It’s officially November, so whether you’re ready or not, the holiday content season is here! Chances are you’re busy preparing for your Thanksgiving traditions. With not even a full month to get ready for Christmas after turkey day, undoubtedly Christmas planning is underway too! And let’s not forget about the increased pressures at work as you close out the year.  Raise your hand if you’re stressed out just thinking about it.

While we may not be able to ease your personal holiday anxieties, we can help lessen the burden and set you up for success when it comes to generating last-minute holiday content ideas to engage your online audience and boost your brand. So, sit back, kick your feet up, grab your favorite holiday drink and relax while we share some ideas to ensure the holidays are successful for your business.

Holiday Content Ideas to Fill Your Calendar

No matter if you’re looking to promote a product or service, engage on a deeper level with your audience, or a combination of the two, you can incorporate these suggestions into any online strategy.

• Capture the Festive Spirit of the Season

From turkeys to snowmen, mums to poinsettias and the rustling of leaves to Christmas carolers, your supporting imagery should catch the sights and sounds of the approaching holiday.

• Food, Food and More Food

What holiday festivity have you attended that food isn’t at the center of the celebration. So, why not incorporate your team’s favorite recipes for the season. You can carry this type of holiday content from Thanksgiving into the New Year. From favorite Thanksgiving dishes to holiday cookie decorating, cocktails to ring in the new year and healthy options for January 1.

• Give Back and Spread Kindness

It can be easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and forget that others may need a hand during this time. Organize a team volunteer outing, donate to a local toy drive or spread simple acts of kindness. Share what your team has done, provide additional ideas and encourage others to join along with you.

• Holiday Destressing

You may be feeling a little on edge from all the holiday activities. Not to mention the shorter days and cooler temps. Share how you unwind this time of year as a weekly holiday content tip.  

• Personal Development

As the year comes to an end, we start to think about our resolutions or goals for the new year. Share personal or company intentions and tips on how you plan to reach your objectives.

Get Connected with Holiday Content

The holidays are all about creating meaningful interactions and these ideas will get you started on making those connections. We hope you put your own personal spin on a couple of our suggestions and then put them into action.

When was the last time you embarked on producing video projects for a client? For most of us the probability is high as they aren’t every day, week or month projects. So, while video production is FUN and it’s important to be aware of video marketing trends, it can also be a hectic time. We might have a vision in our head of how we want the finished product to turn out, but it takes a lot of work to get there.

From the planning that takes place during preproduction, to shooting the content during production and editing the footage during postproduction it can all become a little overwhelming. Let’s spend a few minutes walking through the process from start to finish, so your next video project is smooth sailing.

Preproduction for Video Projects Is Important

Let the planning begin! All successful video projects start with a buttoned-up plan. While the list below might not be all-inclusive, it can be used as a springboard to get started.

• Kickoff Planning Meeting(s)
  First things first, you need to gather the key players to define the objective and goals of the video.
• Create a Project Overview.
  This document outlines the following elements of the shoot:
  • Objective
  • Goals
  • Project Scope
    • Video Content
    • Shoot Location, Duration, Dates and Delivery of Final Product
  • Estimate
    • This can encompass storyboarding/scripting, videographer costs (pre/production/post), photographer costs, project management, expenses (mileage, music, stock footage, meals, hair/makeup, wardrobe, meals, talent, etc.).
• Shoot Deliverables
  Once a video projects’ overview document and estimate has been client approved, it’s time to get busy on the deliverables.
  • Create a detailed project timeline and assign team responsibilities.
  • Secure the videographer and talent, photographer, hair/makeup and wardrobe (if needed).
  • Develop the script and storyboard.
  • Scout the location.
  • Schedule the shoot. Create a detailed timeline for the day(s) of filming. Make sure everyone knows when and where to be and include contact names and phone numbers.
  • And don’t forget the food. The last thing you want is a hangry team!

It’s Time to Create Your Video Project: Production

The plan is set, and it is time for filming to commence.

It’s finally time to implement all the careful planning that has taken place. The video team will arrive well before the talent to set up the camera equipment, lighting, mikes, teleprompter. The set will also need to be prepped for filming. That might mean setting up any props, adjusting furniture, etc.

Next comes the hair/makeup/wardrobe team and talent. While the video team is finalizing film prep, the talent is becoming camera ready.

The film crew, set and talent are ready so its time for a quick walk through to make sure everyone is comfortable with their roles and knows the process/filming order for the day. And remember, there are going to be hiccups. Set or script adjustments need to be made. Someone is running late. There is a wardrobe malfunction. Remember to breathe and that every problem has a solution.

