For decades, many communications strategies focused on getting a story in the New York Times or creating catchy commercials that sparked conversations around the water cooler.

But times have changed, according to Amanda Coffee, a seasoned communications leader. Today, communicators need to focus just as much on authenticity and giving a glimpse into what brands stand for. A big part of that is providing reporters and customers alike with candid access to key company representatives.

“Access can mean meeting a CTO or CFO, but it can also mean meeting the people on the front lines,” Coffee said during Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference in Austin, Texas.

Coffee’s presentation – “Comms This, Not That: (and Tactics You Should Sunset)” – outlined a series of “what’s in, what’s out” elements ranging from the switch from press releases to social-focused strategies and moving from scripted messaging to content that’s more “real” as Coffee put it.

Audiences, especially the highly prized 16-to-24 age group, crave genuine engagement from companies and brands. Coffee believes this current generation is prone to dismissing corporate jargon from company spokespeople and slick social media content. So, instead, companies should tap into messaging and communications channels that allow them to engage their audiences in a more genuine way.

New media landscape is all about personalities

Coffee, who previously led global communications for brands like PayPal and Under Armour, believes the modern media landscape is making it easier to achieve engagement goals. The rise of podcasts, Substack and other nontraditional media platforms provides a way to connect with hard-to-reach audiences.

Journalists like Casey Newton and Taylor Lorenz, as well as podcasters like Alex Cooper, have the power to resonate with their audiences because they’re trusted messengers who tend to be more conversational and personal.

“What I love about podcasts is that there’s minimal editorial input,” said Coffee, currently a comms strategist. When working with traditional business media like the Wall Street Journal, the reporter typically covers the market or financial aspects of the story, which requires a certain level of tension.

An executive might provide a great quote that highlights the direction of a business, but reporters will put it in a broader financial context, causing the brand to lose some control over its messaging.

“When it’s a podcast, they really can’t add the editorial because it’s your spokesperson’s language, and you can really, like focus on the topics,” Coffee continued. She pointed to President-elect Donald Trump’s appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast and Vice President Kamala Harris’ appearance on “Call Her Daddy.”

Coffee advises communicators to explore podcast, newsletter and social creators who align with company values or provide platforms for sharing their story. They should use social engagement figures and audience demographics to potentially change the minds of leadership who may not understand the value of these platforms as viable media channels.

“We’re moving away from the mindset of only wanting print coverage,” Coffee said.

Stories from the front lines

Traditionally, it’s leadership who appear in media interviews or social content. But Coffee believes empowering employees as brand ambassadors has real value.

In the past, she and her team identified “culture carriers” within the organization and provided them with the tools and resources to share their stories on behalf of the company. Coffee suggests looking at corporate values like innovation and inclusion, and then finding the people who best represent those values. Employee resource groups are a great place to find culture carriers, Coffee noted.

These individuals need media training, but they can share their stories on social media, and the company can amplify that content. By doing so, companies show they support their staff and give them a voice, emphasizing the “show, not tell” aspect of their corporate values.

Coffee gave the example of mothers who took a big career gap and returned to PayPal. The comms team media-trained these employees, and they went on to appear on the Today Show, Marie Claire, CNET and more to talk about their experiences with PayPal’s Recharge program, which provides paid training to female technologists reentering the workforce.

At Under Armour, Coffee highlighted designers and former athletes who created footwear and football uniforms. Not only were they able to provide more in-depth analysis about the product than an executive likely could, but it also kept the conversation on track.

“What I love about using subject matter experts is it’s low risk,” Coffee said. “They can’t ask you about a lawsuit or the last earnings call; they’re like, ‘All I know is how we made our football pants from yoga innovations.’”

Instead of looking for the most senior-level person, consider entry-level engineers and designers, or even interns, Coffee said.

“That’s who people want to hear from,” Coffee said. “If you have someone at the front of a trend sharing their story, you almost don’t need the CEO.

Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.

The post Real, authentic ways to engage Gen Z appeared first on PR Daily.

Every industry is driven by visionaries, innovators and trailblazers whose influence and leadership set new standards of excellence.

Ragan is spotlighting two individuals who have shepherded the future of PR and communications. Each year, two industry leaders — one representing external communications, the other internal communications — will be chosen as recipients of the Vanguard Awards for their career-long contributions to industry advancement.

Join us in congratulation the inaugural recipients of the 2024 Vanguard Awards, Tara Darrow and John Cirone.

Tara Darrow
Vice President, Corporate Communications
T-Mobile

Tara Darrow, Vice President, Corporate Communications, T-Mobile

Remember the Oscar-winning movie, “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once?” That title is a good summary of the state of external communications today.

“I can remember a time when we would fax a release out and then take a nice deep breath because we knew we had several hours, if not 24 to 36, to get a response,” said Darrow. “Now everything we do is almost instantaneous. It’s the same with media. News comes at any time – all hours, all days! Social media has changed everything we knew to be true. Anyone can be a ‘journalist’, hot tips and rumors can land anywhere, and the expectation for engagement is higher than ever. It’s made this career more exciting – the thing I love most about what I do is not knowing exactly what each day will bring – but it’s created some challenges for sure as well.”

As the leader of T-Mobile’s top-tier media engagement and storytelling, issues management, crisis communications, executive thought leadership, social amplification campaigns and much more, Darrow exemplifies the constantly pivoting communicator, meeting the demands for immediate action with a data-driven approach and the courage to stop and ask “why.”

Darrow quarterbacked the creation and execution of all external public relations and media strategies promoting and defending the $26 billion T-Mobile and Sprint merger (a three-year process that closed virtually during COVID), as well as other high-stakes initiatives around business and financial news, corporate responsibility, diversity and inclusion, reputation management and crisis communications, including the response to T-Mobile’s massive data breach, expertly helping guide leadership through a challenging time.

She has been key to producing powerful content around the growth of a bigger and better T-Mobile that’s focused on doing good for customers, employees and shareholders. For her efforts, Darrow has received T-Mobil’s prestigious PEAK Achievement Award, given to employees who have made exceptional contributions to the company and their teams.

As she looks ahead, Darrow obviously has eyes on AI but also the massive changes in the overall media landscape as well.

“We need to pay attention to the massive shift in media consumption that’s happening as well, particularly amongst the youngest generations,” she added. “Where they get their news, how it’s delivered to them and what they want to see has changed a lot (hello TikTok!) but this is just the tip of the iceberg. I already see media outlets experimenting in new ways to connect with audiences. It’s an exciting time to try new things as a communicator too.”

John Cirone
Senior Director, Global Employee and Executive Communications
Microsoft

John Cirone, Senior Director, Global Employee and Executive Communications, Microsoft

In an era where change is the only constant and a perennially updated resume is celebrated, John Cirone is a bit of a unicorn. In 2024, John celebrated his 33rd year at Microsoft, a career that dates from the Bill Gates era through the tenure of Satya Nadella (Microsoft’s current CEO and just the third in its 50-year history).

When John began with Microsoft in 1991, the company reached its 8,000 employees most effectively with a weekly printed newsletter delivered every Friday afternoon and an annual corporate get-together held at the Seattle Mariners’ baseball stadium.

Today, Cirone and a community of hundreds of executive and employee communicators employ a multi-channel approach of employee listening and two-way conversations to create experiences and communications for Microsoft’s nearly 220,000 employees, managers and senior leaders.

Sparked by Nadella’s desire to “change the soul of Microsoft,” Cirone and team replaced traditional channels like email, all-hands, and static intranet sites with new channels that allow for more open dialogue and connection between leaders and employees like Microsoft’s Viva Engage platform, or events like Ask Me Anything. Channels like these allow Microsoft’s leadership team to address topics employees care about in a timely fashion, helping to facilitate dialogue and create better connection.

Part of Microsoft’s engagement strategy is to empower all corporate communicators, not just those employees with “communications” in their title. Cirone and his team helped create and manage Microsoft’s Global Employee Experience Community [GEEC], a group of more than 1,000 employees, including senior leaders and their chiefs of staff, business managers, communications directors, social media managers and others who can help ensure leaders are aligned on messaging, foster use of new platforms internally, and extend the impact of centrally led communications into organizations and geographies across the world.

As for so many of us, the next frontier for Cirone and his team is AI. “This is not a change that is years away, it’s happening now, and will happen even more quickly than many of us expect,” said Cirone.

“As someone who isn’t a natural early adopter of new technology, I have had to fight my natural instincts and jump in here — testing our AI tools like Copilot, encouraging my team to make the space to experiment, and to be open to new ways of doing things,” he added. “It’s exciting to see, and I think it’s fantastic for the discipline of employee communications — which after years of being an undervalued part of the marketing profession — is finally being seen as a strategic and valuable part of a company’s marketing mix — that all of us who work in this profession know it to be.”

The post Introducing the Ragan Communications Vanguard Awards appeared first on PR Daily.

Earlier this week, Fortune reported that Meta terminated a group of employees in its Los Angeles office for violating its rules around perks. Specifically, the employees were accused of misappropriating food delivery credits for use in the office and instead using them for household items directly delivered to employee residences.

While these terminations are a window into how companies enforce policies, most coverage has focused on the timing of the firings, which the company positioned as part of a larger organization as a part of its “Year of Efficiency” push that began in 2023.

In a statement to Ragan, Meta public affairs lead for strategic response communication Daniel Roberts said that the layoffs were part of the strategic plan for the organization and not related to the terminations.

“A few teams at Meta are making changes to ensure resources are aligned with their long-term strategic goals and location strategy,” said Roberts This includes moving some teams to different locations and moving some employees to different roles. In situations like this when a role is eliminated, we work hard to find other opportunities for impacted employees.”

By proactivity and knowing where to point both media and employees alike, organizations can weather misapplied external perceptions and contextualize the narrative — first with your employees and then back to the world at large.

Here are a few ways internal communicators can work against media narratives to editorialize their characterization of internal operations.

