Corporate Communications

A Brief Guide to Social Networking for Business

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:29:00 +0000

It’s hard to ignore social networking these days. Most think it’s just for teens and young adults to connect with friends, but businesses are using sites like Facebook to reach out to their consumers – and they are wise in doing so. These efforts are especially effective in reaching the large Generation Y audience, many of whom are now entering the professional workforce. Social networking can also be a great tool for professionals if used correctly.

Companies are now not only advertising on social networks, but also setting up a place for consumers to connect with the company. Victoria’s Secret, Slim Jim, HBO, and Coca-Cola, among countless others, have created Facebook networks that enable fans or users to discuss products or send enhanced messages to friends. Microsoft Dynamics Connect has a Facebook application that allows professionals to connect to a business community while keeping their Facebook friends separate, and also allows users to set up a virtual business card. Last week, Visa launched The Visa Business Network through Facebook. This network allows small business owners to connect with each other, manage aspects of their business, and grow by reaching millions of potential customers. A MediaWeek article states that Visa’s research showed that networking is the key to livelihood for small businesses. The network also gives these business owners access to news, commentary, and tool kits, which can help enhance their business. The network currently has 80,000 small businesses as members.

Twitter is another social media outlet that many companies are utilizing to connect with consumers. A company or individual can use Twitter for micro-blogging or updates and others can follow their “tweets.” Using the search feature, formerly Summize, a representative from a company can find out what consumers are saying about their product, and use the reply feature to help resolve any issues. Twitter is being used by such companies as Zappos.com, whose CEO Tony Hsieh tweets about various company events and has almost 9,000 followers. This is an excellent tactic for Zappos since the company utilizes little-to-no marketing, but lets their high level of customer service speak for them. Examples of others who use Twitter are news networks such as CNN and Barack Obama, who has over 50,000 followers.

For professional individuals, however, social networking can be a double-edged sword. The IBM commercial above wittily displays how social networking is not always as great as it may seem, and is many times just that - social. But when used correctly and with appropriate modesty, sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn can be great tools for business networking as well. MSNBC article “Beware of Social Networking Overload” details benefits and privacy features of different sites and includes the table below, which displays segmentation of several social networks. Author of the article Eve Tahmincioglu explains that being on every networking site out there is just not feasible for any professional, but that Facebook and LinkedIn are two sites that are helpful and almost anyone can manage.

The overarching message here is that social networking sites, when used appropriately, can be great for individuals as well as companies. They are difficult to avoid and will not be going away soon, so accepting their presence and seeing their benefits can prove advantageous for business.

For additional Dos and Don’ts, check out this Business Week Tip Sheet on social networking for executives.

Top Five Communication Insights for 2008

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:35:00 +0000

There have been many "Top 10" lists proclaiming that they know best ways to for corporations to communicate with their target markets, but very few focus how to communicate. To help solve this problem, I have pulled a little content from each list compiling my own "Top Five Communication Trends of 2008" list. Instead of listing the most popular or innovative ways to communicate with your employees, this list focuses on helping companies understand the different mediums of communication and how to utilize them effectively.

The first four trends on this list are from HumaNext's "Top Ten Communication Trends for 2008." Some great insights from this list include:

1.) "Social Media and 2.)Web 2.00: The revolution is here. The emerging technologies of web.2 are causing a transformation in the communication profession. These technologies include the use of Blogs to communicate with employees and customers; the use of platforms like social networks and wiki to achieve sharing and collaboration, and other new tools and technologies like podcasts, video-casts, and others. But beyond the technology, Social Media demands a basic shift in the way communicators see their role and approach their stake holders."

3.) "Electronic Publications: Communicators are increasingly looking at electronic publishing to supplement or replace their print publications. Because of its significant advantages in the areas of speed and cost of delivery, electronic newsletters are used more often to communicate with customers and employees."

4.) "Content is King & Conversation is Queen: With all the changes in technologies, content remains the primary focus of communicators, and it's their main tool for informing and influencing audiences. If content is king, then conversation is queen. The organization as a conversation is an emerging area of interest to many communication executives and training professionals alike."

5.) Blogging: Blogs land at number five on my Top Communication Insights for 2008 list for many different reasons, but corporations must understand corporate blog basics before the dive in to this new world of communication, or risk failure. In May of 2008, interactive Consultant Jennifer Slegg outlined why corporate blogging is so important to a company's marketing strategy. Here are a few juicy tidbits.

"It is becoming more and more important for corporations - as well as businesses of all sizes - to have a blog in today’s world where so many people own computers. But if your business has put off starting a blog for far too long, here is why you should really be blogging, and how it can be advantageous to your overall business marketing strategy.

Human face
You don’t really want people to think of your company as “big box” or “typical corporate America”. And blogging can actually put a human face to your company, since the company now has a voice it can relate to when it reads your blog. When you consider how much money companies put into creating a human face for their business, doing it with a company blog is a relatively inexpensive way to humanize your corporation.

Controlling the message
Public Relations tends to want to run far, far away from blogs. But now, more are embracing blogs as a way to control the company’s message and how they release it. You can now have a fireside chat with your company’s CEO in the format of a blog interview, where responses can be monitored. If there is a scandal or other negative publicity surrounding your company, you already have a platform ready to release information that doesn’t involve sending press releases to the media or subjecting your CEO or other employees to a press conference.

Excitement and anticipation
Companies can easily use a blog to give hints and tidbits about new product releases or services well before the actual launch so you can get people excited about what you are going to announce before you did it. Since press releases are rarely sent to announce something your company hasn’t done yet, a blog is an easy way to get the word out and build anticipation."