So now…Quiet on the set! Action!  

Postproduction of Your Video Project

The film is ‘in the can’ and postproduction is ready to commence.

During this phase the videographer will sort and organize all of the raw footage, edit the video to tell your story, add graphics and voice and music tracks. When you are happy with the edited piece it is ready to share with your client for feedback.

Once client approved, you can then develop the different video formats needed and deliver the finished product for distribution through your various marketing channels.

Now that you know the roadmap for video project production, it’s time for you to create your masterpiece.

In its simplest form, communication is the act of transferring information from one person or group to another. Whether personally or professionally, through talk or text, we typically spend much of our day communicating with other people.

It sounds simple, right? As someone whose job in account services relies heavily on communication with both team members and clients, I can assure you this isn’t always the case. Remember playing the telephone game as a kid? I do, and I can assure you the message that started the circle wasn’t always the message that ended the circle. Confusion ensued!

Improving Your Communication Skills

Undoubtedly our communication skills have improved since our days playing the telephone game, but we all still fall short in communicating effectively at times. So, how do we get better? Let’s first take a look at a few of the main ways we communicate.

1. Verbal Communication
   Whether we communicate through face-to-face meetings, a phone call or video chat, all of these are categorized as verbal communication. Using our voice to deliver the message to our audience.
   
2. Nonverbal Communication
   Nonverbal communication accompanies verbal communication. When we speak, we give off different signals without using spoken words, and sometimes without even realizing we are doing it. This can include facial expressions, posture, eye contact, tone of voice, gestures, how we dress, etc.
   
3. Written Communication
   There are many ways we can deliver our message through the written word. And, often this is considered the most common and effective way to communicate. It can be through emails, letters, social media, articles, text messages, etc.
   
4. Visual Communication
   When we communicate visually it is done through a means that can be read or viewed by the recipient and has become more prevalent because of social media platforms. Such as infographics, graphs, videos, slides, etc.

Barriers to Being Effective

There are many barriers that can impede effective communication. Let’s explore a few of them.

• Inattentive
  In other words, we simply aren’t paying attention. This can lead to missing important details and misunderstanding or misinterpreting what we do hear.
  
  
• Mismatched Communications Styles
  Does how you prefer to communicate differ from that of the intended recipient? If so, there’s most likely a greater chance of miscommunications.
  
  
• Poor Timing
  No matter how well thought out and prepared your communication might be, your message will fall short if it isn’t delivered at an appropriate time.
  
  
• Too Much Jargon
  Although at times jargon can make your communication more efficient, often, your intended audience will not understand it and will be left in a state of confusion.

Troubleshooting Your Communication Gaps

Now that we have outlined both some of the common forms of communication and barriers to communication, let’s talk about how we can overcome them.

• Active Listening
  If you find yourself struggling to absorb the communication, you might want to read up on active listening. It involves digesting the information, and then responding back through paraphrasing, asking questions and body language cues.
  
  
• Identify Communication Styles
  You need to understand not only if your audience prefers to communicate face-to-face vs. emails, etc., but also if they prefer straightforward and to the point messages vs. being inundated with all the details. The answer may vary based on what is being discussed and you need to adjust your communication style accordingly.
  
  
•  Think Before You Communicate
  Timing is everything when it comes to communicating to your audience. Are you sending your message right before a big event, a planned vacation or late at night? Always make sure you take these things into consideration if you want to be heard.
  
  
• Use Plain and Simple Language
  Shorthand and acronyms can save you time, but often it leads to your recipient feeling frustrated and confused because the language isn’t understood by all. Make sure you tailor your message to your audience, and only use jargon if you know it will be understood by all.

Regardless of how you communicate to your audience, there are going to be instances when it is ineffective. But, if you keep in mind some simple obstacles to avoid, you’ll find these instances will be few and far between.

Brand Guidelines help keep your brand on track. I think we can all agree that your brand is your most important asset. Some people may think your logo is the sum of your brand identity, but it’s more than that. It’s the personality of your brand. You’ve spent countless hours, not to mention your blood, sweat and tears making your brand come to life. And you want to protect your brand identity through consistent marketing and messaging across all your channels. To do this, you need to develop brand guidelines.

What Are Brand Guidelines?

By definition, brand guidelines are clearly defined rules and standards that communicate how your brand should be represented to the world. We typically think these rules are utilized by designers, but they should be adhered to by anyone who interacts with your brand whether inside or outside of your organization.

The components included in brand guidelines vary from company to company, and they can range in size from a few to many pages. Typically, at a minimum, brand guidelines will include logo usage guidelines, color palettes, typography and brand voice.