• Point back to executive statements. In Meta’s case, CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg laid out the groundwork for the “Year of Efficiency” in a post last spring, outlining goals to make the company more efficient and financially viable. He doubled down on those ideals this February, stating, “I think that being a leaner company is helping us execute better and faster, and we will continue to carry these values forward as a permanent part of how we operate.”
  • When external narratives challenge what you know to be true as an internal communicator, refer back to what your executives say on given issues. This doesn’t only provide a robust counter-narrative to negative coverage but can help form a sense of unity and stability among employees and internal stakeholders who are clamoring for consistent direction from leadership.
• Refer to established timelines. Though it could be tempting on the surface to connect Meta’s layoffs with the perk-related firings, a quick look at the timeline with which the organization began their job cuts—and how they align with Zuckerberg’s messages—provides some clarity.
  • By establishing a timeline during times of change and sticking to it as other developments evolve along the way, you can discuss how these events either fit into or are not part of the already established plan. These timelines don’t just help steer a media narrative, but also reassure employees things are going as planned. Correlation doesn’t always equal causation, and while it’s human nature to draw connections between two events (in this case, two sets of job losses at a major company), that doesn’t always make it true.
• Positioning communicators as translators. One of the many duties of the internal communicator is that of a translator. Not of literal languages, but of context and situations.
  • Earlier this year, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory CCO and Ragan Communications Leadership Council member Amanda Schoch, told us that communicators should look to help clarify narratives for internal audiences. “We see ourselves as ’sensemakers’ – simplifying and rationalizing communications for our staff so they know what is most important and how they fit into the broader organization,” she said. Effective translation also requires regularly communicating with employees about the resources they have at hand. For instance, during a restructure like Meta’s organizations should actively share information about new reporting structures, leadership, and more. If these resources are buried or just not readily communicated, a lack of accurate information can lead to counter-narratives and fuel speculation that isn’t rooted in truth, just like the supposed tie between the firings and layoffs at Meta.

There’s often more to a story than meets the eye. Internal communicators can best serve the business when they clarify the truth and reframe the narrative to both preserve employee experience and brand reputation at the same time.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.

The post Handling external headaches internally appeared first on PR Daily.

An effective communications strategy is one that reflects the overall goals and values of the organization. The best way to do that is to work closely with a range of in-house stakeholders – from the marketing team to the HR department, even IT – to craft a messaging approach that will work well to reach the full spectrum of potential audience types.

“Put (a) cadence of communication together so that you don’t either spend time stepping on each other’s activities and diluting the impact, or you don’t leave large gaps in what you’re doing,” said Brian Brockman, VP of communications for Nissan Motor Corp., U.S. and Canada.

Brockman spoke at a recent Ragan Communications panel on employee experience. While the nearly 40-minute conversation leaned into internal comms, the three panelists made a point to highlight the importance of working together to craft a cohesive cross-functional strategy that includes public relations.

Brockman stressed that communication strategies are most effective when, as an organization, there’s an understanding of how people can affect change together – whether it’s a brand initiative or product launch.

“It’s more important than ever to have marketing amplifying what we’re doing and putting some dollars behind it in meaningful ways, and (to show) that we’re creating content that they think is worthy of (that expense),” he said.

In many cases, PR professionals aren’t reporting to the same team leader as their peers in internal comms, branding or marketing. As a result, there are often tasks, such as employee experience, that don’t end up with a “natural owner,” according to panelist Gideon Pridor, Workvivo’s chief marketing officer. Instead, those types of tasks can fall into a gray area between HR, comms and marketing.

Pridor said communicators often find themselves in a situation where those other departments end up “begging for favors” – help with a campaign or crafting an email, for example – but they don’t have the proper technology to orchestrate it and they’re often operating from an institutional deficiency because they don’t always have a seat “at the table” during those operations conversations.

By establishing a workflow cadence between the other departments, communicators can position themselves as strategic collaborators rather than just “message transmitters.”

“When you have somebody steering the ship, it’s much easier to set goals and not ask for favors and run across different departments,” Pridor said. “And I think that’s the future.”

Establishing these relationships may not feel entirely natural unless there’s already operational overlap. So, one way to approach it is to look at the company’s organizational chart and company structure to find the connective tissue where you can make an impact.

Brockman also emphasized that, when possible, it’s important to make sure there’s buy-in and a direct line to the top, either the CEO or another C-suite level leader.

“It’s obviously most valuable… when you’ve got an equal seat at the table, but at the same time, you’ve got to work across all of those functions to make sure that you’re amplifying (that message).”

Watch the full video below.

Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.

The post The best messaging stems from cross-company collaboration appeared first on PR Daily.

McDonald’s used to have a $1 Menu. When you felt hungry, you could roll up to the Golden Arches and get a small sandwich or a big drink for a buck.

Those days are long gone.

McDonald’s is far from the only business struggling with the skyrocketing costs of, well, everything. From food to labor to rent and utilities, the basic laws of economics are forcing prices upward.

But customers are growing weary of seeing prices rise on once affordable indulgences. And they’re taking to social media to share their displeasure, such as one infamous $18 Big Mac deal, available at a rest stop in a pricy part of Connecticut.

All of this has led some consumer-facing organizations to release unusually detailed statements explaining cost hikes aimed at empathizing with the pain of cash-strapped consumers.

McDonald’s and Chipotle have been navigating these waters with public communications to customers and shareholders.

McDonald’s: Clap back

In a letter posted to McDonald’s website and elsewhere, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger connected McDonald’s value proposition to his own childhood, before bluntly striking back against criticism of their pricing strategy.

“Recently, we have seen viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates. This is inaccurate. And for a brand that proudly serves nearly 90% of the U.S. population every year, we feel a responsibility to make sure the real facts are available.

I can tell you that it frustrates and worries me, and many of our franchisees, when I hear about an $18 Big Mac meal being sold – even if it was at one location in the U.S. out of more than 13,700. More worrying, though, is when people believe that this is the rule and not the exception, or when folks start to suggest that the prices of a Big Mac have risen 100% since 2019.”

In addition to the letter from Erlinger, the posting included a socially shareable table comparing 2019 prices to 2024 prices, showing actual increases ranging from 20-28%.

Shea Carter, VP Social + Influencer at Social Element, said that McDonald’s response to social media pushback.

“(Memes) speak to broader customer sentiment and we shouldn’t downplay them,” Carter said. “The reality is that consumers are sharing their reactions to everything brands are doing on social —both the good and the bad — and executives can’t afford to dismiss them.”

Carter likened it to having a focus group at your fingertips every single day that, if used right,  can be a powerful tool.

“It’s also a reminder of just how important of a role social scenario planning plays in brand protection,” Carter added. “Discounting social’s impact on a brand’s health can result in direct impact to the bottom line.”

But McDonald’s is going beyond memes and also working to lower prices once again with a “Summer of Value” anchored by the introduction of a limited-time $5 meal deal.

“This summer, we have good news for fans across the country – McDonald’s is here to help your dollar go further with more deals and even more ways to save,” the press release reads. “From the $5 Meal Deal to ‘Free Fries Friday’ to local app exclusives, with deals this good, everyone’s got McDonald’s money to make the most of the season.”

This statement shows that in addition to hitting back at what it sees as misinformation online, McDonald’s is still responding to the pain point and reorienting its messaging around this clear customer need.

Indeed, the same messages rang loud and clear in McDonald’s Q1 earnings call.

“McDonald’s has a long history of being the go-to destination for value and it’s imperative that we continue to keep affordability at the forefront for our customers,” said President and CEO Chris Kempczinski during that earnings call. “We literally wrote the playbook on value, and we are committed to upholding our leadership within the industry.”

Everything McDonald’s is saying and doing is pulling in the same direction: cost, cost, cost. Come back, and we’ll be cheaper again.

The full story is available exclusively to members of the Ragan Communications Leadership Council. Learn more here. 

The post Two tactics for communicating about inflation and price increases appeared first on PR Daily.

Communicators often find themselves misunderstood. It can be difficult to get C-suite leaders to listen and understand what the profession truly is – and how it contributes to the bottom line.

So I took to LinkedIn to ask communicators what they wish C-suite leaders knew about their work.

Here’s a sampling of the responses, edited for length and style.

***

It’s important for C-suite to see Communications as a strategic lever that can support both business and people objectives. Reputation, perception, whether top employees stay or leave the company – all are driven by communications in partnership with nearly every business function. I love leading business unit communications for this reason. We can impact everything for the better!

Monique Kelley Gigliotti, consultant/fractional corporate and marketing communications head and associate professor at Boston University.

***

We aren’t the mafia. We can’t “call in favors” to our pals at top tier outlets.

Parry Headrick is founder of Crackle PR.

***

That communications is not a tactical output function but a strategic outcomes driver. Engage communications early and frequently to help inform decisions – before they are made – for insights on potential audience impacts and proposed course of action.

Trish Nicolas is executive vice president and head of the Americas at rf.engage.

***

Nearly every decision or action today involves communicating, which means communications should have a seat at the table. It’s the difference between being proactive and strategic vs. reactive

Ben Haber is executive vice president at Racepoint Global.

***

PR should not be measured like digital marketing. Look at both data-driven metrics (UVM, circulation) and sentiment-driven metrics (article tone, comments, customer feedback).

Heather Jones is a PR and influencer marketing consultant.

***

Not all things require a PR push. Some things are not newsworthy and bad pushes can result in bad relationships with journalists. There are other ways to market things that are not PR-worthy, like paid media. It’s okay to go that route versus clog the inboxes of journalists with non-news stories.

Victoria Barnett is public relations manager at The Abbi Agency.

***

When you as a leader and/or executive invest in PR, the results will be better. Your time as a leader spent with your PR team is just as important to the success of your PR program as your team’s skillset.

Rachel Stoczko is communications & marketing lead at Planet FWD.

***

Your “brand” is not something that lives off to the side as a set of creative assets and colors. It’s everything about how you show up in the market, which means that comms needs to be a part of any activity or decision that could impact the way stakeholders perceive your company.

