take planning! We advise that at least three months or more be designated to the ramping up of PR efforts before the launch of any new company, product or service line. Why? Because you have to be ready operationally before any reporter, blogger or consumer has the opportunity to set eyes on you.

Here are a few things that we feel are the most important to have in place before the launch: 

1. Name – This seems like a fundamental aspect of starting a business. The name is usually the first thing to come, right? But have you done proper research to see if there are other businesses sharing that name or if the corresponding web domains are available? What is the story behind your name? Does it fit your mission as a business in some form or fashion? (see Kelli's post, "What's in a name?", for more about this topic)
2. Website – Gone are the days of looking up phone numbers in the Yellow Pages. A professional and easy-to-navigate website is integral to business success. Additionally, copy must be well written and should easily communicate your brand.
3. Strategic PR plan – Through proper research, a PR strategy with tactics should be in place prior to launch. This will outline all avenues that will be taken to communicate your launch through media, social media, direct marketing, events, etc. to your target audiences. A proper PR plan should also span beyond the launch, as far as a year ahead, taking into account future growth plans, milestones and other key aspects of the business. 
4. Marketing arsenal – The marketing arsenal is important when it comes to B2B and B2C business building. Do you have appropriate marketing materials (business cards, brochures, rack cards, sales sheets, etc.) to leave behind when pitching your business or for customers to take to learn more about your products or services? Is your sales team or frontline staff armed with appropriate speaking points or key messages about your business or new product? Ambassador training can many times make or break message alignment − from leadership to sales staff. 
5. Media materials – Your media kit and other materials should have ready-to-go information about your business for media use. This includes leadership bios, headshots, fact sheets, company history, relevant white papers or case studies, boilerplate, news release template, general talking points, targeted media list and b-roll. Having this taken care of in advance eases stress in the immediate weeks leading up to launch. 
6. Social media – There’s relevancy in almost every form of social media to nearly every business. Begin your social media presence (or be ready to publish) before launch. And know which social media outlets are the best for your type of business. Don’t forget to include links to social media pages on your website and in marketing materials.

So, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that PR is only useful when you’re ready to release your news. Remember that effective communications strategy takes planning and long-term vision to ensure proper success!

Content is key to ‘content marketing’

Kerri Guyton

Brands have a fantastic advantage in today’s society, as consumers have taken it upon themselves to go looking for more information on the companies that they do business with, rather than sitting back and waiting to be sold on a product or service through strong-arm tactics. All brands need to do is ensure that information on the company, product or service is available in the multiple mediums where consumers are searching for information. This is content marketing − producing, posting and even participating in content about the company and its products and/or services – and the success of this strategy delicately hinges on the content.

I referred to “participating” in content about the company because brand communicators today know that audiences rely heavily on content created by sources outside the company through the various social networking and user review sites. So, while we guide our clients through the production and placement of good content about their brand, it is also vital that they pay attention to the content being produced by others and be prepared to respond − and possibly react – to those conversations.

The good news is that a brand has the opportunity to begin the conversation by creating and delivering positive, accurate and meaningful content, and we accomplish this by ensuring the following four components in content delivery. 

1.    Authenticity – True representation of the brand, product or service. A brand must talk about who it is as a company and what brand promises it can deliver. There are plenty of people out there ready to point out when a company hasn’t delivered on a promise being communicated in their advertising or marketing messages, but a company that is true to what it says about itself is highly valued by today’s consumer.

2.    Relevancy – What matters to the consumer. This has a lot to do with the placement of content. While there are multiple platforms and communication vehicles taken into consideration in content marketing, the way that the content is being consumed varies. Understanding how the audience is consuming information is essential to creating content that is relevant to the platform or vehicle and that will be accepted by the consumer.

3.    Timeliness – All about today. The consumer now has access to an extraordinary amount of timely content at any given moment. We learn about events as they are happening, making “today’s news” an ever-changing flow of headlines scanned with the swipe of a finger across a smartphone. For a brand to capture attention, its content has to be current, and the delivery needs to be timely.

4.    Consistency – Fact checking. Consumers do their homework. That’s what content marketing is all about. Ensuring that a brand’s message is consistent on all platforms and communication vehicles is a large part of overall success. From the website to the Facebook page and from direct mail materials to customer service practices, consistency encourages consumers to believe in a company’s brand and trust in the promises it delivers in its content.