As companies venture out into the ever growing "new" world of Social Media, and communications, they must understand that they have only two choices: (1) adopt and grow, or (2) ignore the new wave of communication mediums and get swept away with the tide. For more information on the topics listed in this blog, check out previous posts, and our other blogs at Internet Marketing Voodoo.

A Little "Welcome" Goes A Long Way

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:04:00 +0000

A ‘Welcome’ email is a prime marketing opportunity many are missing. Your audience found you and is interested in hearing from you. The small effort of sending an appropriate welcome email can have a huge impact.

Jordan Ayan of MediaPost recently wrote an article detailing the results of two studies which showed that few companies take advantage of the welcome message opportunity. The article, “Missing The Chance To Say ‘You’re Welcome’”, stated that a ReturnPath study found that 60% of brands surveyed failed to send welcome messages. A MediaPost study surveyed email marketers, “40% of whom readily admitted to not sending a welcome message when a new subscriber signed up for their email program.” These are astonishing numbers considering the simplicity of the act.

“Missing The Chance” goes on to say that of those who do send welcome messages, many are not well written and are often too brief. Some aspects that make for a good welcome message, according to the article, include:

It should thank the recipient for providing the required information. It should also reinforce the value of your emails, reminding them what to expect in terms of frequency and any other information that reinforces relevancy to the recipient.

It should include the information recipients need to add you to their white or "favorites" list, including the "from" address for your message.

It should reinforce the value you place on the relationship and reinforce your privacy commitment, including a link to your privacy statement. If you don't plan to share their email address - restate that fact clearly.

A little something special. The subscriber has expressed a high-level of interest, so this is the time to offer something extra as a thank-you: a coupon, a percentage off, free shipping, a bonus download of a white paper or a free webinar. Just let subscribers know that you appreciate the fact that they supplied their email address, and the trust they are placing in you by signing up for your message. You can test offers to see which ones are most effective.

If you use a double opt-in process, you have an opportunity to double-dip. The initial confirmation message can include a promotional message. This should be muted from whatever you would send in your welcome message once they confirm.

The issue of timeliness: A welcome message should appear in the subscriber's inbox within minutes of when they sign up. Wait too long, and recipients may forget who you are or why they subscribed.

A separate, independent study done by Linda Bustos evaluated the welcome emails she received after signing up for a number of various accounts. Of 89 accounts registered, she received 33 welcome emails within 24 hours. Listed below are some of the recurring aspects of these emails.

88% used branding in the headline
66% used the words “Thank You” in the headline or body
61% used the word “Welcome” in the headline or body
52% included multiple links back to the site
52% included login details
42% used HTML layout
33% provided link to privacy statement
9% provided unsubscribe options

These guidelines and statistics are the tip of the iceberg, but the major point is that a simple welcome message can go a long way and is a crucial opportunity to reach out to your audience.

The Importance of C-Level Feedback

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:18:00 +0000

I was reading up on corporate surveying last week, when I found this article by Karen Gedney, of The ClickZ Network, titled "Executive Survey Invitations: How to Get C-Levels to respond." I though this was a great topic because there is an abundance of information on the web on how to create the "perfect" survey, but what good is the "perfect" survey, if no one takes the time to respond to it? In today's day and age, executive feedback is extremely hard to get, no matter the medium used to gather it, but Karen has some great ideas that will get the ball rolling.

In her article on Clickz she writes...

"All day long, C-level executives make high-level decisions that can have a bottom-line impact of anywhere from a few hundred thousand dollars to millions of dollars. So how can you ask a busy company leader to set aside 15 extremely valuable minutes of their business day to complete your e-survey -- especially during these tumultuous economic times?

To get the scoop on best practices for conducting executive-level online surveys, I checked in with Ellen Sills-Levy and Claire Tinker at ESL Insights, a marketing intelligence firm.

While ESL often recommends that clients conduct in-depth telephone interviews and mail surveys to reach elusive C-suite executives, Tinker outlines their best practices for conducting online surveys.

Your C-Level Survey Invitation

Tinker advises sending out an original e-survey request, followed by a reminder two to five days later, unless field time is an issue.

Subject lines should be very general so that respondents who agree to participate aren't biased. For business studies, simple is usually better. For example, "You are invited to participate in a business study."

The most important point to stress in the survey invitation is the participation ROI (define), what executives will get in return for their investment.

Common techniques are:

A choice of incentives. Try either a personal incentive appropriate for C-level executives or a donation to a charitable organization.

An executive summary of the research findings. This is a popular approach because you're giving C-levels access to valuable intellectual property and industry intelligence, especially since it's gleaned from their C-suite peers.

Other copy points:
- Assure them the information will be kept confidential.
- Highlight the survey deadline.
- Include the survey's length to manage time expectations, but don't spotlighted it since that may prevent busy executives from undertaking the survey.
- Include a sentence that the entire survey must be completed to receive the incentive (to prevent survey abandonment).

The e-mail messages should be short and to the point and should conclude with a note on how important the C-level executive's participation is to the success of the survey and the benefit of the results gleaned.

When the survey findings are complete, send a PDF of the executive summary to all respondents via e-mail with a thank-you note. If it's important that respondents read the executive summary, call out a few interesting insights from the content. You may also want to use the e-mail to invite respondents to a Webinar discussing the findings. This is a good way to keep executives engaged and interested -- and open to future survey requests!"

Hopefully these tips will help the next time you need to obtain executive feedback!