How your employees talk about their experience = brand. Where you invest your CSR dollars = brand. How your facilities look, feel, and function = brand. How ethically you behave = brand. I could go on…

Caitlin Hayden is group communications director at BAE Systems.

***

Make deposits in your reputation piggy bank — every brand interaction, piece of content, quote, speaking engagement, useful conference swag, adds up and builds reputation equity — which you’ll need to draw upon in times of issues and crisis management.

Margaret Fogarty is global brand manager for Nutrien.

***

While internal/corp comms may not have a direct impact on company financials/KPIs, it’s integral to driving results. Consider a product rollout. Without proper comms planning, training, and support, the product could fail, ultimately impacting the bottom line.

Alison Turczak is senior communications manager at Subway.

***

Research is not a “nice to have” or an afterthought, but an important part of the public relations and crisis management processes. Let the PR pros recommend the research investment and please stop questioning the line item. It’s there because it matters and will save more money in the long run by helping to ensure better targeted, creative and meaningful conversations, campaigns, and crisis responses

Amy Shanler is associate professor and director of PRLab at Boston University.

***

The biggest media wins can sometimes be the coverage that doesn’t run because your communicator was responsive and educated the reporter

Jeff Carter is senior advisor to the Office of Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

***

Being asked/told to partake in media training is not indicative of you being a poor communicator nor should it be brushed off. Media can be a different beast than any other audience you have dealt with!

Shira Levitt is director at Capstone Hill Search.

***

When done right, this work isn’t easy neither is success.

Heather Woodard is director of external communications & community impact at H&R Block.

The post What communicators wish the C-suite knew about their work appeared first on PR Daily.

What percentage of your work is connected to your company’s KPIs?

With these metrics in mind, comms experts can better link their work to business goals, rather than create reactive content to check off the to-do list.

To demonstrate this expertise, Julie Baron from RCG said communicators should develop a deep business understanding. Baron spoke to attendees at the Employee Communications Culture Conference about this mindset shift from communications pro to business partner.

Here are Barons tips for sharpening your business acumen so your communications can truly serve your organization’s overall goals:

1. Know your business.

As an expert, you should be able to answer the key questions about your company, like primary areas where you generate revenue, current stock price, state of the industry and priorities from the business or operating plan.

Try to answer these questions to test your business knowledge. If you can’t, Baron suggests starting to gather this information through research and meetings to level your knowledge with the business partners and clients.

With this deeper understanding of business, communicators can deliver content that better reflects the organization’s function.

2. Read industry work.

Industry trend reports, podcasts and your competitors’ press releases are valuable assets to help communicators stay up to date.

Internal materials such as sales and marketing copy and HR content like employee orientation handbooks and the annual report can inform your own content through improved brand activation and a deeper understanding of the stakeholders.

3. Talk to the leaders.

Not all sit-downs with higher-ups must be comms focused.

Rather than discuss a project you’re supporting, set up a time to speak with leaders of different functions ­— not just the CEO­­ — about the business and industry. PR pros can work more strategically if they gain a deeper insight into their own function in the greater context of the organization.

The best part of working strategically is that you can demonstrate your own work’s ROI through evaluation and measurement that is highly linked to the business goals of the organization, Baron says.

4. Be opportunistic.

PR pros can flip the script when a colleague requests a piece of content.

The reactive action would be to check the box and move to the next task. But communicators can be proactive when they are fluent in the business goals. PR Pros can push back on these types of requests if they don’t see them fit with the overall objectives or practices and instead suggest alternatives to solve the issue.

Our new knowledge “allows us to do more than simply raise awareness, we have an opportunity to change behavior, perhaps even impact the bottom line of the organization,” Baron said.

Watch Baron’s full presentation below:

The post 4 ways comms pros can develop a deeper business understanding appeared first on PR Daily.

In the Mississippi delta sits the town of Greenville. Dubbed “Queen of the Delta,” Greenville is known for its complex history, blues music and hot tamales. It’s also home to the Ben’s Original rice plant.

Since 1977, this division of Mars Food has turned out parboiled rice to be sent across the country and around the world. Today, it’s one of the largest employers in Washington County, of which Greenville is the county seat.

“Greenville is endearing,” said Kristen Campos, VP of corporate affairs for Mars North America. “I think that it’s just charming. The people are just so lovely, so kind.”

This town of just 28,000 makes up an important constituency for Mars (total employees: 130,000). And not just for those who work at the plant.

“In addition to the factory being the heart of our business, we know we also have a responsibility to drive a mutually beneficial relationship in that city and in that community,” Campos said during a recent conversation with PR Daily about the role of community relations in reshaping the Ben’s Original brand — and reshaping the future of Greenville.

Listening, listening, listening

In 2020, amid a renewed conversation around racial justice and equity, the name and mascot of Uncle Ben’s rice — a fictional elderly Black man who, for many, evoked tropes rooted in slavery and the oppression of Black Americans — came under criticism.

“We understand the inequities that were associated with the name and face of the Uncle Ben’s brand,” Mars said in a statement at the time. “We have committed to change.”

And associates in Greenville were an important part of that change and the evolution into Ben’s Original. Greenville is 83% Black, according to census data, and its history is deeply intertwined with slavery and the Civil War. Locals felt they had a personal stake in the brand, and were also committed to helping the brand move forward through its rebrand.

So Mars listened. A lot. In the course of our conversation, Campos used the word “listen” nine times.

They of course conducted large-scale listening and surveys and interviews; Mars is a multinational company and whatever evolution emerged would need to play well around the world.

But they took special time to listen in Greenville.

“In addition to listening to and conducting listening sessions with our associates there, we doubled down in listening to business leaders, stakeholders, not-for-profits, all in the Mississippi area but specifically in Washington County and in Greenville,” Campos said.

“That helped us to understand what we could be doing to bring that purpose to life in a community that’s at the heart of our business and so important to us.”

When the new Ben’s Original brand was unveiled, including a new commitment to ensuring everyone has “a seat at the table,” the reaction from that core community was overwhelmingly positive, Campos said.

“I think the other part of the reaction was the refreshing way we went about it, involving everybody in that change,” Campos recalled.

But that involvement went beyond just the rebrand. With that new commitment to a seat at the table for everyone came a renewed promise to the city of Greenville itself.

A seat at the table

For all its charm, Campos notes that Greenville is a city with challenges that date back to its pre-Civil War history and are deeply intertwined with racial division in the state. Nearly a third of citizens live below the poverty line, compared to 19% statewide. Nearly 20% never graduated high school. Access to food is also an issue: While the city has two grocery stores, they’re concentrated on one side of town. With no public transportation, residents on the opposite end can struggle to get access to fresh produce and meat.

So Mars decided to do something to help.

“We fall back on all decisions by looking through the lens of our five principles,” Campos explained.
“One of those principles is mutuality, which at its core basically means any decision we make, anything that we do from a business operation standpoint or otherwise, needs to look at what how do we drive a mutual decision that benefits not only Mars, but also all of those people and companies that touch Mars.”

In this case, mutuality meant working with Greenville and Washington County in two key areas: Food access and education. A scholarship in conjunction with the United Negro College Fund has pledged $2 million through 2026 to help Black students around the world who seek careers in the food industry.

Mars has also pledged $2.5 million to the area over the next five years but has also doubled that promise through partnerships with other area employers, including Molina Healthcare and Kroger. A partnership with Hearty Helpings Food Pantry and the Mississippi Food Network also helps get fresh produce and meat in the hands of hundreds of residents throughout the year.

Campos recalled a visit just a few weeks ago where members of the Mars team, in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network, took a semitruck of food to a neighborhood in Greenville, passing out fresh food to families.

“Unanimously, you got this response of, thank you so much, Ben’s Original and Mars Food has done so much for our community. I get a lot of blessings. So it makes you feel really, really good. Like you are making an impact.”

Beyond the personal impact, investing in the community makes good business sense, too.

“We want to make sure that everyone feels proud of where they work,” Campos said. “And that we continue to attract the top talent in the Mississippi Delta area and that there is an ambition to work for our factory.”

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post ‘The heart of our business’: How Ben’s Original’s Mississippi employees helped shape its rebrand appeared first on PR Daily.

Measurement is the constant struggle of any communications pro. Putting into numbers how hearts and minds are being changed through a thoughtful, consistent communications strategy is a trial, and one that the industry continues to refine and perfect.

It can be even more difficult to measure effectively when you drill down into more niche areas of the industry, like employer branding.

It may be tempting to merely measure branding in terms of the number of applications received. But like any area of PR, the true picture will emerge only through a nuanced understanding of the big picture.

During Ragan’s recent Employee Communications & Culture Conference, Antonio Stephens, director of DE&I communications and employer branding at Levi Strauss & Co., shared how the organization ensures that its efforts are impacting public perception in a variety of ways that ultimately all ladder back up to broader business goals.

The core goals of Levi Strauss’ employer branding efforts are:

• Shifting perceptions
• Driving reputation
• Encouraging quality talent to apply
• Employee retention

The measurement framework includes:

Familiarity: Take the user from unfamiliar or slightly aware to knowledgeable, perceptive or interested regarding the post or communication. Measurement is to increase impressions.

Advocacy: Share and amplify, like, comment

Engagement: Offer content that is genuinely interesting or useful and encourages the user to interact and become involved.

Advocacy: Share and amplify, like, comment

Conversion: Invite the user to take an obvious action: visit our website, sign up, download, submit an application, etc.

Advocacy: Share subsequent information

Trust: Speak to your audiences with relevant content: create a community and establish a relationship online. Track impact with competitive analysis results, volume of hires from campaigns, Glassdoor ratings and company scores via global employer brand index for example.

Advocacy: Follow us, seek additional content and information, join the conversation and continue the relationship.

“What you get from this once you put numbers behind these KPIs is a really robust data story that you can then leverage to do things like think about what areas of your employer brand you’d like to invest in or scale back on and/or what different content types you need to be putting out there to be sure you’re really driving reputation and consideration for your company as an employer of choice,” Stephens said.