Is that in my job description?

Katie Pemberton

When you have a working relationship with a PR, advertising or marketing firm, the expectation is that their work will result in more people becoming aware of your organization and possibly becoming actual clients. What we stress to potential and current clients is that our efforts could send a million prospects your way, but if those prospects have a negative experience when contacting you or visiting your location, you’ve lost them. We happily uphold our end of the bargain when our work informs or educates people about you; what happens after that is all on your end. (But we can help! More about that later.)

One key thing to remember, repeat and live by: Customer service is in EVERYONE’S job description. Of course, a salesperson or clerk knows their job is to help customers, but it’s important for everyone from shelf-stockers and back-end operations staff all the way up to the president to understand that, yes, customer service is their job. Every person who a customer considers part of your organization is an ambassador, whether they realize it or not.

Not every member of your organization is going to be conducting interviews with reporters, but every member of your organization, top to bottom, should be able to speak intelligently about what you do. A good rule of thumb is to never say anything to the general public that you wouldn’t want on the news. I have known reporters and other members of the media to call an organization and not identify themselves as news media. Does the thought send a shiver down your spine? Then read on, my friend.

At Obsidian, we work hard to help clients craft the messaging that we will use in our various tactics to elevate your company’s profile, from media coverage and media interview preparation to collateral materials and social media. It’s so important that your company demonstrates message alignment across all those channels. What I mean is if an ad or brochure says your restaurant can cater to vegans, but your servers have no idea what guests are talking about when they inquire, your messaging is not aligned. If you give an interview and say you deliver a seamless customer experience but then someone visits your location and is dismissed, ignored or not guided step-by-step through the purchase process, your messaging is not aligned.

So how do you make sure your company is communicating a consistent message?

• Communicate with your staff and be transparent. Make sure staff is aware of and trained to answer questions about anything a member of the public could see in a story about you, on your website, on Facebook, etc. For example, if you are offering a Groupon deal, make sure your sales clerk knows about it and knows how to ring it up. Share successes with staff. If someone sees in a news story that last year you had a banner year and mentions that in conversation with your employee, that employee shouldn’t be hearing about it first from a customer.
• Make 100 percent certain every employee understands that HE or SHE personally is the face of your company. If your accountant happens to answer a customer call, he should hold that customer’s hand all the way to the person she needs to speak with. If your executive director is walking through your office and is stopped by a member of the public, she should stop what she is doing if at all possible and help that person find who she needs to speak with. No, maybe your accountant can’t take a customer order, and maybe your executive director doesn’t have the time to give a tour to every person who comes into your organization, but it is their job to make their brief entry into that prospect’s experience a pleasant and professional one. 
• Consider hosting an ambassador training. Obsidian leads these sessions for many clients, where we educate the front-line staff of an organization on the various channels of communication, the importance of the first impression and how to make a positive one, how to choose what types of words to use when speaking with customers, etc.

The bottom line is this: A customer doesn’t know and doesn’t care what is in whose job description. Customer service and ambassadorship must be everyone’s responsibility.

They like me! They really, really like me!

Thomas Whitehead

In the era of digital media, brands are able to create the platform to have their shareholders establish a connection or relationship that can be carried with them no matter where they go. This can be an exciting opportunity to grow a customer base, build a community, join conversations and learn new perspectives about what you are offering as an organization.

However, these relationships should be approached just like our own personal relationships. We need to have respect for the other person’s time, resources and personal space. We also need to be sincere and honest in how we express ourselves, as well.

There are plenty of examples of companies that have posted too frequently without any particular purpose, overreacting every time someone shares a positive comment or positive news story or the opposite − completely ignoring all user comments altogether.

In our own personal lives, we would not display these tendencies to those we love or want to get to know better, so why should our social relationships be any different?

Having someone choose to follow your brand digitally should not be a goal of your digital and social media strategy. Instead, it should be a way to share information and receive feedback to help facilitate the interaction of your company and its fan base. To grow, it means having respect, patience, kindness and understanding of what the other person wants from you and your ability to share what you want from them.

This is how you get someone to really, really like you.