Top 10 Communication Trends for 2008

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:05:00 +0000

In today's corporate space there are many different methods being used to reach out to employees. More and more companies are turning to innovative new ideas to increase corporate engagement and loyalty, but with all of the options out there (email, newsletters, direct mail, podcasts, social networks, etc) how does one know which route they should take?

In an online article title "The Top 10 2008 Communication Trends," on HumaNext, a corporate communications website, several new fun and engaging ideas are listed, but Social Media and Web 2.0 is at the top of the list.

The article explains, "The emerging technologies of Web.20 are causing a transformation in the communication profession. These technologies include the use of Blogs to communicate with employees and customers; the use of platforms like social networks and wiki to achieve sharing and collaboration, and other new tools and technologies like podcasts, video-casts, and others. But beyond the technology, Social Media demands a basic shift in the way communicators see their role and approach their stake holders."

As an increasing number of organizations are incorporating Social Media into their internal communities with the hopes of increasing employee engagement, loyalty and morale, Web 2.0 seems to be developing into a successful communications method.

Cultural Cues to Effective E-mail Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:55:00 +0000

How does culture play a role in Internet Marketing? Since the Internet has a global scope and people from any country can access immeasurable amounts of information from other countries, does culturally formatted marketing apply online?

Six International E-Mail Marketing Challenges, an article by Derek Harding on Clickz.com says you can bet your money on it! In fact, when it comes to email marketing, marketers must have an elevated awareness of cultural factors in order to truly target the user that goes way beyond language translation.

According to the article, here are key points to keep in mind when engaging in effective international email marketing:

Message form. The amount of content that works well in messages varies from country to country. In the United States, when we send newsletters, it's common to only include article overviews with links to the full articles online. However, in some countries the expectation is the full content will appear in the message.

Personalization and salutations. In some countries, use of personalization and salutations (e.g., Dear Derek) can improve results. In others, it's seen as hackneyed or even a privacy invasion.

Send time. When to send is also a regional and cultural question. Clearly, the local time zone must be taken into account. So should variations in when people work. Which days constitute the weekend vary across the globe. Holidays vary from country to country, as does when people commonly take vacations.

Local norms. There are many local norms that can be entirely unexpected if you don't have local knowledge. For example, in the U.S. it's quite common to post prices exclusive of tax. In some other countries, this is simply not done and may even be disallowed by local law. In France, it's common to ask recipients to print out a form and fax it back, whereas in many other countries this would be considered absurd.

Local laws. While anti-spam requirements are the most obvious laws that apply to international e-mail, some countries may have additional laws and requirements for doing business electronically, especially related to privacy and use of personal information.

Language. The language selected does matter for international communications. However, the choice of language isn't necessarily clear-cut. Many countries use more than one language, and which languages you support can be very important. For some cultural groups, using their language may be essential; for others, it may have little effect. Some audiences may even prefer to receive communications in English rather than their native tongue. This is often the case for more technical audiences.

In today’s globalized business world, it is so important to truly have a keen awareness of our audiences when it comes to online marketing. With such diversity, standardized marketing may not always make the cut. These tactics can reduce costs, improve consistency; and since it’s easier to target online than any other form of media, the matter of true importance is to remember that people are looking for relevancy.

Three Secrets for Executive E-Newsletter Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Corporate E-Newsletters are becoming an increasingly popular method to reach out to corporate employees and keep them up-to-date and engaged in company updates, events and business decisions. Karen Gedney recently published the article, Three Secrets for Executive E-Newsletter Engagement on Clickz.com, and it focuses on author Michael J. Katz’s three simple secrets to effective e-newsletter communication. The link to the article can be found below for additional information.

Secret 1: Focus on the Content
In an e-mail-fatigued world in which business people scan their in-boxes, ready to press the "delete" key, your e-newsletter must be engaging, relevant, and a must-read.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is to write about the questions your customers and prospects ask you about most. Keep a notepad by your phone and when people call you, jot down a list of their most common inquiries. Your answers are your e-newsletter content.
These frequently asked questions should be answered in the same friendly, practical manner you would use over the phone. While we all want to be considered thought leaders, that doesn't mean articles have to be lengthy, academic treatises. If you talk from your own experience about what works in your business, people will immediately get that you're an expert. Once your expertise is established, you're on your way to forging a productive, professional relationship.

That leads us to the second secret...

Secret 2: Focus on the Relationships
As Katz says, "The primary reason that e-newsletters are so powerful is because they provide a systematic means for growing and maintaining relationships. It's not because they're cheap or trackable or clickable or forwardable, although they certainly are all those things."

Your e-newsletter gives you a vehicle for connecting with your customers or potential customers month after month.

He goes on to say, "If you write your company newsletter with a focus on enhancing the relationship between you and your readers, you will stand head and shoulders over your competition, most of whom are missing this point entirely and who (whether they say it out loud or not) view their e-newsletter as an inexpensive way to send direct mail to their house list."

Secret 3: Be Genuine
Your e-newsletter should sound like it's written by you.

If you are a Fortune 500, your e-newsletter should either sound like it's written by your CEO or reflect your corporate culture and brand. It should speak to your customers and prospects just as if you were sitting across from them at a conference room table or, better yet, a restaurant table.

Katz says, "Your newsletter should give potential customers a sense of what you're like, who you are, what you believe in, what you know about your industry, and what doing business with you is all about. For existing customers, it's an ongoing reminder of all things."

From my own experience publishing an e-newsletter and writing this column for ClickZ, I see the principle of "like attracts like" works in e-newsletter writing.

People who like what I say tend to contact me after each column is published. When we get on the phone or chat by e-mail, it's like we're old friends -- and, of course, many of these warm, collegial contacts quickly turn into enduring client relationships.

