Like most people in the Dallas area, I have spent the past few days reeling from the destructive, unexpected storm that hit us over the weekend. The loud, powerful downburst morphed a sunny, beautiful sky into a threatening, frightening tempest that wreaked havoc on our landscapes and our lives.
It seems a particularly pertinent analogy for life’s tenuous nature. Occasionally, we are hit by an unexpected storm that knocks us down, be it personal, professional, or physical. Whatever the cause, the resulting derailment can cause us to feel simultaneously overwhelmed and paralyzed.
So what can we do to stay afloat?
Gut Check: What’s Important
When you’re moving through life unencumbered, it’s easy to try to be all things to all people and spread yourself too thin. When things get real, you no longer have the luxury or the responsibility. Check in with yourself and identify what your priorities are. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … let everything else fall away.
Live Where You Are
Are you sad? Be sad. Angry? Relieved? Frustrated? Whatever it is you are feeling, let yourself feel it. When we try to fight against our feelings, it often leads to a longer, more drawn out suffering/healing cycle. You have to live where you are. You just do.
Just Start
Get going. You have things to do and a life to be lived. If it feels like you’re spinning, take 15 minutes and Brain Dump. Write down everything that comes to mind. No structure. No numbered lists or categories. Just write everything that comes to mind in a free flow fashion – you can make sense of it later.
Life can be a beast so be kind to yourself and to others. It’s an instant mood-changer. Smile. Breathe. Look for the positive and the good. Gratitude improves every situation – there is always something to be thankful for.
Strength is the Silver Lining
Whatever has challenged you, knocked you down, or thrown you under will be the seed for tremendous growth. It may be hard to see, but one of life’s greatest gifts is the fact that life is difficult, because in dealing with life’s unexpected storm, we build invaluable strength.
Design and build your brand. A branding exercise can help you define essential elements of your brand. Explore who you are, what your vision is for your brand, and how it is relevant to your target audience.
2. Define your USP.
Once you understand how you fit into your target market, determine how your brand is different from the competition. This is your unique selling proposition (USP).
3. Build the cornerstone.
Use your USP and create a short message defining your brand position. The message should be subtle and easily recognizable to your audience. Use that message as the cornerstone of your marketing.
The best ambassadors for your brand are its team members. Collaborate and communicate with them. You need them to buy-in and be trained for any interaction to maintain brand consistency.
Create standards and policies to use internally outlining how marketing materials are to be named, stored, and utilized. These include logos, slogans, previously used concepts, etc. Guidelines can help your brand maintain consistency and stay efficient in times of employee turnover.
5. Build a community. Develop relationships.
Social media has become a principal source of customer service. Engage consistently and continuously with your audience to build a connection and a reputation for authenticity.
Influencers can be a strong ally in growing your brand. As with any relationship, you have to make sure the influencer is a good match for your brand and then work to keep the relationship healthy and growing.
6. Protect your investment.
Your brand’s reputation is hard-earned. Once you’ve developed it, protect it.
Set up Google Alerts so you may be instantly informed if there is news impacting your brand. Be vigilant on social media.
Crises will happen. Take ownership. Be honest and transparent with the information you have and how you are working to mitigate any damages.
7. Update and polish regularly.
Track the results of any marketing campaign. If needed, polish existing fixtures and upgrade as needed.
We would love to help you design, build and manage all aspects of your brand!
I have been to plenty of conferences before, but I don’t think any a conference has resonated with me quite like this year’s Nonprofit Communicators Conference. Judging from the theme alone, “Communication for Social Good, Impact, Authenticity and Executive Presence”, the conference could have been six hours of well-worn clichés. Instead, I came away with a lot of great insights.
Authenticity Matters
When I hear words like “authenticity,” it sounds like one of those touch-ey feel-ey phrases that make me roll my eyes. Why should we care if a company is being authentic or not?
We live in interesting times. Globally, we are experiencing a lack of trust in institutions, including schools, media, government, and yes, nonprofits. With the share of Americans donating to nonprofits in decline, this lack of trust is disturbing news.
For-Profit companies cannot afford to ignore this reality either. Almost two-thirds of the consumers around the world based their purchasing decisions on their beliefs.
Authenticity is knowing your story and owning it. It is your history and your values. These values must be proven over and over again. A company’s history, story, and values are how they can inspire others.
Here are a few authentic brands. Is your brand an authentic reflection of your company?
Leadership Models are Changing
When I saw that there would be a workshop on executive presence and internal communication, I thought it would be someone telling us to “power pose” our way through work. The workshop turned out to be much more than that.
I used to think of a leader as a hard-charging person who was often the loudest or the most extroverted. Sort of like a bull in a china shop, but more charismatic. More of drill sergeant than a coach.
This “command and control” model of leadership is changing. People spend more than 90,000 hours of their lives at work. Our work and personal lives often blend into each other; with many workers who are expected to be “on” 24/7. I think these people deserve better than a drill sergeant for a boss.
Leaders listen, are constantly learning, they always ask for feedback and they are other-centered.
Leaders also have a “magic sauce” called Executive Presence.
Executive Presence is Crucial
What is executive presence? It’s the qualities of leadership that
Character – Qualities of a leader as a person that are fundamental to who they are and give us reason to trust them. These qualities include integrity, concern for others, and humility.
Substance – Cultivated qualities of mature leadership that inspire commitment, inform action and lead to above-and-beyond effort. These qualities include practical wisdom, composure and vision.
Style – Over, skill-based patterns of communicative leadership that build motivation and that shape and sustain performance. Behaviors like intentionality, inclusiveness and assertiveness fall into this category.