By putting strong measurements behind your employer branding efforts, you’ll be better able to pinpoint where along your audience’s path you’re being effective — and where it needs a little extra effort and time.

Watch Stephens’ full presentation below.

The post Measuring employer branding and recruitment appeared first on PR Daily.

Layoffs are devastating for those who are told they no longer have a job. But they’re no walk in the park for those left behind, either. And they can cause doubt and concern among those who are considering joining your organization – even if it’s in an area of the business that was not directly impacted by the cuts.

Reinforcing the organization’s culture and commitments in your employer brand can help soothe some of these anxieties, especially when it’s woven directly into executive communications around the layoffs.

Addressing the impacts of layoffs head-on can help preserve your existing talent. Reacting with empathy and compassion can help new talent see themselves working at the organization, even if they’ve just had to say goodbye to some workers.

One method of doing this is through the all-important layoff memo or email. Increasingly, these documents are being published externally immediately after being shared with employees so all stakeholders can see the same information. This can simultaneously serve as a way to reassure your remaining top performers and show prospective workers why you’re worth taking a chance on.

Let’s take a look at some recent layoff notices that have walked that tightrope of empathy and employer branding.

Explain your reasoning 

No one likes being bossed around without being told why.

Even if many aspects of a layoff are outside of our personal control, ensuring your stakeholders understand the logic behind it can make the bitter pill a little easier to swallow.

That’s why it’s critical to take the time to explain what happened to lead you to make the decision to cut jobs, even if that means admitting to mistakes.

Zoom exemplified this principle during a round of February 2023 layoffs. In a letter posted to the company’s website, CEO Eric Yuan took responsibility for the cuts – including financial responsibility. Here’s a portion of that letter:

Steps we are taking 

Each organization across Zoom will be impacted by these changes. We did not take a single departure lightly – our leadership carefully examined and made decisions based on critical priorities for long-term growth, and also looked for functions that have become overly complex or duplicative. Some teams will also be adjusting their structures to allow us to better invest in the opportunities ahead. But today we are focused on supporting those leaving Zoom and making the transition as respectful and compassionate as possible. 

As the CEO and founder of Zoom, I am accountable for these mistakes  and the actions we take today– and I want to show accountability not just in words but in my own actions. To that end, I am reducing my salary for the coming fiscal year by 98% and foregoing my FY23 corporate bonus. Members of my executive leadership team will reduce their base salaries by 20% for the coming fiscal year while also forfeiting their FY23 corporate bonuses. 

Zoom did several things right here from an employer branding perspective:

• Explaining the seriousness with which the company took the cuts.
• Pointing out who the cuts would impact (everyone) and where the cuts would be deepest.
• Putting leadership’s own skin in the game by explaining pay cuts and salary forfeits for executives. This shared pain can be a powerful tool for building trust.

By being transparent about what happened, who it will impact and how executives are owning the outcome, trust is built. But this is just the beginning.

For more information on how to access the full  story and become a member of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council, reach out here.

The post How to communicate a strong employer brand amid layoffs appeared first on PR Daily.

Amanda Ponzar is the chief communications & strategy officer at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. Connect with her on LinkedIn. 

The global Edelman Trust Barometer, unveiled last month at Davos,  remains a powerful trend indicator in its 24th year. With trust still at record lows and mis and disinformation abounding, communicators are critically important in 2024, both internally and externally.

Although 2024 is the year of “innovation in peril” according to Edelman, we’re still dealing with ongoing distrust, polarization, and declining authority figures. Much of the societal “progress” over the past few years has been met with equal “pushback,” whether on DEI, vaccinations, green energy, AI and ChatGPT or other issues. Many people don’t trust the systems.

Interestingly, nearly half of the world’s population  (49%) will participate in elections this year. This will only intensify misinformation and disinformation campaigns, increasing worldwide destabilization.

According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, more than 60% of respondents worry that “establishment leaders” like government, business, and media leaders are “purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.” This is a breakdown of traditional institutions and is dangerous for democracy and our cohesion as a country.

Who do people trust to tell the truth? “Someone like me.” People trust their peers as much as scientists –74% for both. This trend has been steady for a few years, indicating most people trust those closest to them, such as coworkers and neighbors, as much as (or more than) any expert.

Source: Edelman

And where do people get their information? The top source (59%) is online searches.

Lastly, the trust barometer showed listening is a top three trust-building action for every sector – government, business, nonprofit, media. People want to feel heard, so communication should be a two-way conversation, not mass marketing blasts.

What this means for communicators:

• Focus on both internal and external communication as your employees need to know your news just as much as the general public or your other target audiences.
• Listen carefully to your stakeholders, including internal employee resource groups, and whenever possible, let them know how you’re responding to their insights.
• Be careful with language. Use language thoughtfully to de-escalate and unify whenever possible. Consider neutral terms versus language that may be provocative or controversial or may favor a certain political viewpoint—unless your brand wants to go headfirst into the fray.
• Go out of your way to create quality, factual content. This can help combat rampant misinformation and general public distrust – and will build your organization’s reputation. Try to tone down the spin and green, pink, or other washing whenever possible. Want to increase trust? Be a trusted source.
• Leverage employees as your top brand ambassadors to share positive news and updates about your organization. On average, people will trust your employees more — and share the content more. Employee social profiles see 10X more followers than branded accounts, and 8X the engagement.
• One way to do this is create a content hub and incentivize employees to post content. FedEx does this with their “Social Hub.”
• Continue to partner with key journalists, but as more layoffs continue to occur in the media industry, be ready to use all available channels to get the word out.
• Use your owned channels in the PESO (paid, earned, shared, owned) model. Share SEO-friendly content on your channels such as your website since online searches are the top way people get information—and you want them to find yours.
• Work with trusted influencers. Consider not just a famous celebrity influencer or nationally known scientist but also micro-influencers like a community leader.

Check out the 2024 global Edelman Trust Barometer here.

The post How communicators are key to combating global misinformation, according to Edelman’s Trust Barometer appeared first on PR Daily.

Pew Research examined the data and found that 2023 had the most work stoppages and strikes of any year since 2000. In total, 30 major actions led 464,410 workers to sit idle for a cumulative 16.7 million days. 

Among biggest stoppages of the year: 

• SAG-AFTRA saw 160,000 workers striking for 82 workdays, or a total 13,120,000 days idle. 
• 11,500 Writers Guild workers struck for 102 workdays, or 1,173,000 days idle. 
• United Auto Workers saw 53,700 workers idling for 43 workdays, or 925,900 days.  
• A group of unions working for Kaiser Permanente involved 75,600 workers idling for three workdays for a total of 226,800 hours.  

Beyond the strikes themselves, major organization took place on several fronts. One of the most headline-grabbing efforts was by Starbucks employees. The coffee giant has been fending off labor organization for nearly two years — including through alleged union-busting activities, such as closing stores that tried to unionize.  

But we’re beginning to see a major shift in how companies are talking about unions, both internally and externally. That includes Starbucks. 

“We have asked Workers United — on behalf of our represented partners — to work with us to break the gridlock and agree to a collective bargaining process with the hopeful goal of reaching agreements in 2024,” wrote Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan in a letter to partners, as they call coffee shop workers. That’s a far cry from when former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told a barista, “if you’re not happy at Starbucks, you can go work for another company” after she questioned him about the response to unionization drives. 

Nick Setyan, an equity analyst at Wedbush, told Axios that at the heart of Starbucks’ executive’s anti-union stance was a sense that they were already treating employees well.
 

“Internally, they felt kind of aggrieved,” he said. One of Starbucks’ primary PR tactics had been emphasizing their better-than-industry-average wages and benefits for employees. 

Costco, another company long known for its strong pay and benefit packages for front-line workers, reacted in a very different way when a store in Norfolk, Virginia, voted to unionize. 

“The fact that a majority of Norfolk employees felt that they wanted or needed a union constitutes a failure on our part,” wrote Costco’s current and former CEOs in a memo to all American employees in late December, CNN reported. It was the first successful union vote for Costco in two decades. 

The CEOs wrote that they were “not disappointed in our employees; we’re disappointed in ourselves as managers and leaders.” The letter, which was posted on Reddit, goes on to say that while the company “isn’t anti-union,” they’ve prided themselves on treating employees well without a union.  

Costco’s response has been widely hailed, moving from internal memo to PR win and cementing their position as employee friendly. How they will actually work with the union will be a true test, but they’re saying the right things.  

The road ahead 

Unions will continue to flex their muscle in the year ahead. Battles are raging at Amazon and an empowered UAW has its eye on expanded unionization at Tesla and Toyota. Other organizations with employee friendly reputations, like REI, are also seeing unions at their doorstep. 

It doesn’t matter how well you think you’re treating employees if they don’t feel like they have control and a voice. Think of it in the context of our current economic picture: By most measures, the American economy is doing great, but many don’t feel that it is. So come the demands for change. 

This is a wake-up call for communicators: you must be in the room during conversations about unionization efforts. The tone and tenor of communications internally and externally can have a massive impact on PR. One wrong word can prompt backlash and stymie hiring efforts for years to come. But smart, empathetic messaging can show that you are committed to employees and willing to work to make them feel supported.  

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post By the numbers: What we can expect from unionization in 2024 appeared first on PR Daily.

This story was originally published on Jan. 25, 2023. We’re republishing it as part of our countdown of top stories of the year. 

PR and communications have lived under the marketing umbrella for years. The team-up has traditionally made sense: all three functions contribute to brand, and brand is ultimately the responsibility of marketing. Plus, many communications and marketing efforts are similar, often revolving around content creation or communications strategy.

But placing communications under marketing leadership can create friction. Marketing and PR have very different value propositions. While marketing most frequently seeks to drive demand and generate pipeline on a short-term, scalable basis, PR is all about the long game of brand awareness and thought leadership. These initiatives have overlap, but marketing and communications professionals know the difference by heart and toe the line of their responsibilities daily.