What's beautiful about this approach is that it also weeds out the clients who would have been a bad fit. I guess they read the e-newsletters that coincide more with their own point of view!
Katz reminds us, "Relationships happen between people (not between organizations) and the more you can write in a genuine, spoken manner, the more it will feel to readers like somebody (i.e., you) is really on the other end. Turn out something that breaks down walls between your company and your customers, and you will be just fine.""

The article concludes with three key questions that you should ask yourself to see if your newsletter is ready to be made over.

"1.) Am I answering the questions my clients and prospects typically ask? 
2.) Am I building relationships between me and the people I want to do business with (rather than pushing out information to their organizations)? 
3.) Am I writing the way I talk so people can get a sense of what it will be like to actually work with me?

If you answer "no" to any of these questions, perhaps it's time for a spring e-newsletter makeover."

If you continue to be interested in optimizing your newsletter capabilities, keep checking back for the latest information.

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3628971

When Crisis Looms, Make a Video!

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:13:00 +0000

In recent years, companies worldwide have implemented many branding techniques and strategies to create awareness and gain recognition. From television advertisements to newspaper ads and free samples, companies have continuously tried to communicate their superiority over other brands to consumers.

But what happens when a branding strategy goes wrong? Past mishaps in branding have led to information leaks and plummeting stocks. If a branding strategy goes from a process to a fiasco, what is a good way for companies to redeem the message they’re communicating to consumers?

Video Marketing and Brand Management Online, by Andreas Roell of Clickz.com, the largest resource of interactive marketing news, information, commentary, advice, opinion, research, and reference, shares an idea that will help spread the message to the masses—online video. According to the article, online videos are the best way for marketers to reach consumers, especially when word needs to be spread quickly!

According to the article, these are the top reasons why online videos can ease branding mishaps:

Video content drives news. Journalists and news outlets continue to cover and incorporate popular viral videos into their broadcasts. If marketers post a video in response to a crisis or release a brand-flattering video, they can potentially generate news online that could translate into primetime broadcast coverage.

Search engines can pick up the video. If there's video content posted on the aggregators about your brand, it will be included in search results. Marketers have a better chance of reaching target audiences if they can get their video messages included in search results as it will be evermore important for advertisers to diversify their marketing efforts to attract user's attentions.

It's what people are watching. When it comes down to it, people watch videos online. A December 2007 study by Burst Media found that 76 percent of men and 67 percent of women watch online videos. By spreading pertinent brand messages through online video, marketers have a chance of benefiting from the content being syndicated on other formats. If a marketer can get a message out through video, there's potential it will be distributed on iPods, homepages, mobile devices, and social networking sites. That's good coverage. Video posted on a brand's Web sites will arguably garner more attention than text.

Video goes viral. Every marketer wants their message to be what people are talking about, and utilizing video is a great way to reach this goal. Video is easily dispersed amongst peers and can be accessed and posted on a plethora of platforms. Online video also makes a nice side dish to any news story or blog posting. So if someone is commenting on your event (good or bad), it's easy to include your video along with that commentary. The idea here is to make it easy for others to get pass along your message for you.

After reading the advice from the article above, it is clear to see why companies should utilize this marketing avenue even if there isn’t a branding crisis looming overhead. The old adage “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” has lost it’s luster in today’s business world. Consumers now have higher expectations than ever before, and with so much competition most companies don’t have the luxury of not paying attention to social trends such as viral marketing. Out with the old and in with the new—fix it before it’s broken!

Going Green in the Corporate World

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Since environmental issues and awareness started leaping to the forefront in recent news, many companies have felt the social pressure to “go green” in some way, shape or form, or at least speak up and do their part by communicating a pro-green attitude to their customers. Joel Makower, in his article, Green Corporate Communications: The Unstoppable Urge to Talk the Talk, asks this, “In a world gone green, how does a company make itself heard, credibly and authentically?”

Good question. I started thinking about the different ways that companies can “go green” without seeming that they were simply pressured into the trend of changing their logo colors to green and yellow, or giving money to an environmental group somewhere; and how can companies do their share in truly advocating an environmentally friendly message to their consumers? The article outlined this dilemma as one that is not easily resolvable. If the public is eager to look up to someone, then who will be the leader in truly, authentically, transparently going green without getting completely lost in “self-congratulatory backslapping”?

A report titled, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Communications had some suggestions:

1. Corporate Responsibility (CR) must be a priority emanating from the top.
If the CEO and top management take active interest in CR, provide resources and insist on accountability, a company’s CR efforts and communications will be significantly more effective and credible. For a company’s CR mandate to have teeth and be integrated with company values, senior management must demonstrably support and encourage CR efforts. Only then does social and environmental accountability become internalized to the point where CR communications and reporting is taken seriously as an essential component of the company’s benchmarking and goal-setting—and not viewed as an empty communications exercise.

2 . Stakeholders often find communicating with companies to be difficult
Companies now grasp the business case for effective stakeholder engagement and are working hard to improve communication lines—whether it’s through direct stakeholder contact, new web-based CR reporting, or other channels that allow for greater responsiveness to stakeholder issues and recommendations. Yet stakeholders
of every stripe—NGOs, SRI fund managers, journalists, internal audiences—have criticized CR communications and engagement.

