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.
As PR professionals, our success hinges on getting buy-in from clients on our ideas. Without clients’ approval to execute our strategies, we cannot drive results. But getting buy-in can be challenging, particularly if your idea is out-of-the-box. Kodak, for example, chose not to pursue digital cameras after the first one was developed in their lab because they didn’t think it could become better than film and therefore didn’t see it as a good investment.
In order for a client to sign off on an innovative idea, you must develop a strong case to support and sell it. Below are four tips to help you successfully pitch your ideas and gain your client’s approval.
Explain how it helps achieve their goals. When presenting a new idea, you must help your client understand how it will help achieve their overall business and communication objectives. When presenting your idea, be sure to clearly outline your plan for execution, a proposed budget, and an anticipated return on investment. For example, if you propose that your client should invest in a co-branded whitepaper, your presentation should include how much the whitepaper will cost, a summary of the anticipated results, and how those results will help move the needle for your client.
Show examples of success. Back up your argument by showing how this strategy has been executed successfully in the past. Your client will feel much more confident investing in your idea if they see that a similar strategy drove stellar results for another company. If you’re proposing something new that hasn’t been done before, do some research to prove your idea will work. Look for evidence in industry research, information from credible external sources and relevant case studies that support your claims.
Appeal to all stakeholders. Oftentimes, there are multiple stakeholders within an organization who must sign off on your proposal before you can move forward. It is important to understand who those stakeholders are and where their priorities lie so you can ensure your proposal addresses the needs and concerns of everyone involved in the decision-making process. If your client’s marketing director and VP of product development fully support your idea but the CEO isn’t on board, it will not come to fruition.
Encourage collaboration. Make it clear that your proposal is a work in progress and you want your client’s feedback to make it as strong as possible. Collaborating with your client on your proposal will give them a sense of ownership and make them feel more invested in the idea. They will also feel more comfortable committing to a proposal if they know they can work with you to change certain elements so it better suits their needs and preferences.
Getting buy-in from clients can be challenging at first, but if you communicate your ideas effectively and prove that your ideas drive results, over time the process will become much easier.
Many companies implement PR campaigns to drive awareness of their products and services with the goal of reaching buyers. Earned media can be a wonderful way to attract and motivate buyers to visit your web site, research your product, or sign up for a trial. Earned media can help you drive more top-of-funnel activity for your company or client.
As lead scoring within CRM and marketing automation solutions becomes more sophisticated, the PR professional should take a few minutes to become familiar with it. As every good sales person knows, not all leads are equal. PR people need to understand the general concepts of lead scoring as it might inform decisions about campaigns and help them be more effective.
For instance, if I know that my client wants to reach owners of privately held independent insurance firms selling property and casualty insurance with revenues of $20 million in the Midwest, I am going to design and implement a very different PR campaign than if the goal is reaching providers of health insurance with revenues in the billions. Lead scoring can help you hone in on the prospective buyers your campaign should reach.
The first step in understanding lead scoring is to become familiar with the terminology. You will want to understand the difference between lead scoring and grading, how rules-based lead scoring differs from predictive lead scoring, as well as the meaning of a few other key terms. Let us begin.
Lead Scoring. According to Melissa Day, senior consultant with SmartAcre, a demand generation agency, lead scoring is the process of assigning a numerical value to a potential buyer based on his or her behavior. For instance, if a potential buyer watches three videos on your website, your marketing automation software might assign a particular score to her. That score is likely to be higher than that of the prospective buyer who watches only one video. Behavior-based scores might be assigned to things like number of live-streamed events watched, surveys completed, tradeshow visits, or web searches.
Lead Grading. This is the process of grading the buyer based on a demographic profile. Common company-specific demographic data used in lead grading are annual revenue, number of employees, and geographic location. Some people also use individual-specific demographic scoring rules based on a person’s title, role, purchasing authority or other attributes.
Rules-Based Lead Scoring. This is the process in which you or software assigns a ranking or score based on a prospect’s behavior, demographic profile, or some combination of behavior and demographic data. You or your software might assign a numerical score, or use rankings like “hot,” “warm” or “cold.”
