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.
If you’re looking for a PR partner to help support your business objectives, there are many factors to consider. You’ll want an agency that meets some key requirements that best fit your business needs. Not sure what those requirements are? Keep reading to find out more.
Objectives
When you meet with a prospective PR agency, you should be clear about your business and communication objectives. These are goals or aims that are concrete, measurable, and often time-bound. In these ways, objectives are distinct from a company’s broader goals or visions.
You might set business objectives around brand awareness, product development, revenue growth, and operational efficiency. Meanwhile, communication objectives refer to an organization’s specific goals in guiding the messaging, tone, and channels used to convey information to stakeholders. Some examples include enhancing brand perception, promoting products or service awareness, educating stakeholders, and building thought leadership.
Clearly understanding what you want to achieve helps agencies identify the best strategies and tactics for your company to reach those objectives.
Budget
Often, your budget will dictate the range and extent of services agencies can provide. That’s why it’s important to discuss budgetary restraints and expectations upfront. A clear understanding of your budget and goals on both sides can help the PR partner develop a plan that maps to your budget and meets your business and communication objectives.
Chemistry
The right agency will become an extension of your team, so it’s important to meet the PR team members with whom you’ll work. Get an understanding of their personalities and work ethic. Chemistry matters. Often, people perform better when they collaborate with partners they enjoy and respect. This can translate into increased KPIs and better outcomes.
Representation
PR agencies often work with a wide variety of clients, so you’ll want to get a sense of the agency’s experience and portfolio. Who have they worked with in the past? What industry-specific experience do they bring? You’re looking for a balance of knowledge and availability.
For example, if you’re a space tech company vetting a potential agency, you’ll want to know if that agency has other space tech clients. If some of their clients are direct competitors, that might not be a good fit. But if the agency represents space tech clients who aren’t direct competitors, it will likely have a finger on the pulse of your industry and already have relationships with reporters and others who can help you meet your objectives.
Skills
Given the nature of the industry, PR agencies have a number of transferable skills and industry knowledge that can help you meet your objectives. These include:
- Media Relations: Building and maintaining relationships with journalists and media outlets, crafting compelling press releases and pitches to secure media coverage, etc.
- Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, the ability to tailor messages for different audiences.
- Strategic Planning: Identifying target audiences and crafting messages that resonate with them while developing strategic PR plans aligned with business goals.
- Crisis Management: Developing crisis communication plans and responding effectively to protect the client’s reputation.
- Research and Analysis: Conducting market research to inform PR strategies while analyzing data and metrics to measure the effectiveness of PR campaigns.
- Adaptability: Being adaptable to changes in the media landscape and industry trends while having the flexibility to adjust strategies based on evolving client needs.
- Content Creation: Generating various types of content such as press releases, articles, blog posts, social media content, videos, infographics, whitepapers, case studies, and more. Each piece of content is tailored to convey the client’s key messages and values.
References
References can play a key role in deciding which agency to partner with. Ask for references early in the vetting process. This gives you time to ask those references questions about the agency’s work, their outcomes, and how well the agency met expectations.
Once you decide, let all the agencies know as soon as possible. PR agencies often spend many non-billable hours developing proposals and working on new business opportunities. A quick notification shows you respect their time and work. It helps, too, if you can give the agencies you didn’t partner with feedback as to how you came to that decision. This helps them adjust their new business strategies for the future and supports your own professional reputation.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of PR agencies out there. But if you’re in the market for a new PR partner, just remember these key factors, and you’ll be able to find the agency that best fits your communication and business objectives.
An up-to-date company website is essential for brand awareness and relevance. Whether the website refresh includes implementing new features or redesigning the user interface, these projects require careful planning and execution.
Depending on the changes, the company’s communications and public relations teams can help ensure consistency of brand positioning and voice. Involving these groups is especially critical if the website updates include changes to messaging or website copy.