Why Are Guidelines Important?

It can be tricky to keep your brand identity consistent. As your brand grows, you may also grow your team and start to use external resources. When you have clear and consistent guidelines in place, you protect how your brand is portrayed both visually and in writing no matter who is developing the communications and no matter if the audience is internal or external.  

• Ensure Consistency — From your website to your social media posts and print materials, your communications should be cohesive. Part of a family.  It makes your brand reliable and shows you take pride in your brand.
   
• Create Recognition — Your audience should be able to easily recognize your brand. They help you stand out in a competitive market.
  
• Set Standards and Rules — These rules make certain everyone is using the brand visual elements correctly. This can range from logo placement to color palettes and fonts. These are not meant to stifle creativity, but rather safeguard that everything appears correctly.
  
• Build Value — They create compliance inside and outside of your organization. When guidelines are adhered to, it creates and maintains a strong brand presence in the market.

When you have brand guidelines in place, you have the foundation to create a consistent and successful brand identity now and in the future.

Spring cleaning is not just for your home — now is a great time to spring clean your digital marketing too. With spring a few short weeks away, many of us are ready to shed our winter layers and embrace the beauty and change that comes with the new season. We all have probably given thought to our normal spring to-do list. From putting the finishing touches on spring break destinations to tackling home improvement projects and prepping the garden and flower beds for planting new seeds. In this spirit, take a look at the layers of your marketing plan, and optimize for the year.

Spring Clean Your Digital Marketing By Giving it a Once-Over

Have you given any thought to how you can further the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives this spring?  If not, it’s the perfect time to add spring cleaning your digital marketing initiatives to your professional to-do list.

Today, let’s focus at a high level on measuring the effectiveness of your paid digital ad campaigns. Ask yourself the following questions about your digital marketing.

1. Paid Digital Marketing Goals

What goals did you outline at the start of your campaign to measure success?

• Brand Awareness
• New Customer Acquisition
• Specific Sales Goals

2. Paid Digital Campaign Metrics

Review your analytics reports.

• Are your impressions, click-thru rates and conversions performing at or above industry average? Are they meeting your goals?
• To whom are your ads being served?
• Where are your ads being shown?
• Do you see increased website traffic or trends in overall traffic?

3. Paid Digital Creative

Take inventory of your paid digital ads and ask yourself the following questions:

• Are they on brand?
• Are they engaging?
• Does the copy easily and accurately reflect your message?
• If there is an offer, is it appealing?

Reorganize and Refresh — Spring Clean Your Digital Marketing!

Once you have answered each of these questions while spring cleaning your digital marketing, you will have valuable insights to make the necessary adjustments to optimize your digital ad campaign effectiveness. Just like organizing your closet or decluttering your garage, your refreshed digital marketing will now be more efficient and work harder for your brand the rest of the year.

The holiday season is in full swing, and chances are you have already finalized the details for any holiday appreciation gifts you plan to send to your clients, but have you thought about how you are going to celebrate your team this season? If the answer is no, there is no reason to push the panic button just yet.

How to Show Appreciation During the Holidays

Showing appreciation doesn’t have to mean grand gestures or gifts. In fact, sometimes, a small act of kindness means the most. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.

1. Handwritten Cards
   Don’t overlook the simple act of a personalized note to celebrate your team members. We live in a world where texts and emails are our main form of communication. And typically, what lands in our home mailboxes are bills and advertisements. What if your team open their mailboxes to a card just for them expressing your gratitude for their hard work and commitment and closing with a happy holiday message?
2. Thoughtful Gift
   You may want to think about adding a small gift to your handwritten note. Remember to take into consideration what your team members like to do outside of the office. An avid reader may enjoy a new book or a gift card to purchase the newest read from their favorite author. Don’t forget to incorporate the meaning of the gift into your note.
3. Extra Time Off Work
   What is there never enough of during the holidays? Time! This season can be stressful, and giving your team an extra day or afternoon off from work may help ease their physical or mental load. Maybe it means they can spend extra time with a loved one, finish up last-minute shopping or decorating, or just take a few hours to themselves to recharge.
4. Celebrate Your Team With a Team Luncheon
   No, this is not a potluck team luncheon. We just talked about how time is a valuable commodity during the holidays. No one wants to add to their evening activity a last-minute trip to the store or an extra hour in the kitchen. They want to enjoy the holidays with less stress! Consider catering a meal at the office or a trip to a nice restaurant with a reserved room. If your team works remotely, a restaurant gift card or a gift basket delivery with their favorite holiday treat is a great option too.