These considerations will be top-of-mind for executives in 2023, especially those in organizations facing the challenge of budget cuts and this ever-looming recession. And with communications leadership often acting as crucial strategic counsel during times of organizational crisis or uncertainty, restructuring will likely include the creation of a chief communications officer or VP of communications. Here’s why.

Marketing teams are already task-logged

Marketing is a crowded category. Marketers can expect to own creative output, including design and content, plus demand gen, analytics, SEO, PR, product growth, customer success and — depending on organizational structure — even entry-level sales roles. Add to these considerations the burden of hiring top talent in the current market, and marketing leaders are left burnt out or failing to meet KPIs (or both).

The problem here is that overworked marketing departments often act as a catch-all fix for one-off market opportunities. Did a competitor perform well on social media using an influencer campaign? If it caught a sales executive’s eye, the marketing department may be tasked with carrying out a similar campaign. That leaves other essential initiatives, including communications support, by the wayside — especially if communications falls under the purview of a chief revenue officer (CRO).

CROs, and oftentimes CMOs, are directed to prioritize demand gen and product growth over communications. And as tech valuations continue to fall and a possible recession threatens marketing departments everywhere, the importance of demand has skyrocketed, only widening the chasm between marketing and communications initiatives.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with marketers focusing on demand — that’s the right move. But it’s also the right move to allow communications to operate independently of non-demand tasks, such as internal messaging, restructuring announcements and DEIB updates. And this is not possible without a communications leader with the seniority and authority to make bold decisions independent of marketing buy-in.

Additionally, turnover is usually higher in marketing departments comprised of several non-collaborative teams. This configuration leaves team members to work in silos, which is unproductive at best and detrimental at worst. Besides, it’s often the case that marketing shouldn’t be privy to the information comms teams handle — especially as modern communications becomes increasingly tricky.

Communications operates in a separate sphere from marketing

Once handled by separate roles, internal and external communications have slowly unified.  Leaders now recognize the importance of strategic internal messaging, and for good reason. A recent wave of reductions in force and company exposés act as a reminder that internally distributed messages can significantly impact an organization’s public image. Announcements made in poor taste or with improper wording — regardless of how well-intended — can damage a company’s reputation.

It shouldn’t need to be said that authentic, empathetic communication is key when it comes to announcing hard decisions. Company reorganizations affect employees’ lives, and communications professionals must handle such announcements sensitively. But no organization exists in a vacuum, and all internal messages will be read by external audiences sooner or later. Look no further than the fiasco at Twitter for evidence of how a company’s communications can quickly become trending news.

Modern communications professionals have to juggle all sides of messaging. This has turned an already difficult task into a complicated, high-level process with huge stakes. Handling difficult communications tactfully has become an art form, and doing it perfectly requires strong, unified leadership and collaboration.

Communications teams need to work closely with HR to nail sensitive and accurate internal messaging. HR and communications share a goal: productive messages that contribute to happy and healthy employees. Sure, marketers probably share this goal personally, but it’s not their job to see it through. Furthermore, it may be inappropriate for marketers to access pertinent HR information ahead of an official internal statement.

The consequential nature of this information also suggests that communications, and communications leaders especially, have reached a new professional level.

Communications guidance has become critical for the C-suite

The reality is that communications isn’t just a marketing function — it’s fundamental to the everyday operations of the business. Executives rely on communications leaders for strategic counsel on nearly everything, from thought leadership and internal messaging to restructuring guidance and tips on responding to societal issues. Before a top-tier interview, without fail, executives will be briefed by a communications professional. And before addressing employees during an all-hands meeting, they’ll seek advice on what talking points to hit (and which to avoid).

Let it be known that crafting a standout communications strategy and receiving executive buy-in is no small feat. It requires experience and excellence, not to mention seniority. Without it, communications leaders will find themselves gridlocked by improper access to C-suite execs. And as social media expedites the speed at which news travels, other C-suite members will realize the utility of a unilateral communications decision-maker – a chief communications officer.

Grace Williams is BLASTmedia’s senior vice president.

The post Top stories of 2023: Why 2023 is the year of the chief communications officer appeared first on PR Daily.

Georgette Pascale is an authentic storyteller/communications specialist and NYWICI member.

We’re inundated nearly daily with opportunities to add iterative, helpful and exciting tools like AI to our arsenals. These technologies promise to assist and promote effective communication whatever industry we are in — but the tried and true “comms with clarity” hasn’t changed much at all for years. Put aside age, gender, occupation, geography, institution, title, political stance, etc.: clarity is a must for communications professionals.  

However, it’s more than just at work: If I can connect with my teenage son by sending an inspirational meme or a funny Reel via socials, that might be the laugh and connection we both need on a given day. This informal, casual style of communicating doesn’t require planning: You just meet people where they already are.  

Taking the lesson from our personal lives, we can incorporate it into our work lives. Being consistent, timely, accurate and most importantly, able to react in a responsive, direct, educated, thoughtful way is important. But HOW you communicate is what your audience will remember.  

When I started a virtual communications agency nearly two decades ago, people thought I was silly. Very pre-pandemic, I was simply a young mom that knew how and where I worked didn’t necessarily have to determine my success, direction, respectand efficiency that my concept could provide.  

At the time, virtual work wasn’t for everyone (it never is), yet my responsive and tailored touch for each client was accepted by those visionaries who understood it in early days. My team flourished because clarity and connections — and reaching our targets where they already were — were always at the forefront.   

Fast forward to today. As a former CEO, single mother, public speaker and serial entrepreneur, I can attest that communication is the root and source of all success, the very first piece of the client service puzzle.  

As technology advances and becomes easier to implement, it means that we cannot and should not forget the basics of communications that truly make an initial impact and create a first impression. Productivity does not equal hours, and a million emails sent doesn’t equate to new business or clear comms. Gone are the days of copy/ paste.  

You can still be a modern-day ‘G’ using the new tools and still embody the proven ‘OG’ ways of communications. It will make your path smoother and much more productive. Your first step: start with the HOW. You’ll always know the WHY and will need educate yourself on the WHAT. But it’s channel-first to leave that personal touch in a world that is quickly being dominated by AI-generated conversations.  If it’s possible to leave a voice message via text or a quick video with a message that can portray emotion and tone better than an oft dreaded email, then DO IT!  

Today, it’s more important than ever before to build bridges. Bottom line: It’s great to accept the new additives that make every form of comms, but crucial to respect the channels that deliver on authenticity.  

The post Revisiting the basics: The importance of clarity in communications appeared first on PR Daily.

Ragan Communications has a huge slate of events for both internal and external communicators. From virtual conferences and certificates that efficiently get you information to level-up your comms to in-person events in exciting locales with some of the brightest minds in the business, we’ve got an array of choices to fit your needs and budget. 

Here are just a few of the highlights of the year ahead. To see our full slate, click here – and remember that more will be added throughout the year. 

Don’t let that use-it-or-lose-it budget go to waste. Register today for the training to help you thrive in 2024. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Certificate Course for Communicators 

Jan 17, 24 and 31, 2024
1-3 p.m. ET | Virtual Series 

Employee Communications 101 

January 25, 2024
11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.. ET | Virtual 

Public Affairs & Speechwriting Virtual Conference 

February 21, 2024
11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET | Virtual 

AI Certificate Course 

Mar 6, 13 and 20, 2024
1-3 p.m. ET | Virtual Series 

Ragan’s Social Media Conference 2024 

March 27 – 29, 2024
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 

Women’s Retreat for Top Communicators 

April 9 – 11, 2024
Perry Lane Hotel, Savannah, Georgia 

Employee Communications & Culture Conference 

April 16 – 18, 2024
Chicago, Illinois 

PR Daily Media Relations Conference 

June 5 – 6, 2024
Washington, DC 

Internal Communications Conference 

October 16 – 18, 2024
Seattle, Washington 

Communications Week 

November 12 – 15, 2024
Virtual and cities nationwide 

Future of Communications Conference 

November 13 – 15, 2024
Austin, Texas 

The post Mark your calendars for 2024: Ragan’s slate of conferences announced appeared first on PR Daily.

CEOs overwhelmingly believe they’re in charge of external communications. 

Communicators disagree. 

The findings of a new joint poll conducted by HarrisX and Ragan Communications reveals a stark divide that shows 78% of CEOs believe they’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to communications – but only 15% of communications professionals agreed. 

There’s wide disparity among who comms professionals believe is in charge of external comms, highly dependent on org structure., but common answers include CCOs, CMOs or a non-C-suite leader. 

Now, most communicators do trust their CEO when it comes to the external comms function. The survey of 370 people, including 173 chief executives, found that 91% of communicators trust CEOs at least somewhat when it comes to external communications. However, that number drops to a still respectable 82% when asked about the more specific discipline of media relations, with only 37% expressing “a great deal of trust” in their CEO. 

While the survey does not delve into why this divide exists, we can make some inferences. 

The CEO is often the public face of a company – but as any comms person knows, that doesn’t mean they’re in charge of strategy. Getting in front of a camera and speaking is often the easy part of external relations. Securing a media opportunity, doing media training, developing talking points, following up with reporters, cleaning up any messes the executive might have made – these are the details a chief executive might miss. Because their job is to oversee the entire company, not these granular details. 

Nonetheless, many executives would not have the opportunity to be spokespeople for the company at all without the external communications team doing the behind-the-scenes work to make it happen, and it make it happen successfully. 

While we can’t be sure this is the case based on this survey, it’s a great place to begin a conversation with your leadership team. Communicators need to be respected and acknowledged for their strategic and tactical role. Chief executives are wonderful allies in external communications, but rarely are they leading the charge. Work with them to show your value in order to let them see who’s really calling the shots – and how you can help in the most stressful moments of the company. 

For more insights, including much more on communicator views on AI, download the full report today.  

The post The tug of war over ownership of external comms appeared first on PR Daily.

