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.
To operate successfully most businesses depend on people working together in a collaborative manner to achieve key goals. Often this means leaders want their teams to deliver high-quality products or services in the most effective and efficient manner possible, with the proper use of resources. And, of course, they want them to deliver work on time.
So in a world in which many of us are still working from remote locations, how can we virtually collaborate more effectively?
Fortunately, this is still possible and there are some easy ways to make it more effective for you and your team. Here are a few of my tips:
Consider a regular touch-base virtual meeting
Schedule a short 15-minute or 30-minute reoccurring meeting at the beginning or end of each day. Use this time as an opportunity for people to share brief updates on the projects they’re managing. This can also be a time for colleagues to ask for help if they’re stuck.
Since the pandemic, our team has gathered virtually each business day from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Those who can make it, join. They, of course, can skip it if they have a conflict or other deadlines. But having the time to catch up has been beneficial and helpful in place of the informal chats that we used to have when we were in the office. These meetings also provide us with an opportunity to review our progress to our overarching goals, providing everyone with a line of sight into how we’re doing.
Work Together Alone
With Microsoft Teams, I recently was able to successfully work side-by-side virtually with one of my colleagues to provide her with copy edits and collaborate in real-time on the associated graphics. Working virtually together was not only fun, but it allowed us to discuss the changes, share feedback and generate new ideas much more efficiently than if we’d been working in isolation and emailing changes back and forth. If you haven’t tried it, I encourage you to give it a go. With screen sharing features widely available in many software solutions, it can be a powerful way to boost productivity.
Leverage Video for Asynchronous Communication
Video can be a fast and efficient way to communicate with team members. With solutions such as Panopto Express, all you have to do is open a browser and you can easily record a presentation – no plug-ins or installs required. Sharing your video is easy, too. Recordings can be published to YouTube, Google Classroom or Panopto itself. This is a wonderful way to share information or provide trainings in an asynchronous manner. We record nearly every meeting we have. This way if a colleague can’t attend and we need their help, we can forward them the video and they can watch it at their convenience, enhancing our collaboration.
During these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to leverage team members’ strengths. Business leaders should continue to look for ways to encourage and establish virtual collaboration habits within the workplace. I hope these tips will help get you started.
Admittedly, when determining the topic I wanted to write about for this blog post, I really struggled to identify one that inspired me and sparked my interest. After reading a variety of publications, searching recent news, and reflecting on recent experiences and campaigns across multiple days, I was still drawing a blank. Given that I’d spent what felt like ages trying to come up with a blog topic, I was being critical of my time spent and starting to get frustrated.
Then I came across this article in the New York Times: The Power of Low-Stakes Productivity. The article shares how most individuals have warped senses of productivity and how our perceptions of productivity and the amount we are expected to accomplish has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We see our friends and families mastering the art of sourdough, reading stacks of books, completing home projects or learning a new skill, and may begin to wonder why we haven’t accomplished more with our abundance of free time. Instead of criticizing our lack of productivity or implementing self-care rituals to cope (though, I’m certainly not against those), shift your focus to small wins. Believe it or not, it will encourage productivity.
This advice reminded me of something my friend often reminds me of, originally said by Desmond Tutu, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.”
This isn’t novel advice, but it is impactful. With any large project or lofty goal, it’s important to break it down into actionable and achievable steps. But what we’re often missing is the celebration of the completion of these steps.
Teresa Amabile, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and author of The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, recommends celebrating small wins daily. Professor Amabile noted the research she and her co-author, Steven Kramer, conducted inside companies revealed “that the best way to motivate people, day in and day out, is by facilitating progress — even small wins.”
Celebrating small wins creates forward momentum. When you take the time to celebrate an accomplishment, even a small one, it encourages you to complete another, and another, ultimately leading you to accomplish a much larger goal.
Another reason to honor small victories, according to Professor Amabile, is that “it helps us to work through difficulties and find weak areas that we need to work on.” Acknowledging small wins, such as addressing a handful of emails or making progress on a blog post, can help you maintain positivity even on days you’re ready to criticize how little you got done.
As you prepare to celebrate your own small wins consider the following:
- Keep a “done list” to track how much you’ve completed.