3 . Stakeholders expect companies to lead—not just manage risk—on key issues
Society’s lack of confidence in governments and public institutions to adequately address key global issues such as climate change, human rights, and poverty alleviation has resulted in increased expectations for the business sector to take the initiative. No longer are stakeholders content with reactive corporate responses to the world’s problems. Rather, they view corporate actions such as offsetting CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions or providing access to medicine in the developing world as litmus tests for trust in the private sector. With considerable media coverage of environmental and social issues, companies have an opportunity to align their brands with positive values and earn credit for their improved records.

4 . Employees and socially responsible investors have emerged as key CR
communications audiences
Business leaders are recognizing the valuable relationship between employees and CR performance. With that in mind, leading companies are increasingly engaging in dialogue with their employees and subsequently making positive changes on issues like diversity, labor relations, and human rights. This surge of discourse with employees is matched by a similarly vigorous courting of SRIs. The corporate world has woken up to the growing
ability of socially responsible initiatives to mitigate risk and create new opportunities—which directly affect their stock prices. SRI ratings matter to the extent that they influence the big institutional shareholders as well as potential business partners.

5 . Companies often neglect an important CR communications audience: prospective employees
While corporations are actively and successfully engaging employees on CR issues, they are not adequately courting prospective employees to the same degree. Companies do not consistently integrate CR messaging in their recruiting because they underestimate the importance a prospective employee places on a company’s CR programs. Prospective employees seek to make informed career choices and having access to a potential
employer’s CR performance data is essential to the decision-making process.

6 . Transparency is a key indicator of a socially responsible company
Although philanthropy spawned many CR programs, today philanthropic activities and donations are the baseline that stakeholders expect all companies to meet. What stakeholders care most about is how honest and open are companies being and how are they treating their employees.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that even though consumers eagerly look for thought and social leadership from companies, they demand authenticity. These suggestions are great to draw upon as guidelines to reaching out to consumers in an honest, trustworthy way, while still communicating corporate responsibilities.

Keeping Corporate Bloggers Motivated is Worth the Effort!

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Corporations worldwide are taking online corporate communications much more seriously than ever before. Companies are starting to rise up to the reality that people are now more connected than ever because of the Internet. Moreover, through the use of online social media such as Facebook, forums, and the blogosphere, people are connected to one another at an unprecedented rate. People are using online social media as a means to not only gather information, but to stay connected, seek out new products, keep up with the times, get advice, and much more.

The Internet has shifted a great deal of how people live on a daily basis and do business altogether. With more people sharing knowledge through forums and blogs, it is clear to see why ignoring online communications or what is being said about a company’s products, services and other goods online would lead companies to miss out on a multifaceted opportunity that could reach the masses, lead to a better brand image or name, garner more business, and lead to additional income.

According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project Survey, 58% of the US population, as of 2007, consults the Internet as their first source of information; the highest statistic of more traditional sources, such as professional advisers or newspapers and magazines. Although many corporations and small businesses have blogs as a form of external communication (about 89% according to GuideWireGroup.com), most companies face a problem with maintaining enthusiasm for blogging, and find encouraging adoption a hindrance; resulting in minimum blog use.

How do companies maintain enthusiasm for blogging and what can they do to motivate blogging? One suggestion from clickZ.com states that guidelines should be formulated and followed as any other policy to maintain blogging. Another suggestion from lifehack.org states that if you're running out of steam for blogging, the best way to get inspired, stay motivated and feel confident in your blogging is to engage in others' blogs read other posts and converse with others who post blogs.

Lorelle.wordpress.com gives us several ways to overcome the blogging slump including setting realistic goals that won't sabotage your efforts; as well as blogging about something that you really enjoy or found interesting.

If companies now are following a relationship-based approach to gaining business, then they should also utilize the blogosphere and other social media as a way to create and maintain relationships as any other traditional form.

Maximize Exposure Through A Great Press Release

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Online marketing has been on the rise for a while now. Since the Internet’s take-off, corporations of all scopes have flocked to its appeal. Why wouldn’t they? It’s more cost effective than traditional marketing, remotely available, and has the ability to reach the masses on an exponential level. With all this said, what other low cost, high impact options are available to marketers or corporations who want to explore other options besides print ads, television ads, and other plush media options? The answer is: The Press Release.

A properly crafted press release is many times the resource companies need to tell the world about what they have to offer. Not only can companies reach the masses with traditional public relations techniques, but press releases are now published online as well, exponentially growing the number of potential readers.

Trends continue to show significant growth for online content. A four-year study by Online Publishers Associated shows that online users are spending half their time visiting online content, a 37% increase from visiting content four years ago. There are several factors involved why content is so dominant on the Internet; including the transition of activities that have traditionally been offline. For instance, getting the news, finding entertainment listings, checking the weather.

While I was browsing through marketing sites, I found an article on PRWeb that outlined several tips on creating an attention-getting press release written by a widely known press release consultant. Keep in mind that a good press release published using the technology available today, combined with traditionally used forms of communication is a sure fire way to raise awareness and gain publicity for any corporation.

1. Make it "newsworthy."
Perhaps your company has a new product, a new management team, or new web site. But, as excited as you may be, those topics are not "newsworthy" unless you can come up with a unique angle or approach. Your opening sentence should be so compelling that it will capture the attention of the media you send it to. They are anxious to find fresh stories they can run, but they will not do your creative work for you.

2. Avoid clichés, hype and fluff.
Do not use exclamation marks, or say things like "save money," or "superior customer service." Press releases should sound informative, not a like biased sales pitch.

3. Use real life examples.
Tell a true example of how someone used your service and changed their life, became more healthy, started a new career, and so on. People want to know how something works, real life examples will give them the opportunity to gain understanding and more insight into your services, products, or causes.