Below are a few best practices for a smooth website update. The specific action items will vary based on the company’s website, budget, and goals.
Set Clear Objectives
Before diving into the update, defining objectives is crucial. What are the update’s goals? Is it a design refresh, an SEO revamp, or the addition of new security or performance tools? Setting clear goals and parameters will help guide the project and ensure shared expectations.
Notify Stakeholders and Create a Timeline
Communication is key. All stakeholders, including team members and clients, should be aware of future updates. It’s important to share the rationale for the project and notify them of expected downtime or actions they might need to take.
During the early stages of a website update, it’s helpful to create a project timeline and note important company milestones (e.g., product launches or webinars) that might occur during the update. This helps ensure updates get to the right audiences and are not obscured by the website refresh.
Conduct a Website Audit
Once the company has squared away the initial planning elements, it’s time to dive in. A thorough site audit helps provide a comprehensive view of the state of the website, including its strengths and opportunities for improvement. The audit includes checking for broken links, outdated content, and other elements that need to change or hurt the user experience. After the audit, it’s best to back up the website to ensure the company or design firm can quickly revert to past versions if anything goes wrong during the update.
Confirm Budget and Determine Responsibilities
Confirming the project’s budget is one of the most important early steps. Funding will determine the kind of changes a company can make and who manages the process. For example, a budget can determine if a web design firm is feasible and the role it can play in the process. Along with clear objectives and expectations, a concrete budget helps communicate the project’s roles and responsibilities.
Share and Track Updates
Different web design firms will have different processes and requirements for how they want companies to provide desired changes. Regardless of the process, creating and maintaining a tracker with all website pages and desired changes is helpful. This creates a smoother process when teams review and track the changes they want to make to various pages.
At this stage, it can be helpful to have the marketing and communications teams provide input on messaging, copy changes, and content for SEO. These teams can ensure the right keywords and phrases are incorporated into the new copy.
Test New Pages and Share Timely Feedback
Although updates vary based on the company objectives, having a consistent review, test, and feedback process should not be overlooked. Once new pages are available from the web design firm, review and provide timely feedback to ensure the project stays on track. Testing new graphics, navigation, links, and functionality early in the update will yield the best results for improvements. Don’t rush through this process—allocating proper time to test new features, functionalities, and design elements will help resolve issues before they impact customers or other users.
Implement Changes Gradually
If the website update involves significant changes, consider implementing them gradually. This minimizes disruptions and allows the company and web design firm to address problems as they arise. Incremental updates also make it easier to pinpoint the causes of issues.
Successful website updates require careful planning, communication, and attention to detail. After any project, it’s wise to conduct a postmortem. Website updates are no different. Take time to review the process and discuss issues that arose. Tracking these elements can help guide future updates.
By following these best practices, companies can ensure a smooth website update that improves the site’s performance and the experience for customers and stakeholders. Remember that website management is an ongoing process, and conducting ongoing reviews is key to maintaining a strong brand identity.
For more guidance on website updates, check out our post, Navigating the Digital Landscape: How PR Firms Can Help with Website Reviews and Updates.
A recent Axios article highlighted the role of Gen Z in the push to promote mental health support and communications in the workplace. Amid the rise of stress, anxiety, and depression in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has become an increasingly important issue.
Mental health has become a crucial part of a healthy and productive work environment. According to a recent Deloitte survey, younger generations, particularly Gen Z, consider mental health support and policies very important when choosing an employer. In fact, 80% of millennial and Gen Z applicants heavily weigh an organization’s mental health support and policies.
So why does Gen Z advocate for open and supportive conversations about mental health in the workplace? Below are a few reasons why mental health is so important to the younger workforce and can be a boon to an organization as a whole.
- Increased Productivity – When employees feel safe discussing their mental health concerns, they are more likely to seek help. This, in turn, helps them stay focused and engaged in their work, ultimately improving their performance.