- Don’t look too hard for accomplishments; it can be as simple as reading a few pages of a book you’ve been meaning to read, but remember, if you can’t find any wins in a day, you’re probably not going small enough.
- Apply this approach beyond your professional life.
As we all work through these uncertain times and look for ways to adjust to the new normal, it’s important to test out new methods to encourage productivity, not only for ourselves, but across our teams. In our very deadline-driven and fast-paced industry, we often look right past our daily accomplishments. Stop and appreciate the small wins for more positivity and productivity.
Heading into the final quarter of 2020, many of us continue navigating the familiar challenges of this trying year. Many businesses are relying on remote workforces for the foreseeable future. Teachers and students are pivoting to online learning and virtual engagement. Collectively, we are still acclimating to our new normal.
Like many others in neighboring industries, PR professionals find themselves operating in a landscape that continues to transform before our eyes. We’re learning that what traditionally has worked may no longer apply. Agility, persistence, poise and creative thinking are traits that many of us rely on now more than ever before.
As PR pros work toward driving brand awareness for clients and securing editorial placements, we sadly do so amid shrinking newsrooms. There have been countless impacts to the community of journalists that we’ve built relationships with and critically rely on for news coverage. Getting information out and reaching readers has become more difficult, leaving those of us in PR to rethink our approach.
Recently, this article from PR Daily explored three common challenges PR pros face and offered tips for how to address these challenges. Here are a few helpful takeaways from that article.
Scrutinize news pitches appropriately
As PR pros, our job is to help clients identify what topics will draw the most interest from journalists and news media. Not everything that we wish to promote may come across as newsworthy. Sometimes, PR pros have to work with clients on refining a pitch angle so that it is juicy and meaningful to our target audience.
To do so, the article lists a few important questions to ask that can help refine a story angle. These include:
- How is your news relevant to the community?
- What is the human element?
- Is there data to support this news?
- Do you have an expert that can speak to the situation?
If you’re unable to find a news hook after asking these questions, more digging is needed, or this news will need to be tabled for the time being. After all, you may not want to invest too much time into an idea that isn’t likely to succeed.
Define and manage expectations
With so much change occurring across the media landscape, managing and aligning on expectations with your client is critically important. Carefully considering pitches is a must because news outlets are approaching their coverage with a higher degree of scrutiny.
Additionally, the news cycle operates rapidly, with some stories getting bumped and pitches being placed on the backburner. Make sure clients are aware of this, as well as any changes that are happening with media outlets with whom you regularly work. Remember, your PR role is to serve as a trusted adviser to your client when working with media and driving brand awareness.
Reach out to the right contacts
Journalists are bombarded with news right now, especially those working in shorthanded newsrooms. Make sure that you’re pitching to the right journalists whose coverage beats align with your news story. It might help to have a developed article ready to go to save the journalist time from having to write it up themselves. Many outlets welcome contributed content, and this may help secure coverage.
Consider sponsored opportunities
Everyone wants to see their story published in top-tier news outlets, but these days, nothing is a given. If a client wants to ensure coverage, it might make the most sense to publish it on their own social channels or pursue sponsored content opportunities.
By leveraging owned channels, you’ll be able to sidestep the process of selling media on your news story and see the article publish sooner. This content can be re-marketed later as you see fit. Or, if reaching the audience of a top-tier publication is your objective, sponsored content programs are available. Native advertising tools – such as Outbrain and Taboola – can help your content reach these outlets.
PR pros – like many other folks – have certainly learned new ways to demonstrate agility and problem-solving skills this year. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. Hopefully, with these helpful tips, we’ll not only learn new ways of solving problems, but also learn how to achieve new goals as we close out the year.
It has been nearly eight months since employees began working remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies have announced they will continue to support remote work until the summer or fall of 2021. While others are considering integrating remote work into their long-term business model. This means many employees are stuck in their homes with the task of transforming a temporary workspace into a permanent solution. For those of us who feel stagnant in our home offices, below are steps we can take to improve our environment for a long-term remote work plan.