Predictive-Lead Scoring. Some experts believe predictive-lead scoring will replace rules-based lead scoring. Predictive-lead scoring is the advance process of using machine learning to combine and analyze much larger data sets to identify buyers. According to Valerie Levin, this is “even more accurate than basic [rules-based] lead scoring, because of its correlation between patterns discovered in both a company’s first-party data and general third-party trends.” Other experts believe that they initially will use predictive-lead scoring to identify buyers, however, once those buyers have embarked on their journey and are in the funnel, the sales team will leverage rules-based scoring to nurture them along.
A number of companies have developed specialized predictive-lead scoring software. For instance, Versium Predict which is used by Microsoft Dynamics 363 allows users to leverage predictive lead scoring with Dynamics so sales and marketing teams can build predictive models, score leads and enhance their lead data. Dynamics CRM administrators can download Versium Predict from the Microsoft preferred provider solution site.
“By automating the predictive analytics process and leveraging our LifeData®, Versium Predict removes the dependencies on data science professionals and turns Dynamics into one of the most intelligent CRM solutions in the industry,” said Chris Matty, founder and CEO of Versium. “Initial feedback has been very positive and we are looking forward to announcing additional integrations soon.”
Negative Scores. Some lead scoring systems assign negative scores for actions like unsubscribing to an email, not visiting the website for an extended period, or complaining about spam. Negative scores can be helpful to sales and marketers and can eliminate them wasting time on low-probability-of-conversion leads.
For more on lead scoring, I recommend looking at this blog from SmartAcre. They have a nifty chart that breaks down how to combine grades and scores to determine if the buyer needs more engagement, is ready for a sale, is not a good fit, or should try another product.
For more information on Versium Predict, please check out our blog with links to additional articles.
Finally, I if you are designing your own rules-based lead grading and scoring system, I highly recommend download Marketo’s “Big List of Lead Scoring Rules.” In it, they have listed more than 50 explicit scores and more than 200 implicit scores to help you come up with the right rules for your leads. You can download this guide here.
It’s no question that social media has become second nature for individuals, especially young adults, across the country. Today, people depend on social media for personal interactions, business communications and as a resource for news and live updates happening around the world.
In recent months social media as a credible news source has become a heated discussion. With fake news and Twitter-bullying clogging headlines, it is clear that social media is taking a larger role in the news media landscape, for better or worse.
Further, the 2016 Pew Research report titled, The Modern News Consumer, evaluates the influences that new digital sources have on how people consume news, revealing that the public is overwhelmingly moving into a more complex and diverse news environment. The report shares that 81 percent of Americans get at least some of their news from digital sources such as websites, apps and social networking platforms. Moreover, among the massive number of people who access digital news, more than half prefer to access news via mobile devices than on their desktop computers.
Although many have turned to digital sources, the recent events around fake news reporting, coupled with Americans’ longtime reliance on traditional news organizations, reinforce the Pew report’s conclusion that ”the digital news era is still very much in its adolescence.”
While social media as a news source remains in trial-and-error mode, a large number of media consumers are currently active in this digital environment and depend upon social platforms for their personal and business interactions.
The infographic, 115 Facts You Never Knew about Social Media developed by Skilled.co, shares facts that illustrate just how quickly social media is becoming an integral part of daily life. In particular, several sections of the infographic outline key benefits of social media for businesses including, “How Social Media Influences Purchasing Decisions, Which Social Media Provides the Best ROI, How Social Media Helps with Recruiting and Best Time To Post on Social Media.”
I hope this infographic provides incentive for incorporating social media offerings into businesses and inspires you to update your current posting habits to best connect with your key audiences.
Listen up, kids. It was a grim and archaic time before the days of “The Google.”
Over the holidays, I was reminiscing about the days of looking things up in actual encyclopedias or, even more tragically, having to sit through an entire movie without the ability to pause and search for where we had seen “that guy from that show we saw that one time.”
The fact is, search engines are critical – not just for researching supporting actors in Hallmark Christmas movies but for making sure your press release and your business in general is easy to find online.
Below are some best practices to consider when developing an announcement that can help ensure better search engine optimization.
Consider keyword quality versus quantity. Search engines are dramatically more intelligent than they were 20 years ago – packing a press release with keywords doesn’t ensure better search engine placement. It makes the text cumbersome and difficult to read (at best), turning it into inauthentic spam (at worst). Further, over-reliance on keywords can even get a website banned or penalized from search engine rankings.