4. Tie your story to current events or social issues.
If possible, Editors like to find stories that tie in to current events in the news. This will also make the company seem like an industry leader and up on current industry trends.

5. Use active voice.
Use verbs in the active voice to bring your release to life. Passive voice turns editors off very fast. A few good active verb examples are: accelerate, organize, discover, mediate, mobilize, conceptualize, etc. A list of commonly used active verbs can be found here.

6. Keep it short.
The fewer words the better. Stick to one page, which is 400 words or less. Editors and journalists usually receive hundreds of press releases weekly, if you are precise and stick to the point, you’re more likely to get noticed because there won’t be too much fluff in between to take up space. Just because a paper is long, does not make it informative, or interesting.

7. Leave out the jargon.
Use easy to understand terms and ordinary language. Write to a general readership, unless your target publication is a specific trade journal.

8. Use correct style and grammar.
Use Associated Press style unless you are targeting a specific publication that uses some other style. Correct spelling and grammar are essential. Proofread your release.

9. Get permission.
Never mention the name of a person, company, ticker symbol, or other identifying information without permission.

10. Use a standard press release format.
Editors do not want to hunt for the information they need. Guidelines, a sample, and templates for standard press release format can be found at WebWire.com.

11. Submit it to the right person.
You can waste a great deal of time and effort if you do not send your completed release to the person who decides whether to pursue it or not. You may want to consider hiring a consultant if you lack adequate experience. A consultant will know which journalists would be most interested in your story and have a wide network of journalists.

7 Best Practices for Corporate Blogging to Keep You Out of Trouble!

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:06:00 +0000

What was once a communication tool for grassroots journalists and teenage expression has become a lucrative instrument in accomplishing business goals for small and large businesses alike. Blogging is a great device to help reach target markets. There are over 760 million people who use the Internet on a daily basis, and blogging is on the rise. No wonder corporations are now creating blogs to reach audiences as this communication trend continues to positively expand.

Although blogging has so far been an informal way of communicating with various audience groupings, a blogger must take extra caution when blogging for a corporation. Blogging can still lead to legal issues. Kari White, author of Corporate Blogging: 7 Best Practices, listed below, gives us guidelines to follow to make sure you keep your blogging successful.

1. Fine Print.

Companies should have real concerns about liability, exclusions and limitations, and indemnity. Although there are laws that protect against libel, misappropriations and other injuries suffered as a result of posts on the Web, companies can still be held “vicariously” responsible for statements made by employees that are harmful to others. Since there are so many legal issues surrounding blogs, it is imperative that the site has some sort of disclaimer and limitation of liability.Companies should have real concerns about liability, exclusions and limitations, and indemnity. Although there are laws that protect against libel, misappropriations and other injuries suffered as a result of posts on the Web, companies can still be held “vicariously” responsible for statements made by employees that are harmful to others. Since there are so many legal issues surrounding blogs, it is imperative that the site has some sort of disclaimer and limitation of liability.

2. Know What You’re Doing.

The corporate communications and legal department should educate the senior management about what blogs are and how they might affect business. That way, they can be contributing members of the blog, further improving employee relations. Their support and participation is often what makes a blog more effective.

3. Create blogging policies.

In any medium where an employee is sharing information, there is the possibility of leaking trade secrets or financial information. Blogging also has a tendency to become personal. A company should have a list of policies regarding blogging to ensure that trade secrets are kept secret and personal lives do not become public. Policies may include keeping financial information from being posted, as well as severe consequences for anyone using the blog for negative publicity.

4. Avoid the Marketing Blog.

Making your blog into a blatant marketing campaign is a bad idea. Customers are looking for real answers and honest opinions. They will pick up on insincerity instantly. Use the blog for what it's for, transparency. This is an opportunity to make a real connection with your customers. Don't ruin it by filling it with empty advertising.

5. Keep It Fresh.

Blogs are usually judged by their amount of new content. Easy to add on to, they are designed to be updated constantly. To keep your readers coming back, make your content relevant and timely. Don't forget, content can include anything from product releases to job openings, recent news to thoughts from the CEO. It's practically impossible to run out of material.

6. Reinforce the company’s core values.

Use your blog to reflect your company's inner soul: its mission, goals and direction. A blog is just another medium by which you interact with your customers and employees. It's another part of the brand experience. It should be consistent with the impression the company wants to make.

7. Encourage employees to use it.

Create an atmosphere where they are comfortable asserting their opinions and concerns. You’ll be surprised how the quietest employees will speak up when given such an opportunity. With all communication, blogging can become negative, so remind employees of the public nature of the blogs and the ramifications for their actions.

How to Hang on to Digital Talent

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:55:00 +0000

What's Going on in Their Heads as They Decide Whether to Stick With You

By Tara Lamberson

Originally published in AdAge (subscription required).

Anyone on the hiring end knows that digital agencies are suffering from a worsening talent drought. You can probably bank on the fact that some of your sharpest talent has one foot out the door. For that reason, you've got to be sure you're tuned in to what your employees are thinking, what they want and what might be driving their dissatisfaction.

I've tried to stay close to our team here, and based on their feedback, here's some insight into the questions your employees may be asking themselves and the issues that matter most to them. Consider how the following might apply to you and your team:

For whom do I work?
Interactive marketing is about building client relationships, using marketing, communications and cutting-edge technology to support the building process. In other words, your company is worth little without its team members. You should start your relationship-building practice with your employees first. In the interactive space, where money isn't everything, fun, nurturing and exciting opportunities rule the day. Team members need leaders who listen; qualified teammates who know how to collaborate; the ability to enjoy life outside work; and room to move horizontally or vertically depending on their preferences for either knowledge expansion across media or increased corporate responsibilities.

