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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.

Acumatica Sponsors Distinguished NASCAR Team

Image provided by Acumatica/Joe Gibbs Racing

Recently, our client Acumatica announced it was headed back to the race track through another sponsorship. The cloud ERP provider sponsored Joe Gibbs Racing‘s (JGR) No. 11 Toyota Camry TRD, piloted by Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 11.

JGR is a top-performing American professional stock car racing organization that has amassed five Cup Series championships since 2000. Throughout the 2022 season, JGR has established itself as an elite NASCAR racing team, with three drivers qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Hamlin’s list of career accomplishments is impressive, placing him among the sport’s greatest drivers of all time. He is a three-time Daytona 500 winner, 48-time Cup Series winner, and 15-time NASCAR Playoffs qualifier. Hamlin earned the title of Rookie of the Year in 2006 and is the longest-tenured driver at JGR.

Of the sponsorship, Acumatica CEO John Case said, “We’re honored to be associated with championship teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and prominent drivers like Denny Hamlin, who are known for their impressive performances on the racetrack. Performance is a value that’s central to our mission. We empower businesses with our high-performance solutions that adapt to today’s evolving market demands. Our sponsorship allows us to connect NASCAR’s fan base with competitive, cutting-edge technologies.”

Joe Gibbs, owner of JGR, said Acumatica is “an ideal sponsor for JGR given our shared commitment to performance and teamwork. We look forward to having them join us in Kansas and building what will surely become a winning relationship.”

See the full announcement here: Acumatica Sponsors Distinguished NASCAR Team in its Race to the Finish Line at Kansas Speedway

The exciting announcement has resulted the below coverage and social media buzz.

Congrats to the Acumatica team for this exciting announcement and to Denny Hamlin on the second-place finish!

Editorial Coverage

Social Media Buzz

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Achieving Greatness Through Empathy

Insights from Greg Hoffman’s “Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike”

There is no corporate branding more recognizable than Nike’s. The iconic swoosh. “Just Do It.” The eye-catching orange boxes. For decades, Nike has led the way in innovative consumer marketing. Highlights include:

  • Michael Jordan’s “Wings” poster, showcasing the superstar’s impressive wingspan
  • Colin Kaepernick’s “Believe in Something” ad, addressing Kaepernick’s sacrifices for civil rights
  • The “Find Your Greatness” campaign, proving that everyone is capable of greatness

How does Nike do it? What goes into developing these unforgettable marketing campaigns? That’s what former Chief Marketing Officer Greg Hoffman sets out to answer in his book, “Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike.”

Marketing may seem like a different ball game than public relations, but Hoffman’s book provides lessons for all communicators. Everyone is capable of greatness, and everyone is capable of creativity.

“Emotion by Design” delves into Hoffman’s journey at Nike and the insight he gained developing initiatives such as “The Last Game,” “Crossbar” and “The Man Who Kept Running.” If you haven’t seen these, I recommend you head to YouTube ASAP.

Hoffman’s central message is that we are all capable of using creativity and empathy to forge meaningful relationships with our audiences. According to Hoffman, “a brand gains a competitive advantage through its ability to construct powerful emotional bonds with its consumers.”

While I wish I could discuss the entire book in detail, I’ll have to settle for sharing seven key takeaways from Hoffman’s “playbook for unleashing creativity.”

1: Creativity is a Team Sport

No one can go it alone. Even athletes like Serena Williams and Tiger Woods have teams of people helping them succeed. Organizations should collaborate with a diverse range of voices to create meaningful messaging. Communicators, too, should seek new experiences to understand the world.

2: Never Play it Safe, Play to Win

Taking risks is vital. While the status quo may keep things straightforward, taking “big, innovative swings” in the idea department is how you lead the pack. Develop a working environment that fosters creativity and free-thinking, and you’ll be surprised at what your team can develop.

3: Game Face for Greatness

Consistent branding allows organizations to remain salient to stakeholders. Organizations and the people who communicate for them should focus on creating strong, stylistic and layered branding to draw in audiences and keep them hooked. Not everyone can have the global recognizability of “Just Do It,” but your target audience should know who you are and what you stand for.