Celebrate the Team That Supports Your Business

As you start to assemble your own ideas, keep in mind that we all want to be appreciated, especially around the holidays. Your small gesture can make a big difference. And it may create a team tradition for years to come. Happy Holidays from your Front Porch Team!

Are You Ready To Fill Your Fall Content Calendar?

As a marketing professional, the new season also has me thinking about how I can incorporate fall content into my content marketing strategy and content calendar. We all can agree that a good plan includes taking advantage of what is happening around you to develop content that inspires and is relatable.

If you’re anything like me, the triple-digit weather in DFW didn’t stop you from grabbing the bins of pumpkins from the attic weeks ago. Let’s hope you didn’t have a minor accident with the sheetrock like I did. (But that’s a story for another day!)

Fall Content Ideas to Help You Get Started

A few of my fall content favorites include cooler weather (I know it’s coming soon!), pumpkins, lighting candles, cozy sweatshirts and blankets, football, costumes and fall festivals. The list could literally go on and on.

Let’s spend a few minutes discussing how you can add a cozy autumn vibe into your fall content approach that will elicit a positive response from your followers.

Fall Inspired Blogs

Your audience loves getting a peak into the personal lives of the team. That could mean sharing an article highlighting your teams’ favorite fall activities. You can also consider featuring everyone’s favorites, from scary movies to fall date night ideas and Thanksgiving recipes. The options are endless.

Autumn Themed Pictures

A simple idea is to post a Happy Fall message with a picture of leaves changing colors! But consider taking it a step further. Do you have an office Halloween or Thanksgiving party? If so, take pictures at your events and share them on your social media platforms. Want to go even further? Create a poll and let your audience vote for the team member with the best Halloween costume. 

Season Inspired Questions and Polls

Engage your audience with questions. Topics can range from favorite Halloween candy to favorite Fall travel destinations or what someone is thankful for. It doesn’t need to be overcomplicated; it just needs to be fun. You can also create a relevant hashtag for your post and encourage followers to use it when they comment.

Seasonal Discounts

If you have an ecommerce store, you don’t have to wait until after Thanksgiving to have a sale. Consider offering a 31% discount on Halloween or a coupon good for the month of October. It’s never too early to start shopping for the holidays.

Giving Back

Thanksgiving is about the act of giving and expressing gratitude. We all know of a story where someone has paid for the coffee or food of the person in line after them. How about incorporating an act of kindness in your social media strategy. Consider sending electronic gift cards to the first five people who comment on your post. You can also donate to the charity of your choice when you reach a set number of likes or shares on your post.

Fired Up For Fall Content!

I hope you found these fall content idea starters helpful. What other ideas can you share?

Client-Agency Partnerships Require Nurturing

Client-Agency partnerships don’t happen instantly. Do you ever wonder what makes a strong working relationship between a client and an advertising agency? I’ve walked in the shoes of both and know first-hand the frustration that can ensue if there isn’t a solid relationship.

A successful partnership begins before the ink is dry on a formal agreement and is nurtured throughout the relationship. While there are many traits of a successful relationship, focusing on the following will help start a genuine connection from day one.

1. Drive Home That You Are Partners
   It is critical from day one that both the client and the agency view each other as partners in a client-agency partnership. Both bring unique knowledge and skills to the table. The client knows their customers better than anyone and brings the overall goals, while the strategy and execution come from the agency. Everyone must work together purposefully and respectfully to make the vision come to life.
2. Open and Honest Communication
   It’s ok for both sides to push back. Successful client-agency partners don’t always agree. Being open to honest feedback and seeing different perspectives provides a better result. Set boundaries when giving feedback. And remember, it should never be derogatory or condescending.
3. Set Expectations and Define Success
   When establishing a new client-agency partnership, the client and agency must understand each other’s processes. Schedule an onboarding meeting to share best practices, processes and procedures, timelines, etc. It is also imperative to define success together. Everyone needs to understand the agreed-upon goals, that objectives are easily measurable, and KPIs are defined.

Team Client-Agency For the Win!

It is important to remember at the end of the day, the client and the agency are working toward the same goal. You’re a team. Yes, there will be disagreements at times. But a solid partnership built on mutual respect, trust, and open and honest communication is a winning recipe for a long-lasting and successful relationship.

It is probably safe to assume your company has a marketing plan. That’s document detailing the strategies to market your products and services to the defined target audience. However, do you find your company falls short in executing the plan? That’s where the Content Calendar comes in!

Let’s face it, priorities change, and problems come up. Next thing you know, it is six months down the road, and you have forgotten what was in the original plan, let alone followed through with implementation. And this lack of follow-through can negatively impact your business.