Think about ergonomics
It is necessary that your chair, desk and computer are set up in a manner that is most comfortable for you. Websites like Inc. have posted articles detailing the best ways to improve your desk to be more ergonomically correct. This means sitting in a chair that allows your feet to rest on the ground and which supports your spine. It also means adjusting your desk height so your elbows can gently rest at a 90-degree angle. Your computer monitor should be positioned at eye level and adjusted to a screen brightness and text size which is most comfortable for you.
Declutter
Take a few minutes each day to clean your office of old papers, coffee mugs, and lunch plates. It is easy for us to collect souvenirs of previous workdays, especially without the physical presence of others pressuring us to keep our space tidy. Spending a few minutes each day to clean up our office and put stationary away may also clear up space in our heads.
Make your office comfortable for YOU
Home offices provide a unique opportunity for you to customize your workspace without needing to negotiate with coworkers nearby. Position your desk near a window and open the blinds to access the natural light. Additionally, try out an essential oils mister or scented candle to help aid in your focus and relaxation during the workday.
Get closer to nature
Reconnecting with nature, whether indoors or outdoors, has positive impacts on our work performance. According to a 10-year research project conducted by psychologists at Exeter University, looking at an indoor plant or greenery around your office can give you up to a 15 percent boost in productivity. Similarly, a 2015 study found that active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress. Buying and nurturing houseplants is not only a fun quarantine activity but may provide benefits to your job performance too.
Focus on color
Color has an incredible impact on our feelings and emotions. Reconsider the colors of the stationery on your desk or the color of paint on your walls to positively impact your work performance. For example, incorporating green into your office could boost productivity and creative thinking. Additionally, painting office walls blue may help you focus better, as discovered in a 2018 study of university study rooms and residence halls.
These are small changes that can make a lasting improvement in your performance. For those of us unsure of how much longer this will last, or who are preparing for remote work for the long haul; taking the time to customize your home office will bring lasting benefits. Implementing any of these changes will inspire and energize you during this unique time. If anything, the pandemic has emphasized the importance of taking care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and also at work.
Image credit: LeoStella
Manufacturing a satellite used to take several years and require multi-million-dollar budgets. Today it is a different story.
The space industry has gone through a radical transformation. The evolution of technology and a culture of agility has enabled companies such as LeoStella to develop satellites at a fraction of the cost, in a matter of months.
LeoStella opened its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility last year in Tukwila, Wash., near Seattle. Since that time, the LeoStella team has manufactured two satellites that are already on orbit and has produced several additional satellites ready for delivery. The company is now on pace to produce two satellites per month.
As the economics of space have become more affordable, there has been a wave of innovation and an increased demand for satellites. Companies are utilizing space for communication, security, monitoring, intelligence and a variety of other initiatives. These companies are looking to LeoStella and others to deliver the satellites and support services to harness space for their needs. Reinforcing that point, LeoStella was selected by Loft Orbital to manufacture a number of satellites for several upcoming Loft Orbital missions. Loft offers space Infrastructure-as-a-Service.
Design and production has continued at LeoStella despite the pandemic, in fact, the company is adding to its team and has been recognized as one of the top companies to work for in Washington State by Seattle Business magazine.
Below are just a few of the recent articles mentioning the company:
- SpaceNews, “BlackSky launching two satellites on June Starlink mission,” June 5, 2020
- GeekWire, “LeoStella confirms delivery of BlackSky’s Earth observation satellites for SpaceX launch,” June 22, 2020
- Via Satellite, “LeoStella Delivers First Two Satellites to BlackSky,” June 22, 2020
- SatNews, “Loft Orbital’s Contracts with LeoStella to Build Several Smallsats,” July 21, 2020
- Via Satellite, “LeoStella Contracted for More Loft Orbital Satellite Buses,” July 21, 2020
- Space Daily, “Loft Orbital selects LeoStella to supply satellites for Space Infrastructure-as-a-Service,” July 23, 2020
- The Seattle Times, “Satellite imaging firm BlackSky is growing and hiring in Seattle,” Aug. 18, 2020
Seattle Business, “100 Best Companies To Work For,” Sept. 24, 2020 - GeekWire, “BlackSky will add sharper focus and night vision to future Earth-watching satellites,” Sept. 24, 2020
- SpaceNews, “BlackSky to add high-resolution satellites in 2022, signs deal with U.S. Army,” Sept. 24, 2020
- Via Satellite, “BlackSky Next-Generation Monitoring Satellites Will Have 50cm Resolution,” Sept. 24, 2020
We are excited about the momentum in the industry and at LeoStella. Stay tuned for more news from the company.