In a fantastic article about keyword density, Forbes contributor Jayson DeMers notes that keywords will always matter to an extent, however “as search engines have become more sophisticated, they have started putting far less emphasis on specific keywords, and more emphasis on the meaning or intent behind those keywords.” DeMers uses the example that by using the phrase “wedding cake” on a page, it’s possible that it could be ranked for “bridal bakery,” despite never using those specific words on the page.
Remember your target audience is human (we hope), so you should write your announcement the way that actual humans speak and read, rather than for search engine algorithms. Reusing a keyword or phrase in 20 different ways through a press release is irritating and off-putting; readers will see through it and likely not search for your content a second time.
Likewise, consider the phrases and words that your target (again, human) audience might use when searching for your announcement (or company/product). Those terms have also gotten more conversational and contextual.
Update, refresh and make over your keywords. It’s also important to continually be researching new keywords for your press releases and other online content. The tech industry is constantly creating new products and categories, which leads to new terminology, keywords and hashtags for your related content. Julian Connors, in an article for Search Engine Land, suggests using resources such as Soovle and Google Keyword Planner to identify new keywords that your target audiences might use “when searching for products or services your brand offers.”
Keep your hashtags fresh as well, since tweets appear in Google’s search results thanks to a 2015 partnership between Google and Twitter. Columnist Neil Patel, in writing about the partnership, noted that “Google is about all about information — and preferably timely information. Twitter gets timely. Users aren’t satisfied with the information that is four hours old. They want information that is four seconds fresh.”
It takes a village: Support your news with original content and resources. Keywords are important, but consider them as only one part of the equation in getting your announcement ranked and posted on search engines.
When writing your press release, provide links to external sources such as analyst firms, industry reports or supporting articles. Leveraging third-party perspectives and linking to additional resources makes your release more credible. As Maureen Jann writes in her article, “How to Apply SEO Best Practices to the News Release,” “High quality backlinks from respected news outlets are looked at by search engines as part of the scoring module which helps them rank the trustworthiness and authority of your site, and ultimately your viability as a business.”
DeMers also offers this sound advice: “Instead of spending your time thinking about how to strategically incorporate keywords, focus on covering a variety of subtopics while providing the best possible value for your readers. When you write excellent content that does the best possible job covering your topic, that’s the key to high rankings.”
To this end, create a landing page for your press release that incorporates additional resources such as video, photos, infographics, white papers and product sheets. Link to a post on the corporate blog providing some colorful commentary about the news beyond what was included in the official press release. Having a range of supporting materials and resources posted online helps with search, and it also benefits reporters and bloggers looking to cover your news by giving them a convenient and easy way to find information about your company and its new announcements.
I hope these tips are helpful as you continue building your PR and SEO strategies in the year ahead. Are there other tips you would include that have helped your business with search engine rankings? We’d love to hear about them!
There’s nothing like the beginning of a new year to help reenergize you and put you on a path of optimism and renewed focus. The promise of a fresh start is intoxicating and each year it inspires more than 40 percent of Americans to resolve to <insert your personal or professional goal here>.
Turns out while almost half of us won’t hesitate to pledge our earnest efforts toward turning over a new leaf, getting organized or eating better, only 8 percent of us actually succeed at our resolutions. If you think about it, it’s disheartening that 92 percent of us who start out with the best intentions will wind up failing – 25 percent after the first week. (Unless of course, you own a gym, in which case your business model thrives on us weak-willed individuals and I imagine you are doing exactly this right now.)