There’s an almost dizzying number of tools available to communicators. Gone are the days when a Rolodex and a good notebook would get you pretty far — now it’s all about intranets, social listening tools, measurement software and so much more.

Ragan Communications, in partnership with the University of Florida, wants to better understand how you use technology in your communications practice. We’re looking for responses from both internal and external communicators. Click here to take the survey now.

We’ll use your insight to generate an original report to better understand the barriers to acquiring new tools — and how to overcome them, among other insights.

Please complete this survey by Friday, Aug. 11. 

Take the survey here today — and thank you.

The post Your insight needed: How do you use technology in communications? appeared first on PR Daily.

Corporate activism is gaining momentum as brands are expected to have the right message, tone and delivery when communicating publicly about where they stand on sociopolitical issues. But they’re also facing increasing pushback from those who disagree with those stances — just look at Bud Light and Target.

Proper allyship happens when brands “authentically respond to critical social moments with a well-thought-out message that includes some commitment to effecting positive change,” according to Bentley University Marketing Professor Susan Dobscha said in a university post. The messaging should never be “shallow, vague or even tone deaf,” she added.

Morning Consult reported that consumers now have higher expectations for brands to take “proactive positions” on often controversial issues like LGBTQ+ rights, police brutality, social justice and beyond. According to Morning Consult, for U.S. adults it’s “very” or “somewhat” important for business leaders to talk about issues like climate change (66%), civil liberties (71%) and labor rights (75%).

But in today’s polarizing world, it’s challenging — if not impossible — to show support for any of these topics without alienating at least some portion of your customer base.

However, being in the room from the beginning when corporate activism plans are being devised is the first step, Nicole Bott, founder and CEO of Bott Communications Consulting, told PR Daily.

“The responsibility is on both sides. And that’s actually why someone who is a PR practitioner or communicator needs to be the one that sits at the center of figuring out what a company’s activism program should look like,” Bott said. “Because that person is responsible for controlling what gets out into the media into the into the world and what percolates among the employees.”

Bott added that authenticity is also a helpful element in determining what to say and when in terms of corporate activism and “not chasing every issue,” but only those that align with a company’s mission, vision and values.

“Companies really need to sit down and define what are those areas that they truly believe in,” she said. “Also, have the discipline to say, this isn’t something that I’m going to step into, or I’m going to step into it and I know that I’m going to get backlash for it and we’re going to ride it out.”

Uniformity of messaging is also key, both internally and externally.

Erin Gaddis, publicist and crisis communications consultant with Bridge Media, told PR Daily that having an isolated message can easily fall apart at the seams when nothing else backs it up.

“I think consistent messaging is the biggest key and ensuring that your internal and external messaging are working together to communicate whatever message it is that you’re trying to get out,” Gaddis said, adding that looking at the message before it goes public is crucial, too, for transparency and accountability. “Allow your organization’s key internal and external stakeholders a chance to weigh in on the messaging before it goes public. They may be able to help you identify some blind spots and potential risk.”

Bott said that companies and PR pros should always prepare for fallout.

“You’re gonna have customers that are going to walk away,” Bott said in reference to Target. “You can’t please everyone and some of your customers are not going to like it.”

But not every negative response is truly a crisis. Your crisis plan should include a ranking of the issues that it’s most important to respond to — and those that are the least critical.

“How important is this?” Bott said of weighing out how to respond in corporate activism scenarios. “And if (my response) were to become a negative issue for our business, how much of an impact could it have on our bottom line?”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com. 

The post PR’s role in choosing issues to speak on in a time of controversy appeared first on PR Daily.

So you’re having a PR event. Maybe it’s a press conference, maybe it’s a grand gala, maybe it’s a simple tour of your office. 

You’ve planned out every aspect of the event: the itinerary, the talking points, the food, the timing. 

But have you mapped out the emotional beats of the event? Probably not. 

If not, you may be missing out on an opportunity to make the event memorable and meaningful. 

The Exclamation Group specializes in luxury and corporate events. Think high-end events for brands like Bulgari, Swarovski and Exxon Mobil.  

Founders Thomas Serrano and Anastasia Nisenbaum sat down with PR Daily recently to discuss how to create experiences that resonate in attendees’ minds while giving great value to the brands they support. 

Memorable and meaningful 

There is a certain irrationality to luxury goods. 

Why choose this watch over that or this purse instead of that clutch?  

Many times, it comes down to the emotional connection the brand has forged with the customer, as much as the item itself.  

Serrano describes balancing the rational and the emotional as the “two Ms”: meaningful and memorable. 

“It has to be meaningful to the brand, very unique to who they are,” he said. “And meaningful to the audience. Would they join?” 

Then comes the memorable. 

“Our product is that of craftsmanship, storytelling. Those companies are, you know, 100 years old, 200 years old, the products are beautiful. We connect through art, music, cinema, whatever. So, the emotion, it’s coming from those specific moments.” 

But even for those of us who aren’t in the business of selling diamonds and expensive liquor, there are still emotional moments to be found. Serrano recalls an instance way back in 1999 where he worked on an event for HP servers. 

A special exhibit was staged in Paris celebrating the year 2000 — a topic on everyone’s mind at the time that was sure to pique curiosity and interest in technology. And naturally, after those emotions had been aroused, then came the mandatory sales pitch. 

It worked, Serrano said, because “what we created, they could not duplicate somewhere else.” 

It all comes down to the very fundamentals of PR. As Nisenbaum explained: “We understand the audience. That’s the first thing that we need to work on. And what’s the goal of the client? That those are the first two key components that unless we know them, it’s just a matter of luck, whether we will hit it or not.” 

Mapping emotions 

Most event planners create a run of show document that painstakingly details the timeline of the event, from doors open to teardown. It features timing, locations, personnel, scripts and so on. 

But Exclamation Group adds a unique column: one for emotion on both an individual and collective level. 

“We try to describe the emotion as much as we can, and we try to describe the intensity of that emotion,” Serrano explained. In most cases, the emotions build, one upon the other, until you reach the crescendo of the evening. 

For example, maybe you start with a video. Because people are watching it together, that’s a collective moment, and the video is intended to trigger nostalgia. Perhaps after that people enter an exhibit that triggers individual astonishment due to the beautiful jewelry displayed there. They wander, having a passive, individual moment of awe. Then perhaps a more active presentation by a watchmaker triggers curiosity.  

“And after, you have to look back at the entire journey that you have just ended. You make sure you are going back to your audience, is it relevant to them, it’s relevant to the brands with the messaging,” Serrano said. 

Nisenbaum pointed out that emotions can be complex and sometimes will need multiple elements to work. For instance, perhaps a certain soundtrack is playing during the jewelry exhibit to reinforce the desired emotion. 

It’s also important not to keep emotions too high for too long, Serrano cautions. 

“We’re not a machine of emotion … So, there are moments of serenity, there is a moment of pure pleasure and gastronomy.”  

In the crowded luxury marketplace, generating emotions that linger with guests long beyond the day itself can make all the difference. 

“There are millions of events happening throughout the year everywhere,” Nisenbaum said. “What’s the difference? Why would the guests come for this particular event? 

Tracking the journey 

But how can you measure an event like this? No one wants to interrupt their posh evening to take a survey asking about their feelings, after all. 

Usually, the bottom line tells the story. Did sales at the event increase? Then the emotional journey was probably successful. 

But there is, of course, a long-term, intangible emotional investment that needs quantifying, too. 

“You see it in the face, if it works, or if it doesn’t work,” Nisenbaum said. “And of course, there will be one person who doesn’t get it. But if you see that the majority of them start taking their phones out under one minute of the performance or the speech, you know that it’s not working well.“ 

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post How and why to add emotion to your event run of show appeared first on PR Daily.

A contest to be a sideline reporter for the day for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun ignited the ambitions of Lauren Keane, now an associate VP of communications at Southern New Hampshire University, to write stories of strong women. The then-sixth grader, styled in a little pink blazer with a spiral-bound notebook to boot, interviewed small forward Nykesha Sales in the locker room.

“While the ambitions of most children change frequently,” said Keane. “I have never outgrown my competitive spirit, [my] desire to be part of a team, my love of telling an impactful story, [or] wanting to drive change on issues I care about.”

Ahead of her session at PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference, we caught up with Keane, who leads internal and external communications for the office of external affairs and communications at SNHU, to discuss the steps she takes to create authentic communications strategies for social change.

Authenticity is key to effective communication.

Effective communication, when it is rooted in authenticity and delivered with conviction, has the potential to ignite the flames of social revolution and bring about meaningful change. However, to be effective, communication strategies must be aligned with the organization’s values and mission.

The key to creating an effective communication strategy is to start with a solid foundation of the organization’s mission and values before planning communications initiatives, Keane said. “Every brand has a story to tell, but it has to be authentic and relevant to their audiences,” she said.

Keane emphasized that SNHU’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible pathways to a degree, making higher education accessible for social mobility in the US and globally.

But for so many people who have been left behind by traditional pathways to a degree, it is sometimes hard to see how they “fit in” to the higher education landscape cliché shown on movies and TV shows, she said.

[RELATED: Enter our PR Daily Awards by May 12]

One way SNHU drives change is by telling the stories of its students. For instance, SNHU celebrated 94-year-old student, Amy Craton, who graduated in 2016. In addition to attracting national and international attention, SNHU President Paul LeBlanc flew to Craton’s home state of Hawaii to present her degree certificate.

“Amy’s story resonated because people were inspired by her determination and message to ‘never stop learning,’” said Keane. “It showed those who were either working towards degrees or maybe those who deferred that dream when life got in the way, that if she can do it, they can do it, too.”

The 3-question comms approach.

Setting up a comprehensive communications strategy is crucial for any organization, especially those focused on social change. A well-designed strategy can help achieve organizational objectives, enhance the organization’s reputation, and build relationships with stakeholders.

One plan of action that Keane and her team often use when deciding on a strategy, big or small, is the know-feel-do communications approach. The conversations are led by three questions:

1) What do you want your audience to know/think?