- Reduced Stigma – Encouraging open conversations about mental health can help reduce its stigma. Employees may be less hesitant to seek assistance or share their experiences when they know their colleagues and superiors are supportive and non-judgmental. Reducing stigma can create a more inclusive and understanding work environment.
- Enhanced Employee Retention – Companies prioritizing mental health communication tend to have higher employee retention rates. When employees feel that an organization values their well-being, they are more likely to remain loyal. Retaining talent can save companies significant recruitment and training costs.
- Legal and Ethical Responsibility – Many countries have implemented laws and regulations to protect employees’ mental health rights. Employers have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide a safe and supportive work environment. Promoting mental health communication helps organizations fulfill these obligations.
What can organizations do to support mental health in the workplace? A 2019 nationwide employee survey in Mind Share Partners found that employees want trainings and more easily accessible information about how to access mental health support. Kantola Training Solutions, an eLearning company focused on diversity, equity, & inclusion and harassment prevention, develops immersive learning experiences that support a company’s DEI goals.
Fostering open and supportive communication about mental health is more critical than ever. Gen Z’s support for this cause is a testament to the changing workplace landscape. Their commitment to mental health in the workplace highlights the need for a collective effort to create a more inclusive, understanding, and healthier work environment for all generations.
Learn more about DEI in the workplace from Kantola:
- Risk Management, How to Create Greater DEI Accountability, 4/3/2023
- EIN News, New Training Aims at Helping Organizations Make Meaningful DEI Change, 4/19/2023
- HR Daily Advisor, The DEI Journey—5 Stages of Progress, 6/6/2023
- Chief Learning Officer, Practical, powerful employee education: How interactivity supports greater learning online, 7/31/2023
Check out our other blog on Gen Z communications:
In today’s marketplace, rolling out a successful initial public offering (IPO) or becoming an attractive acquisition target requires meticulous planning, preparation, and strategic communication. Strategic public relations can be crucial to successfully positioning your company for these milestones, but that journey begins years in advance.
In our current economy, there is a tendency to focus more on the present than the future. Investing in public relations during depressed valuations is a calculated move that can yield substantial benefits once markets recover. However, with the ongoing economic climate and pressure to cut costs, some organizations are pulling back on public relations and marketing activities.
This could be a fundamental mistake.
According to a study by Cision, “in times of uncertainty, companies that continue to clearly communicate their strategic priorities, and progress against them, will have stronger brand reputations than those that do not.” Cision’s analysis showed that manufacturers that “consistently communicated progress against its strategic objectives (e.g., product launches, cost restructuring) exited the recession with a much stronger corporate brand image than when entering the recession.”
Maintaining consistent and transparent communication during tough times is vital. It instills confidence and trust in leadership, which may prove invaluable when seeking capital or considering an acquisition or IPO in more favorable market conditions. In essence, investing in PR when valuations are down is an investment in the future, ensuring that the company is well-prepared and perceived positively when the opportunity for a liquidity event arises in more favorable market conditions.
Set the Stage for Success
Before embarking on the path to IPO or acquisition, it’s essential to understand your company’s long-term goals. What do you want to achieve? Do you aim to grow your business, increase market share, or diversify your offerings? Once you have a clear vision, it’s crucial to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with stakeholders and potential investors. Identify your target audiences and build key messaging that reenforces your company’s mission and values.
Establish Thought Leadership
Establishing thought leadership in your industry can help position your company as a successful, trustworthy business, one that hold potential as an IPO or acquisition candidate. Valuable content showcases your expertise and provides insights into industry trends. You can leverage your industry expertise by speaking at conferences, participating in webinars, and publishing articles in reputable publications. Building strong relationships with key industry players can boost your credibility and reputation.
Cultivate Positive Media Relationships
Positive media coverage can significantly influence public perception. Develop strong relationships with journalists and media outlets. Be proactive in sharing company news and achievements. In times of crisis, handle media communications effectively to maintain a positive image. Building these relationships years in advance will ensure you have a platform to communicate your success when your company is ready for an IPO or acquisition move.