4: Dare to be Remembered

Communicate authentically and openly. Audiences want to feel connected to an organization, and we can do that by sharing ourselves in our communications. Be relatable. Listen to your stakeholders. When an organization has a deep understanding of the lives of its customers, it is better able to serve them. Hoffman says, “worry less about how people feel about us and more about how we make them feel about themselves.”

5: Don’t Chase Cool

In a media landscape ruled by a constant stream of TikTok trends, be an individual. Hold tight to what makes your organization unique, then find ways to merge your message with “cultural currents” like art, music and even sports. A successful organization can remain relevant in the face of changing culture while also staying authentic.

6: Spark a Movement

Be “audacious” in the pursuit of communicating with stakeholders. You don’t need to be at the forefront of a social justice initiative to create a movement. You can listen to stakeholders and give them a sense of community and empowerment. We all want to be part of something bigger.

7: Close the Distance

Prepare to be uncomfortable. Organizations should take time to understand their stakeholders and their needs. Ask questions, listen to feedback and improve. Serving your stakeholders means including them in decisions. Organizations should also empower workers to provide diverse perspectives during decision making. Bringing together the perspectives of employees and customers allows an organization to communicate a more well-rounded message.

Hoffman’s book is a must-read for all creatives, from public relations to graphic design. Not only do you get a glimpse into the inner workings of Nike’s marketing operations (like how they got Kevin Hart on a treadmill in the middle of LA traffic), but you also get to learn how to merge empathy and creativity into your work environment. Once you and your team can do this, the possibilities for greatness are unlimited.

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Best practices for internalizing feedback

The COVID-19 pandemic and increased popularity of remote work have put professional coaching and employee development on the back burner. Employees need performance feedback now more than ever. As workers look for ways to improve, it is essential for them to maximize the impact of feedback.

Here are five best practices when practicing internalizing feedback.

Explicitly seek feedback. The first step in utilizing feedback is securing it; the best way to start receiving feedback is to seek it proactively. Asking your colleagues “what can I do better?” opens a dialogue for ways to improve your work.

Sixty percent of employees report that they want feedback on a daily or weekly basis. However, you should ask for the feedback you need. Communicating that you are open to feedback sets the expectation that you are committed to growth. Feedback is the foundation of development, and actively seeking feedback can help to build that foundation.

Create a master document of common feedback. We often find ourselves making the same mistakes out of habit. To become more aware of these patterns, consider building a master document of feedback you’ve received to track areas in which you could improve.

Before sharing a project with a manager, review this document to address mistakes you tend to repeat. Seeing feedback in your own words can help better translate the feedback into action items in a way that makes the most sense to you.

Ask specific follow-up questions. If you receive a piece of feedback and you aren’t certain about the best way to address it, ask follow-up questions. Requesting clarification or additional guidance shows that you are coachable. Asking these questions helps ensure expectations for your development are clear.

Give yourself credit for compliments. Feedback isn’t always negative. Often, it takes the form of praise or positive reinforcement. When you receive compliments, be gracious and allow yourself to feel good about your improvement. Instead of deflecting the compliments, learn to absorb them. Celebrating your progress helps prevent burnout and provides an incentive to continue growing.

Invest time in a mentor-mentee relationship. Developing a relationship with an individual dedicated to providing professional advice is highly beneficial. With a mentor-mentee relationship, you have an accountability partner who offers constructive criticism, encouragement and guidance based on their personal experiences. However, be sure to show your mentor that you value their time and counsel by being the best mentee you can be.

Take advantage of a mentor by scheduling regular check-ins. In these meetings you can openly discuss your performance, ask pressing questions and volunteer for more challenging work.

As a professional, you should always be looking to invest in your development. This often happens through the internalization and application of feedback from colleagues, mentors and managers. Using feedback intentionally helps you take control of your development and demonstrate your commitment to improving.

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2022 YTD PR Results for Kantola

It’s incredible to see how many publications today focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

While I haven’t done a comprehensive review of mid-1990s or 2000s content, I don’t remember past editors and reporters consistently covering these workplace issues. Today, however, a wide range of outlets are interested in writing about this subject, often to educate leaders, managers, and individuals on how their behavior can impact culture, tenure, recruiting and more.

Consider Harvard Business Review. Their first online menu tab is devoted to diversity. HBR features this content before anything else, including the latest news, its magazine and podcast content, online store and other highlighted sections.