2) How do you want them to feel?

3) What do you want them to do with the information you are sharing?

These questions can be used to start conversations for large-scale initiatives, or even subconsciously as you are drafting an email or talking points, Keane said. This exercise helps everyone get on the same page as you begin a comms strategy.

“Sharing this strategy with leaders across the university has also empowered them to think this way before they even come to our team with requests,” said Keane. “[It’s] led to faster and more productive communications.”

Understand your mission begins with your employees.

Your company’s mission needs to start internally before it can resonate externally. Belonging, purpose and values are increasingly important to employees and consumers alike, and leaders who fail to “walk the talk” risk losing the trust and respect of those they lead.

A perfect example is Keane herself. The communications veteran was initially influenced to pursue this career by a college professor at American University. Keane knew two things: she wanted to help make a difference in this world and pursue communications.

“What fueled me to stay in this career is seeing how coordinated and strategic communications can help propel initiatives forward or create change in people’s lives and communities,” said Keane.

Employees like Keane who embody the principles they espouse are truly committed to making a positive impact.

“I think for-profit organizations have a lot to learn from the non-profit sector,” said Keane. “Every organization today has a responsibility to think about how they are leaving the world better than they found it.”

Join Keane at PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference on June 5-6. She will speak alongside communications leaders from APCO Worldwide, Edelman, Mars Inc., National Association of Government Communicators, National Public Radio, Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Southwest Airlines and many more.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

The post Creating authentic communications strategies for social change appeared first on PR Daily.

Managing the communications of a consumer-facing company in a highly regulated space comes with challenges, some ethical and many, many procedural. To the genetic testing company 23andMe’s Director of Communications, Andy Kill, working alongside the regulatory teams and legal teams is just part of what he does every day.

“A portion of the product is regulated by the FDA, some of the reports are governed by the FDA, and then there’s other information in the product that falls outside of the FDA’s scope, like the ancestry side of things,” he explained. “We have a drug discovery business as well, which is highly regulated.”

The company was founded in 2006 and provided easy access to genetic testing, which at the time forged new ground for both the FDA and 23andMe and resulted in frequent communications between the FDA and the organization — some which made the news.

“A lot of it is working closely with our regulatory and legal teams and knowing what’s in bounds, what’s out of bounds, and how we can creatively use PR and comms within the confines of that to story tell,” said Kill.

Ahead of his session at PR Daily’s Public Affairs & Speechwriting virtual conference, Kill shares how he stays true to 23andMe’s mission, the storytelling tricks he uses to get coverage in the press, and why his organization leads with science.

Identify and build upon your organization’s purpose

Having a strong mission statement can be a guiding star for companies looking to connect with external audiences.

“The mission of the company is to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome,” said Kill. “From a communications perspective, [we look at] what we are prioritizing and if it backs up to helping people.”

23andMe stays true to their purpose in several ways; for example, their tests provide information to consumers that helps them identify health risks. The company also builds on their mission statement with work on their FDA-regulated drug discovery business.

“We’re able to find new drug targets based on human genetic information, and potentially develop new medicines that can help people,” said Kill. “That’s the ultimate fulfillment of that mission.”

Not only does a clear mission statement help an organization stand apart in a crowded market, but it also helps the communications team focus on what’s important. “All of our communications ladder up to that mission,” Kill added.

Human stories resonate with customers

When it comes to sharing 23andMe’s mission externally, Kill looks holistically across the company for inspiration. “People find[ing] family and meeting for the first time [are] great visuals for broadcast,” he said. “[Those] customer stories tend to resonate.”

Another area of focus is the research group. “We have over 13 million customers at 23andMe and about 80% volunteered to participate in research,” said Kill. “They’re answering survey questions, and looking at those alongside aggregate anonymized genetic data, we pull out different trends in terms of specific health conditions or genetic risks.”

Any genetic information that is shared by 23andMe meets the most stringent guidelines — a requirement of its regulated nature. “All of that [data] has to be aggregate information. It can’t be any individual level information. It has to be deidentified and it can only come from customers who have elected to participate in research,” said Kill. “[There are] ethical guardrails in place.”

But all that work is worth it when that pitch lands. “Whenever we do studies on common conditions those resonate really well,” said Kill.

Be as transparent as ethically possible

“The strategy is ‘Lead with Science,’” said Kill. That mantra has helped guide 23andMe to success. “The company’s been focused on publishing consistently, not just research, but also publishing on the accuracy of the product through our different FDA authorizations.”

Kill suggests leaning into transparency wherever possible and keeping open lines of communication within the company as well as externally. One of the departments he speaks with: the ethics team.

“We have an in-house research ethics team that we can consult with anytime,” said Kill. While guardrails exist to protect consumer data, having the ethics team on-hand to discuss a potential research story can be handy. For example, during the early days of COVID-19, the team was developing data around the loss of smell and taste phenomena.

Of course, there are still some pieces of misinformation Kill’s team continues to battle against. “It’s often reported that we’re a part of investigations [using] genetics to crack cold cases,” said Kill. That’s false. “23andMe doesn’t participate in law enforcement investigations.”

Join Kill at PR Daily’s Public Affairs & Speechwriting virtual conference on April 4. Kill will speak alongside speechwriters and communications leaders from the U.S. Navy, Edelman, IBM, the U.S. Department of Labor, and more. 

The post Build upon your company’s purpose, transparently and ethically appeared first on PR Daily.

In comms, it’s of course of paramount importance to have your messaging pinned down. But it’s just as important to have the right person communicating your story to the world as well. Finding the right spokesperson is quite a bit more complex than just trotting out anyone to spout off some nice-sounding words — there’s a lot of depth that comes into play. If, for example, you’re communicating the launch of a new product, the spokesperson must know about the media covering the event, how to answer tough questions about your product and the right organizational tone that will speak to your audience.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing the right messenger for the right message.

Training for the moment

When you’re communicating to the world and you’re seeking to nail down the voice of the organization, it’s imperative that the person you’re choosing to communicate is media literate. If the person communicating isn’t fully prepared and on message, it can lead to embarrassment. Media training can help comms pros know exactly what points they’re supposed to hit in a given media piece or appearance and what points to avoid.

In many instances, organizations will arrange for their chosen spokespeople to go through media training with comms pros who know the media space well. They’ll help drive home the talking points, and in some cases, will do a test tape to see how a spokesperson tests on camera for video content. But with the ever-shifting media landscape, it’s sometimes prudent to provide touch-ups on media training, and debriefs should be given to spokespeople ahead of appearances so they know both the outlet and the reporter they’re working with. A prepared voice is generally a steady one to have behind a message.

Doing your homework

When you’re picking your roster of experts, it’s just as important that they know who they’re telling the story to as their knowledge of the message itself. They should be aware of the journalists and publications that cover the issues so they can best tailor the messages. For instance, an in-depth interview with a trade publication will read much differently than a quick quote for a national one, and it’s important to the communicator to know that.

In addition, different skill sets are going to be better for different types of media interviews. Think of the person in the organization who might be a ball of personality and knows the company mission backward and forward. They might be best suited for a video appearance. Perhaps there’s also someone on the team who is more statistically inclined and can describe complex functions with ease. They might be better for a magazine interview that can go into lots of depth. It’s up to the comms pros in the building to figure out who is right for what role and to use those skills properly, which happens through comprehensive training and the development and identification of communications skills.

Navigating the narrative

One of the biggest roles a chosen spokesperson can play is the molding of the story’s perspective. They’ve got the power not only to tell the story but to help determine how it’s received. Much of the challenge of being a great communicator of a story is knowing how to frame it properly. Proper media training can account for some of that ability. But media people need to be agile and able to respond to unexpected questions and have no apprehension when it comes to fielding tough questions from the media.

It’s also important not to stray from the organization’s messaging. In fast-paced interviews, it can be tempting to ad-lib. It’s important to stay on track, and prior training can come in handy. Focus on what the message is, and stick to it, even when the temptation is there to off-script in response to a question. It’s a tough skill to master and takes time and discipline, but it’s important.

As communicators, it’s our job to tell the stories of our organization. Sounds pretty simple, right? But when you’re picking the person or people to spread that message, you need to be sure that they’re prepared, they know their material, and they have the power to control perception. Don’t just pick a roster of experts because they’re there — be sure to vet them and help them be ready when the moment to shine comes.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post Finding your roster of comms experts appeared first on PR Daily.

With all the news of economic turmoil and layoffs at major companies in the news lately, it’s hard not to think of how these job cuts were communicated to employees. According to recent reports, Google employees were told via email, with some getting the news at 3 a.m. local time, that they no longer had jobs at the company. From a communications perspective, to quote kids these days, this ain’t it. While Google is the latest example of mishandled layoff comms, they’re certainly not the only guilty party.

Nobody wants to be the person or team that’s communicating to a group of employees or the wider world that jobs are being cut. But by having a plan in place, being clear in disseminating the unfortunate message to employees and the world, and having some compassion in their tone, comms professionals can ease the pain of a tough situation.

Communicating with compassion

There are a few good rules of thumb to follow when you’re speaking with employees about job losses. First, remember to treat them with compassion. They’ve dedicated years, perhaps even decades of their lives to the service of an organization, and they deserve to be treated with proper respect.

When possible, individualize the communication with employees and set meetings to tell them the unfortunate news. This can help give them the time they deserve to process the news. In situations when this is not possible, you should still work to set aside a specific time to share the news. While this isn’t ideal, at larger organizations, this is sometimes necessary. No matter the setting, communications about the layoffs to affected employees should be clear, honest, and as concise as possible, with care given to a compassionate tone. Don’t hide behind jargon or industry terms — just be clear, concise, and truthful. In a piece for Ragan in November, Beth Haiken gave some color to this type of situation.