Leverage Social Media and Digital Presence
An online presence is critical for brand building. Social media platforms are important ways to engage your audience, share achievements, and tell your brand’s story. Effective online reputation management is key. Craft compelling narratives and use digital channels to create a consistent and positive image of your company that position it favorably for an acquisition or IPO.
Build Trust and Credibility
Trust is the cornerstone of successful IPOs and acquisitions. Encourage authenticity in your communications. Regularly update your shareholders and stakeholders about your company’s progress. Share success stories and milestones to demonstrate your commitment to success. Effectively managing investor relations builds trust and confidence in your business.
Conclusion
The journey to an IPO or acquisition can be long and challenging, but you can pave the way for success with strategic communication. Start early and stay committed to excellence in PR. Building a positive image, showcasing successful execution, and earning trust from your target audiences are crucial elements in positioning your company for a prosperous future. Embrace the power of strategic PR, and your company could be on the path to remarkable growth and success.
In early October, our client Acumatica released its latest product update, 2023 R2. These updates occur twice a year and deliver hundreds of improvements and feature-rich functionality to users.
Acumatica is designed explicitly to enable small and mid-market companies to thrive in today’s digital economy. But Acumatica is more than just a product—it’s a thriving community of partners, customers and creators redefining business software and building the future of business together.
This means Acumatica prioritizes customer feedback to inform its product roadmap. Acumatica is keenly focused on evolving its product with the latest innovations and technologies while addressing the specific, real-world needs of its customers. Product updates are based on real input from its customer base.
Ali Jani, chief product offer of Acumatica, said, “With customer feedback, we can ensure our solution provides organizations with the intelligence and agility to meet their unique challenges. Our diverse community of partners, customers and creators is driven to discover better ways to work. … This collaborative effort enables us to continue delivering cutting-edge solutions that address current needs and anticipate and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape.”
What’s unique about 2023 R2?
- Acumatica Payments, an integrated payment processing solution. The new capability helps businesses enhance cash flow and streamline payment processes by providing credit card and ACH processing with improved reconciliation, mobile portal payments, click-to-pay, and gift cards.
- Access to the world’s largest sales channel by connecting Acumatica to Amazon’s Seller Central marketplace, supporting FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) and MFN (Merchant Fulfilled Network) delivery models.
- Shopify’s new B2B eCommerce functionalities, with support for key features such as customer hierarchies and customer price tiers to seamlessly integrate online sales with Acumatica’s back-end fulfillment processes.
- New web endpoints for Acumatica’s Product Configurator, enabling manufacturers to leverage best-in-class, built-to-order, third-party solutions.
- A highly requested consolidated account reconciliation retainage invoicing feature, which improves project visibility for construction companies.
- A new Manage Sales Allocations screen, which streamlines mass stock allocation and deallocation for distributors, retailers, and commerce merchants.
Acumatica also added several vertical-specific features. Taken from Acumatica’s website, features include:
Distributors, Retailers and Commerce Merchants:
- Capabilities that enable reviewing estimated margin percent and amount calculations during order creation for an entire order and individual line items.
- Features that optionally exclude automatic line discounts, such as volume discounts from order lines for a particular price.
Manufacturers:
- A new user role and the option to lock production order status, which will improve manufacturing cost control and streamline implementation and setup for cost accountants.
- The Acumatica DeviceHub service, which includes automation schedules and predefined printer settings to simplify product order ticket printing.
Contractors and Service Organizations:
- Side panel access for multiple business document maintenance screens that improves end-user navigation.
- Capabilities that enable deactivating cost codes that are no longer used in projects. Once deactivated, the cost codes become unavailable but remain specified in documents so users can continue working.
- Capabilities that support reviewing outstanding AR aging documents and their unreleased retainage for a particular date.