Where am I working?
Employees are tired of winters in Chicago, the cost of living in New York or San Francisco and the traffic in Los Angeles or Seattle; they may be thinking about a change of venue. They also may be looking for a lifestyle change, the ability to buy a house or the option of taking mass transit to work. Those who want to make their marks may be looking for opportunities to play larger roles in smaller venues (and maybe even have a life) in nascent interactive markets.

And for many professionals in the interactive space, moving to a smaller market no longer means sacrificing working with the best and brightest. If you're trying to keep your people in these larger markets, know that the pull of less stress is a major one you need to consider.

What am I doing?
Interactive agencies should provide their employees with a unique mix of interactive marketing and consulting, as well as the opportunity to create and advance new technologies. Large-market interactive agencies partner with industry leaders around the country to provide clients with the highest level of collaborative return. While it is very important to give team members access to blue-chip and bleeding-edge work experience, the operations and overhead costs associated with larger markets often drive other metrics that negatively affect team building.

Companies with smaller-market headquarters can keep production costs low enough to give them an edge over the larger agencies in key geographic areas while still having a presence for accounts in those larger markets. So it's vital that the people you employ in these larger markets get to interact with your clients and learn consultatively -- otherwise, why would they stay?

With whom am I working?
Interactive-agency team members work very closely with one another, often under time constraints and other external pressures. Therefore, employers must take hiring for these teams very seriously. Candidates should participate in behavioral interviews and undergo situational-response assessment before to being invited onboard. For example, we hold recruiting socials that enable candidates an opportunity to mingle with MindComet executives and future team members. Social events also provide an opportunity for candidates to brainstorm and present to the team. Our candidates are given unique homework assignments so they can show us their skills in real-life, interactive-agency scenarios. This process allows both the candidate and the company to assess the fit. The interview doesn't start and end across a desk.

Am I having any fun?
Every company tells recruits it is committed to a positive work environment, but not all companies take nurturing a positive work environment -- and fun -- seriously. Because of the nature of the interactive vertical, your company's reputation for being "not fun" may already precede your recruiting attempts.

The best companies in our space have team members who truly love their jobs and the culture they create. But you have to work at nurturing it. We hold annual companywide retreats, for example. In the past two years, our retreats have been held in the Bahamas and at Club Med.

If the extent of your firm's team building is a monthly happy hour, some of your people are probably sending their resumes to me now as you're reading this. You can stop that, of course. But you've got to be tuned in to what your employees want. Otherwise, they'll walk.

High Fashion is So Needy (even Online)

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:00:00 +0000

Transforming high-fashion product advertising from traditional forms like magazines and catalogues to an online forum isn't easy. The traditional forms cater to the product and make it almost the center piece reinforcing the luxuriousness of the product.

However, in the online wold a banner ad or a sidebar advertisement for a luxury product like Louis Vuitton is like the awkward freshman chasing the senior captain of the cheerleading squad, he's out of his league. When breaching the gap between traditional and online advertising care must be taken to reinforce the high quality brand image, according to an AdAge article. The product presentation must be the focal point of the ad. Creating an exclusive feel will be key to a successful ad campaign.

While most advertisers want a broad reach for their product, in this niche market fewer may be better because not all sites fit in keeping with the exclusive feel of the product. Choose wisely.

A Democratic Approach to Online Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:59:00 +0000

Recently, many companies have been letting consumers create advertisements for them. This gives the consumers more of a bond with the brand, so they are more likely to purchase it. Also, the ads they create are more likely to appeal to people like them, which will create new customers. This recurring model is unbeatable.

Now, consumers want to have even greater interactions with the brands according to an article from AdAge. Some companies, like Frito Lay, are providing customers with the ability to have a say in packaging and products. Companies use an online community to tap into what their customers are really thinking. This strategy benefits both parties involved. It empowers customers, and provides the company with much-needed feedback on its actions.

Giving control over to consumers is the best way to learn from the past and add or delete products or services based on that feedback.

Corporate Communication No Longer a Solo Act

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:58:00 +0000

Companies are now integrating their public relations departments with their investor relations and corporate communications, according to Best Practices in Online Corporate Communication report from Thomson Financial. This creates a more consistent image for all audiences. And the Internet is helping drive costs down and increase efficiency.

The seamless integration of these functions of a business is a must in the fast-paced Internet world of today. When these groups are working together the increased communication helps to decrease bottlenecks and makes for a better end product. The internet allows for a one-stop site that can fit the needs of all those interested in public relations, investor relations, and corporate communication.

The graph below shows some of the results from increased integrated communication. With such exponential growth, companies need to start the integration process now.

Social Media Helping Corporations Connect with Users

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:37:00 +0000

Even in the online forum the focal point for companies needs to be conversations. Being flexible in the use of applications is key to successful dialogues.

Earthlink is showing its flexibility with the use of social media through an application called WebLife, which allows users to store, organize, edit and share photos, according to an iMedia Connection article. These social media will become an important part of Earthlink's future as it will help gauge consumer preferences.

Before a company goes head strong into social media, it needs to understand its own corporate culture and where it wants to take the company in the future. Companies can reap huge benefits from using social media if used correctly, but it can also spell disaster if used just for the sake of using it.

Companies must make sure to have a balance between social media and traditional media, to extend their reach by delivering content in multiple formats.

Cohesive Global Branding Is a Must

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:36:00 +0000

In order for a company to flourish globally, it must communicate its brand messages taking into consideration the major markets in the world, according to a case study in Global Marketing and Advertising. The people who live in these markets are very different, with diverse values, which must be considered.