The term “go forward” is today’s “right-sizing” and several companies have been (rightly) castigated for using it. Don’t use either term. Don’t use any jargon, in fact, and don’t even think about using the word “family.” Be sensitive to nuances that may strike the wrong tone — those you are laying off aren’t “leaving us” (which sounds voluntary), they are being let go. Also be sensitive to the way you use “inside” language: when you lay people off they are no longer “Andorians”, they immediately become “ex-Andorians” or “former Andorians.” While they may identify as “Andoria alumni,” that’s a term they should choose for themselves should they want to.

For a prime example of how not to communicate in this situation, let’s take a look at what Better.com’s CEO did in 2021, laying off hundreds of staffers in a three-minute Zoom, just after getting hundreds of millions of dollars infused into the business. Here’s a direct quote from that call, as reported by CNET:

“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off,” Better.com CEO Vishal Garg said Wednesday on the call, a recording of which has since circulated on TikTok and YouTube. “Your employment here is terminated effective immediately.”

This is perhaps the best example of how to shoot yourself in the foot communicating about a layoff from a leadership perspective. It comes off as cold, doesn’t give any time for questions, and seems lacking in any sort of compassion. Employees are human beings, not just numbers on a balance sheet. Garg ended up apologizing later, but the damage to his reputation as a leader was done. Give people the respect they deserve after serving your organization with their talents.

Mixternal strategies

If you work at a large enough organization, there’s a good chance that the news of your workplace’s job cuts will make it into the public sphere. For this reason, it’s important to nail down what you’re going to tell the outside world about why you’re cutting jobs. In many cases, the actual emailed notice to employees may leak to the press, so write those documents expecting that they will. It’s a show of transparency to post these letters directly to a corporate newsroom or blog to show you have nothing to hide.

Be honest — but don’t give away information that’ll make the organization look cruel or cold. Be sure that you show thankfulness to the affected employees and genuine care for the situation. It’ll go a long way toward earning goodwill in the public eye.

Be prepared

Not only are layoffs a painful affair, they also can take quite a lot of logistical planning to communicate to affected employees. That’s why comms pros need to have a plan of action in place before breaking the news.

According to Harvard Business Review:

It’s critical to plan the details of the communications rollout, starting from before the impacted employees are informed and including any actions that follow those meetings. Most often these include: notification to the entire company before the notifications begin, an all-hands meeting for remaining employees; company-wide emails; distribution of separation paperwork; website announcements; and social media postings.

You may also want to include other actions in your plan — such as updates to internal documentation (org charts, for example), reductions or eliminations in facilities, and notifications to business partners — depending on circumstances, the structure of your company, the number of employees and worksites, and other factors.

As a comms pro, it’s important to know about all the other fallout that surrounds a layoff, particularly being able to communicate about job roles that might change or leadership shifts. With the proper prep work, comms can be able to answer the many questions that might arise from remaining staff about the job cuts and how they affect them.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post How to communicate before, during and after layoffs appeared first on PR Daily.

When you’re looking to get your message out to the world, it’s often smart to enlist the support of an influencer who speaks to your audience. But staying on top of all the latest trends and figuring out the perfect influencers to help promote your product isn’t necessarily an easy task to pull off. We recently spoke with Nicole Dye-Anderson, head of media relations at Wells Fargo, about how she handles media strategy and how she identifies and then gets the right influencers on board with her communications plan.

Finding the right voice

It’s hard enough finding the precise strategy and rollout for a messaging campaign. But it’s arguably just as important to find the right voice with which to deliver that message. According to Dye-Anderson, it’s all about figuring out the audience you want to reach and how to share your story with the proper influencers and the right demographic.

“You have to ask yourself some questions before you can determine whether or not to work with an influencer. Are they on-brand with their messaging when they are sharing information about a product, and just as importantly, are they on-brand with regard to their own voice? Also, you need to take a look at not only who these influencers are impacting, but who they’re being influenced by. I keep an eye out for an ‘influencer’s influencer’ if you will.”

The current scene

With so much digital noise out there, it can pose a challenge to suss out the landscape and determine where your message fits in. According to Dye-Anderson, being open to new trends can help figure out who you want to spread your message to the masses. She emphasized that literacy around the correct platforms is necessary, as you might find the perfect person to distribute your message in all the fog of social media. In addition, she affirmed that while it’s great to have an influencer on board, you need to make sure it’s the correct sort of influencer for your organization.

“It’s important that you’ve got authentic influencers. It’s also key to figure out the micro-influencers on different platforms, especially on things like TikTok that are somewhat new but full of influential figures.”

She also spoke to the value of blending a corporate voice with that of an influencer – this can help add a fresh perspective to the story you’ve been telling and can help unlock new demographics to target with your corporate story. Audiences will know when a message is pay-for-play, which Dye-Anderson says she works to avoid.

Tips of the trade

Much like media relations, working with an influencer is all about relationships and maintaining them, Dye-Anderson .

“It’s important to truly partner with an influencer and listen to them. You should let them tell you what they’re seeing out there and how it can help shape your message and distribution,” Dye-Anderson said. She went on to add that once you develop a relationship with an influencer, it can help lead to new ideas and ways to tell the story.

However, paramount among Dye-Anderson’s concerns is the fact that her storytelling efforts reach her intended audience – current and prospective Wells Fargo customers, in her case.

“I want to make sure that I’m able to provide my audience what they’re craving. It’s critical to have the right people telling your story to the right audience,” Dye-Anderson said

While Dye-Anderson admits that there are times in which audiences might tire of always seeing influencers getting a corporate message out to the masses, she also knows how important it is for reaching demographics that you might not otherwise be targeting or even be aware of.

Influencers are so much more than someone you might see on your Instagram feed hawking the latest tech product or luxury items. In a corporate storytelling sense, they’re truly invaluable messengers that can help get a story to places you didn’t previously anticipate. If you’re looking to break into a new market and get your story to a whole new set of people, do your research and listen to what the influencers in your space are saying and how they’re communicating. With a smart comms strategy and a little relationship building, working with an influencer can help take your corporate messaging to new frontiers.

You can learn more about Nicole’s expertise at Ragan’s Social Media Conference, March 16 and 17 at Walt Disney World.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.

The post A how-to guide on collaborating with influencers appeared first on PR Daily.

Regardless of where you get your financial news, one thing is clear:  the United States is facing uncertain economic times. Some experts are saying the country will be in a full-blown recession by the end of the year. Others say we’re already there. With inflation at levels we haven’t seen since the 1980s, consumers’ wallets will be squeezed – right in time for the holidays.

The gloomy economic forecast presents significant communications challenges to both for-profit and non-profit organizations as consumers head into the holidays more guarded about spending. But with an effective communications strategy, organizations can weather economic uncertainty by keeping their audiences engaged and loyal. Here are a few tips for both the for-profit and non-profit sectors:

For-profit comms tips

Retailers are already trying to extend the holiday season with deals and flashy ads to entice consumers to spend. While the marketing team attracts consumers with messages about cost savings for the holidays, PR and communications professionals can send complementary messages that address ways businesses prepare for the holiday season in the face of an uncertain economic forecast.

Stories about high inventory levels, consumer trends on making each dollar count, and customer service challenges amidst employee shortages will drive the national consumer conversation this season. Use them to your clients’ advantage. Inject them into the economic narrative, a tactic often referred to as “newsjacking.” But in doing so, demonstrate you appreciate customers’ real concerns. Here are some other ways to connect with worried consumers:

• Involve spokespeople outside of the executive suite in delivering messages. Tap relatable frontline employees to be interviewed about what they are seeing and hearing from customers this year. Involving employees in earned media initiatives not only provides audiences with a real-life perspective of the current retail environment, it also introduces real people working hard to help worried consumers. Employees are the true face of the company. They are the ones interacting with customers every day. Telling their stories and highlighting their expert guidance and empathy will go a long way to combat consumer angst.
• Provide loyalty club members with support and perks during times of marketplace instability. Work with your clients to develop special offers for this audience and strong messages, making it clear that you’re in their corner as they face uncertain economic times. Use customer newsletters and consumer-facing websites to connect, making it clear that the company and its employees are ready to give preferred customers this holiday season the special attention they deserve.
• Highlight partnerships with non-profit organizations. Consumers love to hear stories about how their favorite brands are supporting mission-driven causes. It assures them that they, too, are supporting the cause just by being a customer. Teams from both the for-profit and nonprofit organization can work together to amplify the story of the partnership. The for-profit company will receive valuable exposure and credit for giving back during the holidays, while the non-profit organization taps into an important vein of new donors and supporters.

Non-profit comms tips

Speaking of nonprofit organizations, they also can benefit from many of the aforementioned for-profit tips. For example:

• The power of faces and the stories behind them are especially important for charitable organizations to highlight amidst uncertain economic times. Show the impact of the mission and the people who make it happen. Those being helped and those who are helping – -staff and volunteers — remind the audience that the organization needs them now more than ever.
• Just like for-profit’s customer loyalty programs, most nonprofit organizations have a core loyal donor base. Make sure these vital supporters hear often from the non-profit you represent. Emphasize the need for constant support, especially through economic downturns.
• If the economy is causing financial gifts to slow, ask for donors’ time instead. They believe in your cause and likely will welcome the opportunity to do more, especially if they are not able to make as large a monetary gift as they’d like. Let them know about other important ways to support the mission, like volunteering or providing an in-kind service.

Lastly, non-profit and for-profit communications teams alike should take time to assess the economy’s impact on the foundational elements of their communications plans. Has the economy caused a shift in target audiences? Are messages still on point or do they need to be adjusted? Are message delivery methods still effective? Comms teams should reexamine all variables as they prepare to weather an uncertain economy. Then just keep communicating. It’s the best way to ensure your audiences will stick with you come what may.

Philip McGowan is a partner with Finn Partners Southeast and co-leads its Government & Environment Practice. He develops integrated communications programs for clients in the public utilities, environmental advocacy, nonprofit and legislative relations spaces. Pat Warner is vice president at Finn Partners. 

The post Tips for non-profit and for-profit comms during an uncertain holiday season appeared first on PR Daily.