Earlier this year, we shared a blog post that outlined some of our projections and insight about the growing virtual trade show and webinar market caused by the global pandemic. Since May, there has been a spike in the presence and planning of global virtual trade shows and on-demand webinars.
Webinars have always been a popular way to virtually connect global audiences and share timely topics within networks. However, like virtual trade shows, the pandemic caused a major uptick in webinars as businesses looked for ways to continue driving engagement and sales in the absence of large meetings and networking opportunities.
If your company invests marketing resources in webinar development and distribution, there are many ways to leverage the content to secure earned media and maintain engagement with current and prospective customers. Below are a few ways to promote webinars before and after they are pushed out to audiences.
Before the Webinar Launch Date
Prior to the webinar going live, it can be beneficial to distribute a press release, media alert or email that tees up the webinar. Developing and distributing press releases can be a great way to share the webinar topic in a concise format and with a widespread, but relevant group of individuals.
Of course, some news outlets will not cover enterprise webinars, but many niche trade outlets will repost press releases or publish articles that highlight the webinar topic and registration link, as the topic directly impacts their readers.
However, when developing these materials, it is important to explain why audiences should care about the webinar, as well as how the topics covered impact the industry at large, not just the company at hand. This approach and combination of information will help generate excitement about the webinar, while also driving registrations.
If distributing a press release via a wire service does not align with your marketing budget, you can simply distribute it via email. There is the potential for less exposure due to a wire service’s broad distribution channels, but this approach can still yield earned interview requests and coverage about the impact of the topics presented in the webinar.
After the Webinar
Many organizations could find themselves with a plethora of sales collateral including webinars, white papers or research that they are unsure what to do with. Deadlines and external pressures to develop and distribute this content could have prevented the ability to leverage these materials in pitching when they first were developed. Have no fear, this is still an opportunity to leverage this content for earned media.
Depending on the timeliness of the topic, marketing teams could revisit these webinars and determine how the topics shared impact the current industry landscape. For example, does the webinar cover an emerging technology that has now seen a resurgence. Is the webinar a Q&A with an industry analyst or influencer from the company? Is the topic evergreen and does it impact the industry or the economy at large? If the answer was “yes” to any of these questions, there is a way to leverage the content into a campaign and potentially secure earned editorial coverage.
Below are three types of webinar topics with ideas on how they can be leveraged to bring these three questions to life.
- Emerging technology. One way to leverage this type of webinar content for earned media is to distribute a proactive pitch and offer the journalist an interview or contributed article about how the emerging technology is resurfacing and impacting the industry. Just be sure to offer your spokesperson’s insight from the webinar and new learnings from the evolution of the technology. One of the most important elements of this outreach will be to make sure you are targeting the right media contacts. If they haven’t published trend stories in the past, it is best to select another target.
- Expert Q&A. Depending on the experts and the content of their remarks, there may be an opportunity to offer reporters interviews or a written Q&A developed from the webinar. The resulting articles would help build thought leadership while also sharing insight into the topics at hand.
- Evergreen topics. Although these topics can sometimes be a harder sell to media, it can be beneficial to research recent news, regulatory changes or relevant updates that may have made this topic more relevant and topical. If so, there could be an opportunity to revamp this content for newsjacking or proactive pitching. The resulting article would also help increase thought leadership for the company and spokesperson by providing them with a chance to comment on a current trend.
Webinars are extremely useful for sales initiatives and can be equally valuable to strengthen or shape PR campaigns. By leveraging webinars in the proactive pitch angles suggested above, companies can secure earned editorial coverage, drive interest and registrations in the webinar, while also building thought leadership and brand awareness, which are two of the leading communication objectives we see on corporate radars.