Not only are values often different; taste and trends usually vary by location. A local touch is sometimes added to appeal to each place. Brands are rarely standardized completely, but some things stay the same, such as the logo and brand name. Brands typically position themselves in a similar way around the world.

This rule applies in the online realm as well. Companies must strive for a cohesive branding approach, one that that promotes the brand uniformly, and yet is sensitive to local trends and culture. This caveat is to help companies avoid myopia when coming up with a marketing strategy. Ethnocentric approaches will surely not be accepted well, leading to decreased brand loyalty.

Making Corporate Identity Work For You

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:34:00 +0000

Corporate Identity is mainly composed of 3 parts: corporate design, corporate communication and corporate behavior, all must coincide with each other to create a seamless, single identity, according to an article on Answers.com.

When a corporation has a distinct identity, then people can make a connection with it. It gains a personality and becomes like a friend. People then want the brand to succeed.

Corporations need a strong visual identity so they become memorable to consumers. Their image and reputation are linked to this as well. The structure of the organization and its coherence are displayed through the corporate identity.

The identity must be carried over into all aspects of corporate communications, including the internet. If the Web site does not have the same feel as the rest of the communication vehicles, then viewers will be confused and the identity weakened.

Governments Taking Cue from Corporate Branding

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:35:00 +0000

Governments and public services are now looking at branding as a method of delivering information, according to a Business Week article. It works for businesses, causing them to appear friendly, so these sectors are considering using it as well.

Brands are part of the modern world, so it may be beneficial for the public sector to get with the times. However, the issue of funding the brand campaign comes into play. The public’s money would likely be paying for it, and some question the fairness of this expenditure.

Some believe that branding is always necessary to gain the attention of the public. There are so many communication messages being shown to the public, they can’t pay attention to them all. So your message needs to stand out. Governments that are faceless stand to lose compared to other message that are branding.

It is sometimes more difficult to brand in government because of bureaucracy, complex reporting structures, and decision-making, so there must be a commitment to this process in order for it to take hold.

RSS: New Tool for Corporate Communication

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:34:00 +0000

When communicating in the workplace, it is important to take into consideration the media in which you relay the message. Many companies have stopped using e-mail for sending important messages. This is mainly due to spam problems. Employees often miss important messages when they are hidden between junk mail. Another problem is that sometimes filters will block emails, so people may not even get the message at all.

A new method of communication used by Web sites and bloggers is RSS feeds to broadcast content, according to an Intranet Journal article. It is a good way for marketers and advertisers to attract customers as well. RSS allows companies to use various categories like "important announcement" as a title. RSS can benefit corporations as well, since senders can create feeds for different topics, and subscribers can choose which feeds they want. This allows for increased organization, which was sorely lacking in email.

Corporate Wikis Flourish

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:32:00 +0000

Companies are now using wiki technology to share knowledge online. Corporate wikis are areas where employees can post information, and those postings can be edited by anyone within the company. Some employees don’t appreciate their work being edited, but it is a good method of quality control, according to a Business Week article. Security controls must be created for these sites, to prevent outsiders from viewing proprietary information.

Corporate wikis are often used for project management, tracking industry news, setting meeting agendas, posting corporate policies, and creating strategic documents. Many large companies are using them, including IBM and Yahoo. Companies using them have an advantage, since it makes collaborating on projects a lot easier.

Companies that do not foster a climate of collaboration may have more trouble adapting to this concept. Wikis will not create this climate easily; people may not feel comfortable using it if they haven’t been able to collaborate in the past. However, wikis bring people together, and could cause a shift toward cooperation and collaborative working.

Corporate Videos: Must See TV

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:55:00 +0000

Hitachi, The Home Depot, and IBM have created corporate mini-documentaries for distribution over the Internet, according to an Adweek article. These videos present their products very subtly; Hitachi tells stories involving the use of its services.

Hitachi makes lots of different products, yet the perception seemed to be that it was a stereo gear company. Reception of these videos is favorable, visitors to Hitachi’s video section stay an average of 6-7 minutes.

Creating videos like these would be beneficial to many companies. They show the company’s products at work, creating a stronger bond with consumers. It gives a face to the brand, a face people can relate to causing the brands to gain power.

Blogs as Online Life Raft

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:54:00 +0000

After a recent crisis, Jet Blue Airlines responded to bloggers in their own medium, according to Adweek. They acted in strong contrast to Taco Bell’s rat scandal, and have come out looking better because of it.

When a company joins in the discussion online, it become someone to talk to, instead of talked about. When people feel they can talk to companies on blogs and other online media, they feel closer to the company. It loses the faceless, corporate image and becomes like a friend.

Brands need to be as comfortable using online discussion tools as their customers. These situations can make or break a brand, so a company’s response must be tailored to the desires of consumers.

New Form of Interactive Media

noreply@blogger.com (MindComet) — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:15:00 +0000

Technology is constantly changing and with that, so does policy. Companies such as Heineken and Skype, are leading the pack in this new change by incorporating Skypecasting in their marketing efforts.

Skypecasting is a new medium, not to be confused with webcasting, which allows up to 100 users to be in direct contact at any one time. This interactive communication enables listeners to ask questions upon demand and to even applaud during concerts or other live events.

Heineken hosted Skypecastings first live concert on September 8, 2006, earning substantial free PR placements. Use of this new medium will bring increased popularity of corporations’ brand name and will in-turn strengthen brand recognition among Skypecasting's consumers.