Success Through Strategy!

Strategy Matters delivers news, tips and strategies for effective communications through traditional and social media. 
Upcoming Presentations:
What To Know When the Media Call

Most businesses and business professionals want media coverage--when they want it! The problem is that media attention isn't always positive. And, since many people don't interact with the media often, they can be a bit intimidated when the media calls. Here are some key things to know:

  • The media are neither your friend nor your enemy. They are a conduit for you to get your key messages to your target audiences.
  • You can not "control" the media--you can, however, influence them.
  • It pays to be prepared. Never go into an interview situation, regardless of how well you know the subject matter, without taking some time to consider your key messages and desired outcomes.
  • Whenever possible, take advantage of live broadcast interviews. Why? Your key messages are delivered directly to the audience with no editing. 
  • Be helpful and forthcoming; provide as much relevant information as possible. Make it easy for the journalist. 
Do these things and you'll develop a reputation as a "go to" source. Want to know more? Request our "Media Interview Tip Sheet."

 

Want to Develop a Brand? Surprise! 
You Already Have One.

 
We're contacted fairly often by organizations and individuals expressing an interest in "developing" their brands. They're often surprised when we tell them: "you already have one." 
 

So do you! 

 

The key question is: "Do you know what it is?"

 

Often businesses believe that the creation of a brand is something that they do. It's not. What they can do, however, is manage their brand. It's a four-step process that, at a very high level, involves:

  1. Determining how you wish to be perceived by your target audiences.
  2. Determining how you are currently perceived by your target audiences.
  3. Identifying, and prioritizing, the gaps.
  4. Taking action to manage brand perceptions going forward by evaluating and modifying all of the various touchpoints that influence your target audiences' perspectives.

The first three steps in this process are relatively straightforward. The last, as you might imagine, is quite a bit more complex. 

 

That's because, contrary to popular perspective, your brand is not your logo, corporate colors, tagline or advertising. Your brand iseverything you do and all of the interactions that your target audiences have with you, as well as every single thing they hear about you--from you or from others.

 

Interested in determining and, ultimately, managing your brand?

We can help! Branding is just one of our many marketing passions! 

 

Are You Practicing Effective B2E Marketing?

 

We hear a lot about B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business) marketing. But, there's another form of marketing--B2E--that is equally, if not more important! Business to employee!

 

Employees are, unfortunately, a very important audience that many businesses, large and small, have a tendency to overlook. Employees are your first line of defense, and a critical part of your offense, in ensuring that your key messages are being delivered effectively to target audiences. 

 

Skeptical? Consider this:

 

Suppose you're thinking about going to a new restaurant and you know someone who works there. Will you ask them about their impressions of that restaurant?

 

Suppose you're thinking about going to a new healthcare provider and you know someone who works for that provider. Will you seek information from them?

 

Suppose, in either case, what you hear is not so positive. Will that impact your decision to go, or not go, to those businesses to seek services?

 

The question of "would you recommend" is considered to be a key indicator of customer loyalty. The response is obviously important, and telling, when it comes from a customer. It is certainly even more important, and even more telling, when it comes from an employee. Who has the most intimate knowledge of how that business actually operates? 

 

Do you know what your employees say when someone asks them "would you recommend" your company or its products and services? 

 

How effectively are you communicating with employees--B2E--to ensure that they have the knowledge and information they need, and the loyalty that is required, to ensure that they are serving as brand ambassadors on your behalf?

 

Are you communicating effectively with your employees? We can help you answer that question. 

We Invite You to Join Our LinkedIn Group!  
We recently launched a new LinkedIn group -   
 
We're hoping the group will generate some good discussion and sharing of best practice insights among communication professionals. It's a closed group, meaning that we are carefully monitoring participation and limiting it to those who are committed to opening sharing information in a non-promotional manner.
 
We hope you'll join the conversation! 
Volume: 6 - Issue: 2
 February 2014
Strat Comm logo
In This Issue
When the Media Call
Managing Your Brand
Effective B2E Marketing
We're In the News! 






Research Matters
Some recent news and  research you may be interested in--we were!  
 




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