I say let’s make a resolution to achieve our resolutions this year. Blast Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” or your motivational song of choice and read on for our team’s tips to become a real “goal-getter” and join that elite 8 percent:
Write your goals down. I find committing my goals to paper keeps them top-of-mind, especially on days when I need an extra boost of motivation. It’s particularly rewarding to be able to go back and review those goals later on and reflect on how I accomplished them. – Beth, Account Manager
Break it down to baby steps. The overall goal may seem overwhelming or unattainable; however, if I can break it down into actionable, steps I usually find it is less overwhelming and provides mini-victories to keep me motivated/inspired along the way. – Colleen, Partner
Develop a plan and stick to it. The only times I’ve been successful in keeping to my New Year’s resolution is when I developed a detailed plan of actions I needed to take in order to achieve my objective. This includes building out full timelines for activities and holding myself accountable to complete the tasks on time. I’ll also often recruit my wife to help keep me accountable – I find that having a third-party around to keep tabs on my progress motivates me to achieve my objective…not to mention the fact that I don’t want to disappoint my wife! – Alec, Account Manager
Make the goal meaningful. While it’s easy for me to tell myself to eat healthier, I’m more likely to accomplish my goal when I consider its implications – e.g., longer life, feeling better, setting an example for my son, Finn, etc. – Molly, Account Manager
Failure is not a (mental) option. Right now I am training for another half-marathon and since I had a rocky experience with my first one, I am nervous that it could happen again. When I’m training, instead of letting myself worry about failing, I tell myself “I can do it.” I’m also practicing this at work, making sure not to let nerves affect my performance and accepting constructive criticism to help me grow in my career. Keeping my positivity and confidence high gives me a much better chance of achieving my goals. – AnnMarie, Assistant Account Executive
Put down the champagne to set realistic goals. My first piece of advice is to not make any resolutions on New Year’s Eve when you’ve been drinking. It’s best to write them down when you have a clear mind so you can make sure they’re realistic. Also, I think when people fixate on the outcome and don’t enjoy the process along the way, that’s when the goal becomes really overwhelming and they give up. – Jennifer, Partner
My final piece of advice is to make sure you’re passionate and excited about whatever your goal may be, because otherwise it’s not worth pursuing.
What resolutions have you made? Do you have any tips on how to set/accomplish goals?
As we come to the end of another year, we like to look back on the accomplishments of the past 12 months. Communiqué PR and our clients have much to celebrate as we close out 2016. Below we have noted just a few of the reasons we and our partners will be popping a cork, or 13 (as we are wrapping up our 13th year in business), at year’s end!
Flowroute’s CEO and founder Bayan Towfiq was named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” listing, for his entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build software that changes the way enterprises communicate.
The International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers (IABM) presented Dell EMC with the 2016 Game Changer Award in the storage category for its Isilon CloudPools and Isilon SD Edge, solutions which help media organizations integrate cloud storage into their current workflows and easily enable new remote office productions.
Communiqué PR Account Managers Molly Strong and Beth Mayer co-presented in an undergraduate marketing class at the University of Washington on “Earned, Owned and Paid Media.”
We started working with Interroll, which announced the U.S. debut of its MSC 50 at PACK EXPO.
Adding to a memorable election year, Democracy Live, the nation’s leading cloud-balloting technology firm, released LiveBallot to provide every U.S. voter with access to his/her ballot ahead of Election Day.
Spaceflight Industries continued its mission to enable timely and affordable access to space while redefining how we observe our planet in real time. We helped secure coverage around the company raising $18 million in funding and acquiring OpenWhere and announcing agreements with the federal government, Google’s Terra Bella, SpaceX and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Additionally, the company announced the successful launch of its BlackSky Pathfinder-1 and released the first images captured by the satellite.
We enjoyed a particular fondness and pride in working with Bank of America on a project to create Safe Places in our city.
A Place for Mom, the nation’s largest senior living referral service, released a series of reports highlighting national data on the cost of senior living, the amount of time it takes to find housing for aging loved ones, and the impact that a senior living transition has on senior and caregiver quality of life. APFM also created the VA Benefits & Long-Term Care eBook to spread awareness about and guide families through the process of applying for the Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension.
Delta-Q, a leading supplier of battery-charging solutions, announced its Lithium Charger Development Kit at the 2016 The Battery Show, driving 13 articles in relevant trade publications including Material Handling Wholesaler, Energy Storage Journal and others.
Cape Productions, a drone video service, received the first-ever Section 333 exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration for a consumer drone service, driving coverage in outlets such as USA Today, Fortune and Fast Company.
Rational Interaction, a full-service digital agency and business consultancy, announced the addition of Alison Tintle as its new executive creator. Rational also issued a report on social customer care, which garnered coverage in Adweek, CIO and Forbes.
The Communiqué PR blog was also recognized as one of the top 100 PR blogs on the planet – earning its place as #21 on a list that includes some wonderful PR resources. We are honored!
We also are thankful to work with such an amazing group of people. During the year we took time to celebrate our team and have some fun together. We look forward to more fun with our team in 2017.
Communiqué PR wishes all of you a new year filled with optimism, opportunity and success. While none of us may be able to predict the future, one thing you can rely on is that Communiqué PR will remain dedicated to building meaningful collaborations with our clients and true to our core value of smart, focused, success-driven service in a fast-changing world.