Follow Through on your Plan with a Content Calendar

One way to eliminate this situation is by developing a content marketing calendar. By definition, it’s a tool that helps you plan and execute your marketing strategy. It turns your plan into actionable deliverables.

Creating a marketing content calendar may seem daunting at first, but in its simplest form, consider it a living, breathing document used to plan your content. The amount of detail and layout can vary according to your organization’s preferences. At a minimum, it should contain a separate column or tab for your platform(s), content to be published, and the publishing date.

How to Create a Marketing Content Calendar

It may seem overwhelming but consider these key pieces of information as you start to plan your content calendar.

• What marketing platforms do you use? Social media, email marketing, blog posting. No matter what platforms you utilize, it’s most efficient to keep track of your content in one document.
• Determine how often you publish content. Do you post to your social media channels three times a week? Do you send a monthly email or maybe a weekly communication? How often do you write blog articles? Twice a month?
• Create your content calendar. It’s recommended to plan your content at least one month in advance using either an excel spreadsheet or a Google Sheet. Create a separate tab for each marketing platform (social media, email marketing, blog articles, etc.). For social media, create a new tab for each month of content.
• Plan your content. Consider key dates to promote your product or service. Do you have an upcoming product launch or event? Are there specific holidays or national days you want to highlight?
• Build out your calendar. After you’ve answered all the questions above, add those items to your content calendar. Plug your content into the assigned content tab for each month or week.

Next Step: Executing Your Content

The next step is to add additional levels of detail. Consider the supporting images and content needed for each social post, email, blog article, on your content calendar. Assign ownership and build out timelines. Who is responsible for image creation, content development, social media posting and building and launching emails?

Now it’s time to see the benefits of your hard work pay off. Publish your content and monitor your results using analytics. Find out what content and images generate the greatest response and what fell short. Test your messages and images. Change your content accordingly. Be creative and…HAVE FUN!!! It all starts with a good content calendar.

Spring Has Officially Sprung — So Let’s Organize Your Workspace?

This year, I’ve added “organizing your workspace” to my spring-cleaning to-do list! If you’re anything like me, you associate spring with spring cleaning. It’s time to dust off the cobwebs of those ceiling fan blades you rarely touch, clean out the closets and tackle the flowerbeds. I love strolling the aisles at my local greenhouse to pick out the flowers I’m inevitably going to see wither away in the triple-degree Texas heat. And, it’s time to get my workspace into tip-top shape.

Clean Your Workspace, Clear Your Mind.

Whether you’re working remotely or in an office, it’s the perfect time to sort through the piles of papers that have accumulated on your desk, clean out those old emails and establish that new online folder organization system you have been daydreaming about.

Now, I realize that not everyone receives the same amount of joy that I do from filling a large trash bag full of unnecessary papers or an inbox with only a handful of emails. Some of you may argue that there isn’t enough time in the day. While others might cite there is evidence that a messy desk is a sign of genius. Say hello to my husband’s top excuse. Ha!

Organizing Your Workspace Has Multiple Benefits

No matter what camp you fall into, it’s hard to argue that there aren’t benefits of a well-organized space.

1. Increased Productivity. How many times a day do you find yourself searching for a piece of paper, email or document? We’ve all been there, but when you have a clean and organized space, you’ll inevitably spend less time searching and more time doing.
   
2. Reduced Stress Levels. Meeting in five minutes. Can’t locate the document you’ve been tirelessly working on. Enough said!
   
3. Boost Creativity. When you’re organized, you’re typically not working under the gun of a million deadlines. When you’re calm and in control, your creativity will flourish.

You might now be asking the question: How Do I Tackle My Unorganized Workspace?

• Start small. First you need to remember,your mess wasn’t made in a day. It might take a little time to organize your workspace into the space you want. Pick the time of day you’re most productive and set a timer for 15 minutes. Grab the stack of papers and go.
  
• Tools and Resources. Hit the office supply store or your supply cabinet at the office. Grab the file folders and organizers and start labeling and sorting. You should now be able to see the top of your desk.
  
• Online Organization. Your inbox really only needs to house emails that require your response. Everything else should have a home. Create folders in your inbox by client or project and file them accordingly. The same goes for documents. Take it a step further and establish a naming convention for your documents to make things even easier.

How to Maintain Your Organized Workspace

Once you’re done organizing your workspace, it’s just as important to maintain it. You don’t want to turn around a month later and be back at square one. Set aside 15 minutes at the end of each workday to tidy up your space. Throw away the papers and go through your emails and documents.

Soon, you’ll find a tidy workspace is second nature and the habits you created will be easy to maintain. Happy spring cleaning!