They also regularly cover diversity in HBR magazine. For example, my September-October 2022 issue arrived yesterday with a feature on dismantling systematic inequities via authentic personal relationships, which I’m looking forward to reading.

I’m also very proud of our work with Kantola Training Solutions, a company committed to improving workplaces for everyone through its engaging and innovative online training solutions. More than 15,000 organizations have turned to Kantola for help.

In addition to providing excellent training, Kantola produces valuable content on topics such as understanding and addressing microaggressions, reshaping the employee experience, making the hybrid meeting more inclusive and a range of other thought-provoking topics.

Just take a look at the complete list of 2022 articles below:

  1. Talent Management, Understand and address microaggressions in the workplace, January 07, 2022
  2. HR.com, HR Trends for 2022 and Beyond, January 27, 2022
  3. HR.com, Talent Scarcity And Turnover: What’s The Solution?, February 17, 2022
  4. HR.com, Exclusive Interview with Sarah Rowell, CEO, Kantola Training Solutions, March 15, 2022
  5. HR.com, Storytelling and Inclusivity: The Power to Learn and Connect, March 16, 2022
  6. Risk Management Magazine, How to Strengthen Harassment Training and Improve Workplace Culture, April 01, 2022
  7. Training Magazine, Bystander Intervention: Culture Change Through Harassment Prevention, April 14, 2022
  8. Talent Management, Reshaping the employee experience to attract and retain talent, April 18, 2022
  9. Talent Management, How to make hybrid meetings more inclusive, May 05, 2022
  10. National Law Review, What Boards Need to Know About Harassment Prevention: Understanding and Managing the Risks, May 06, 2022
  11. Talent Management, Managers and their Unique DEI News, May 26, 2022
  12. HR.com, How To Find The Right Harassment Prevention Solution? June 01, 2022
  13. HR.com, The Missing DEI Strategy: Cultivating Inclusive Leadership, June 02, 2022
  14. HR Daily Advisor, What Does Equity Really Mean To Effective DEI?, July 08, 2022
  15. HR.com, 3 Must Haves For an Effective DEI Program, July 12, 2022
  16. Talent Management, Managers can make or break your DEI strategy: Here’s how to engage them in success, July 27, 2022
  17. VentureBeat, Diversity in Tech: Breaking through the barriers, July 28, 2022

If you’re interested in the articles from Kantola that editors previously published, please check out these two blog posts:

If you’re a journalist writing on this topic and would like to contact the team at Kantola, please let us know. They’d welcome the opportunity to answer questions or put you in touch with their leaders.

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Five Ways to Better Understand your Client’s Industry

A PR professional who fails to educate themselves about a client’s industry is like a ship captain with no map; you will find yourself going nowhere or steering in the wrong direction. Becoming an expert in your clients’ fields helps you see how you can add value. Understanding their industry will help you reach target audiences and help clients to stand out from their competitors.

I have been working on an insurance-related campaign for a client, and to ensure a deeper understanding of their wants and needs, I have been learning about the insurance industry. While immersing myself in a new industry, I have found five helpful tips to help get acclimated your client’s space.

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Do not underestimate the power of a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. According to Indeed.com, a SWOT analysis not only provides insights, but can help you better understand where a company stands amongst its competitors.

When conducting a SWOT analysis, do not just think broadly. Hone in on your client’s specific industry and where they stand within. While analyzing your client, you will become more familiar with their industry as you recognize where they shine and falter.

When conducting this research, ask yourself:

  • How does my client compare to competitors?
  • What sets my client apart?
  • What current industry trends apply to my client?
  • How can they demonstrate thought leadership relating to industry news?

Brainstorm how your client’s SWOT can power future PR deliverables by identifying strengths, tactically improving weaknesses, utilizing opportunities and preparing for threats.

Read Industry-Related Topics Daily

Dedicate an hour a day to reading industry news. This is an easy way to become more knowledgeable about the industry and familiar with key terminology, market dynamics and customer demands.

Reading in regular, small bites helps you to not get overwhelmed.  An hour a day will keep news at the forefront of your mind and allow you to review a wider variety of industry information. Lookout for competitor coverage, staying up to date on news from competitors will allow you to inform your client of what they should be focusing on to stay competitive. A daily reading practice also helps you identify newsjacking opportunities and relevant pitch topics/article ideas.