See the full announcement here: Acumatica Upgrades Business Functionality Across Industries with Launch of Latest Product Update.
Part of our communications strategy for 2023 R2 included inviting media and analysts to participate in a roundtable discussion with Acumatica executives. The roundtable took place the week before the product launch and gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions about the details of the release and its impact on users and the broader industry. These efforts continued our focus on building relationships with analysts and media on Acumatica’s behalf.
The announcement has resulted in the below coverage. We anticipate more coverage in the future.
Editorial Coverage
- CPA Practice Advisor – Acumatica Upgrades Business Functionality with Launch of Latest Product Update – 10/5/2023
- ERP Global Insights – ACUMATICA RELEASES PAYMENTS – 10/5/2023
- Solutions Review – Top WorkTech News From the Week of October 6th: Updates from Acumatica, QAD, Infor, and More – 10/6/2023
- Accounting Today – Tech News: FreshBooks rolls out “Collaborative Accounting” – 10/6/2023
- Enterprise Times – ERP news from the week beginning 2nd October 2023 – 10/9/2023
- The 2023 R2 announcement was selected as Steve Books’ “Pick of the week.”
Congrats to the Acumatica team for another successful product launch!
When we think of the NFL, we envision the electric atmosphere of game day, the roar of the crowd, and the thrill of watching your favorite team. Beyond the games, though, the NFL is a sports and social media powerhouse, setting a high bar for audience engagement.
In this post, we’ll explore what public relations professionals can learn from the NFL’s unparalleled expertise in engaging audiences.
Lesson One: Know Your Audience
Understanding the diversity of the NFL fan base is essential.
With millions of fans spanning various demographics and psychographics, the NFL prioritizes creating tailored marketing content and experiences for specific audience segments, varying from location to age and gender. For instance, the NFL Women’s Summit is geared toward women, while the recent Toy Story dress-up campaign appealed to Gen Z and Gen Alpha fans. This personalization fosters a deeper fan connection, as it recognizes their specific preferences and interests.
Public relations professionals should take a page from the NFL’s playbook. A multi-faceted approach to analyzing target audiences can help them understand which messages and content resonate with each sector. They can use this understanding to craft tailored PR strategies to entice target readers.
Lesson Two: Leverage Social Media
The NFL shines in engaging fans through social media platforms. They effectively use X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to leverage cultural trends and current events to capture fans’ attention.
From player updates to memes to nods to pop culture, the NFL’s social media strategies provide a blueprint for PR professionals looking to build brand loyalty and expand their reach.
Lesson Three: Master the Art of Storytelling
The NFL is known for creating emotional connections with fans. For instance, the “Football is Family” campaign used storytelling to emphasize bonds formed through football. By highlighting the personal stories of players and fans, the league demonstrates how football brings people together, becomes an integral part of their lives, and fosters emotional connections.
PR pros can use this storytelling strategy to pull on the heartstrings of target audiences. For example, they can develop testimonials highlighting how clients have impacted their customers beyond dollars and cents.
Lesson Four: Utilize Analytics and Data for Continuous Improvement
Data and analytics are at the heart of the NFL’s success. Teams use data analysis not only to understand fan preferences and behaviors but also to inform business operations.
PR professionals should identify key performance metrics to track their performance. By measuring quantifiable results such as share of voice and audience reach, they can demonstrate the tangible impact of their efforts, driving continuous improvement in PR strategies.
The NFL’s success with audience engagement offers insights for PR professionals seeking to connect with their own audiences in meaningful ways. By understanding their audience, effectively leveraging social media, understanding storytelling, and employing data-driven strategies, businesses can take their PR game to the next level.
As the NFL continues to set the standard for audience engagement, PR pros who embrace these lessons will be better equipped to drive results for clients. The impact of the NFL’s audience engagement strategies will continue to serve as an example of effective strategies that ensure that fans remain at the heart of the game, from tailgates to touchdowns.