A lot of companies back off on their communications activities during the summer months.
It’s hot out, people are on vacation and it’s hard to grab attention. However, Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer is in the rear view, which means that if you have kicked back on your communications efforts over the last few weeks, it’s time to get in gear again.
Here are some lessons to keep in mind as you try to put a bow on your year:
1. Everything is a brand.
At one time, brand-building was solely the purview of advertising firms or pure-play marketers and referred only to a product or the company behind it. Now brand representatives include the company CEO and everyone who ever comes in contact with a customer or the general public.
As a result, communications executives are now also stewards of the brand and ensure that the media not only gets the quote right, but that they understand what a brand believes.
[RELATED: Join us at Microsoft HQ for the 10th anniversary of our Employee Communications, PR & Social Media Summit]
2. Authenticity matters.
Authenticity is still the best differentiator for a person or a brand. The number one reason people don’t want to hear your story is that they don’t believe you. Audiences are very discerning, and they don’t want to waste what’s left of their attention spans consuming lies.
3. You must stand for something.
What you do is just part of the equation. What you believe—coupled with what you do—makes up your brand. Increasingly, people make decisions on products and services based on how brands align with their own values. Understanding those values, and evangelizing, makes for the most effective marketing.
4. There’s digital media—and then there’s everything else.
Sure, newspapers are still printed daily. News is broadcast on television and radio all day, every day. However, all of those media channels rely on digital promotion for audience growth. Some people love to hold a newspaper or magazine in their hands, but most people love consuming information on phones. Digital platforms have become the confluence of all media types.
5. Social posts rule.
Financial companies in particular shy away from social media for compliance reasons—but that has to change. The discussions on social media reflect what’s important to clients and should influence decisions, whether that be a service to buy or a vote to cast. Social media is now the mainstream media. Use it wisely.
6. Show; don’t tell.
A visual element, whether video, infographic, art or a combination of them all, tells the story so much more effectively than plain words on a page. Video production is key to effective PR.
7. Good is better than plenty.
Just because you are getting a lot of media hits doesn’t mean you’re converting to customers. As measurement has improved, we’ve learned that being targeted and getting in front of the right audiences is always preferable to broad exposure.
8. Metrics matter.
In old days, PR was just about raw media hits—but the impact of those opportunities was difficult to measure. Even today, some PR firms continue to avoid real metrics to measure success. You can’t manage what you can’t measure, and success today is driven by data.
What tips would you add to this list, PR Daily readers? How are you looking to finish your 2018 campaigns?
Ray Hennessey is the Chief Innovation Officer for JConnelly. A version of this article originally appeared on the JConnelly Blog.
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