Stay Current with Industry Trends

Along with regularly reading industry content, pay attention to trends. For instance, insurance industry trends around insurtechs, digitization and customer experience are greatly impacting companies.

Seeing trends helps you understand the challenges your client may face, the changes they might need to make and the practices that might be successful.

Staying up to date on industry trends also helps you generate ideas for articles. How are you supposed to present your client as a thought leader if they are not commenting and sharing their opinion on the latest industry news cycles? Keeping up to speed with trends will help you strategically place your client within industry conversations.

Pinpoint Top Publications within the Industry

Returning to our ship analogy, what’s the point of crossing the sea without a destination? Industry publications serve as your landmarks, providing a sense of direction for article topics, audiences and publications.

Industry-specific publications, commonly referred to as trade publications, will provide insight into popular industry coverage, what competitors are talking about and information from some of the top thought leaders in that space. This lays out valuable industry information and reminds you of what publications you want your client featured in.

To find these publications, look online for posts that describe and rank these trade publications. You can also search these manually, differentiating the publications by their domain authority, audience reach and unique monthly visitors.

Familiarize Yourself with Industry Terminology

Effectively communicating with clients means understanding the language of their industries. This includes lingo, acronyms, phrases, jargon and other commonly used terminology. It may be challenging to pick up on this at first, but take note of any unfamiliar language and then research its meaning. PR practitioners are writing professionals; if you can’t speak and write like an industry insider, your work suffers.

When I began my work within the insurance industry (one in which I had no previous experience), I found myself confused by some of my client’s terms. So I took the time to research them, never assuming I knew something I was unsure of. By building my industry-specific vocabulary, I am better equipped to tailor pitches to trade publications using their own language, making me a vital asset to my client.

Becoming knowledgeable in your client’s industry can be research intensive and time consuming. It’s also necessary to produce meaningful results. Don’t leave your client lost at sea; take the time to understand their industry.

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Best Practices: Making the Most of Media Presence at Conferences

With conferences back in action, many companies are investing significant time and resources to participate in events again. As such, it’s important to do everything you can to maximize your organization’s presence.

Conferences are a great opportunity to network, meet with potential customers, and build thought leadership through speaking engagements. While most attendees are industry colleagues, journalists often attend these events to learn about growing trends and developments. In-person meetings with reporters are somewhat rare, but a great opportunity to build rapport and establish a relationship. 

As you prepare to attend industry events, consider the following to make the most of the media’s presence:

Work closely with the conference organizers and sign up for updates. The attendee list for conferences can change up until mere days before an event. Contact conference organizers several months in advance to get a sense of the current press list and follow up closer to the event to ensure you have an up-to-date list. Additionally, the closer you get to an event, the busier the organizers will be. Be sure to sign up for mailing lists to receive important updates.

Check in directly with friendlies. Reporters may not be able to commit to attending until just before an event. Alternatively, sometimes their plans to attend fall through, but they may send a colleague in their place. If you have relationships with reporters, check in with them directly to make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to connect.

Offer specific topics of conversation. Reporters will likely be inundated with in-person meeting requests, so it’s important to highlight the value of a meeting with an executive. Just like any other pitch, consider the following questions: Why would the reporter want to talk to your client? What insight can they provide? Offer specific points of conversation and take the opportunity to ask the reporter what they’re most interested in learning about.

Arrange the logistics in advance. Conference attendees will be busy during the event itself, so it is critical to arrange all details in advance of the conference. Work with journalists and executives to establish a clear meeting point and exchange phone numbers so they can easily connect.

If you’re making an announcement at the event, offer it under embargo. Reporters are swamped during conferences. During the event itself, they are trying to attend as many panels and keynotes as possible as well as meet with industry leaders. To try to ease their workload, provide them with advance access to the news and interview before the conference. This will allow them to draft their article before the conference and increase the likelihood of coverage, especially since you’ll likely be competing with other announcements.  

Conferences offer an excellent place to build relationships with influential media and share important news. It’s critical to plan ahead to make the most of their presence at the event. Keep these recommendations in mind the next time you or your client attend and industry conference.

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