Executive presence is an inside>out process, it starts with inner work. The workshop presenter described executive presence with a flight analogy – executive presence is like “putting on your oxygen mask first.” You must know who you are – your story, your voice, your values – before you can expect to lead others.
You can’t bluff your way through executive presence. True leaders are difficult to come by for a reason. Anyone can bark orders at people. Few people can actually inspire others to act.
I know which type of leader I would like to follow and which type of leader I aspire to be.
The Power of Storytelling
Human beings are wired for stories. Stories are a universal language. They carry weight, often even more so than facts because stories can make us feel something – joy, sadness, anger, etc.
Both organizations and individuals must know their story to make an impact in this world. A few questions to think about when contemplating your own story:
What is the story you are telling the world? Do your organization’s values match your deeds?
Whose story are you telling?
How will you tell your story? Does your story lend itself to video? Social media? A podcast?
Stories matter – they inform our world view and they can inspire others to action. What’s your story?
Corporate Culture Communicates a Lot
Today’s workplace asks a lot of its employees, and employees are looking for more in return. In fact, as many other institutions are losing the public’s trust, people are increasingly placing their trust in their employers. Globally, 75 percent of people trust “my employer” to do what is right, significantly more than NGOs (57 percent), business (56 percent) and media (47 percent).
Culture is a kind of communication; it conveys what your company values. When your corporate culture is aligned with your values, when your company “walks the walk,” your employees are more engaged. An engaged workforce is a productive workforce.
And a word of caution from the conference: “Social media has raised the stakes of internal organizational culture.” You don’t want one of your employees becoming so disengaged from their work that they pull an … emergency slide.
The conference resonated with me for a few different reasons, but they basically boil down to this: I feel like I am at a point in my life where questions about authenticity and leadership are becoming more and more important. How we present ourselves to the world, whether it’s in a professional or personal setting, matters. The stories we tell are important. And whether we are being true to our authentic selves, is paramount.
Now, if you will excuse me, I’ve got some inner work to do.
Last week Greg Asher wrote a
great blog on the importance of proofreading. Errors in punctuation and
grammar make me twitch, so I completely related. But it got me thinking … what
good is proofreading if the writing itself is bad?
Here on the Porch, I am frequently called upon to write, edit, and polish pieces of all sorts. I really love it — writing is my thing. It’s my clarity, my therapy, and my joy. Feeling the way that I do, I am always surprised by the large number of people I encounter that don’t like to write, are terrified to write, or are just not good at it.
Writing is important now more than ever. We communicate digitally through email, text, and social media constantly. And oftentimes what you have written will be what forms a first impression of you. Strong writing skills are critical.
The good news is, you can become a stronger writer. Writing is like a muscle – it needs exercise! The best way to become a better writer is … to write.
You can do it! Don’t overthink it – just get started. You don’t even have to start at the beginning. Get your thoughts on the page and you will quickly find your direction.
Know who you’re talking to. Your audience will drive your tone and style. You wouldn’t write formally to a friend and you wouldn’t communicate too personally with a client.
Use your own words. Your writing should sound conversational and it should sound like you. Be authentic.
Be clear and concise. Avoid buzzwords or filler – they are completely unnecessary. Make your point and make it clear with a strong, active voice. Don’t be passive – be impactful.
Before you press send, read it out loud. Make sure there are commas where you naturally pause. If a sentence is too long and rambling, figure out a way to shorten it. Not sure about something? Look it up. The Associated Press Stylebook is my compass.
Writing is not something to fear. When done well, it can showcase you in the best possible way. So fall in love with writing! (or you can always call us to do it for you!)
1. Go beyond spellcheck. Computer checkers are good to use as a proofreading tool, but they are not foolproof so don’t stop there. Digital spell checkers may not flag incorrect use of homophones (e.g., “to,” “two,” “too”) or other contextual errors (“then” for “than” or “he” for “the”). Worse, some of the errors missed by digital checkers may change the entire meaning of your message (“are” instead of “aren’t”).
2. See it with fresh eyes. Take a break between writing your text and proofreading it. Circling back after some distance can help you spot mistakes more easily. Review your text three times – once for spelling, once for punctuation and once for grammar.
3. Read it backwards. Reading your words independently, rather than in context, can make any misspellings jump right off the page. If it doesn’t sound right, it may not be spelled correctly, and probably deserves a second look.
5. Read your text out loud. Insert proper punctuation where you “hear” pauses. Make a change if a sentence sounds too long, too fragmented, or too ambiguous.
Everyone has not-so-fun aspects of their job, even if they love it overall. For me, playing the part of “brand police” is up there with entering my time as one of those things that are the least fun parts of my job.
Who are the “brand police?” They are usually folks from the marketing department who visit your desk, pointer finger wagging, reminding you to use the proper brand colors for your company or to use the most up-to-date version of your corporate logo, and not the one you saved to your desktop three years ago. Playing brand police is a necessary evil.
I always feel like a nag when I play that role. Brand consistency is just one of those things that is not high on people’s priority list, especially if they need to get a flier out. Right. Now. It’s not fun to rain on someone’s parade and explain to them that using five different fonts and lots of exclamation marks in the same collateral piece is not a good idea.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s hard to find time to explain why. Why staffers should stick to the company’s color palette. Why you shouldn’t stretch out a logo to make it bigger. Why your company’s words should match its deeds. Why using so many exclamation marks is not a good idea!!!
So, here is a semi-official edict from the Brand Police, on why brand consistency is important.
Establishes Trust and Authenticity
When a company delivers a brand experience consistently, the public learns what to expect from that company. Over time, this builds trust. If a company is flinging from one tactic to the next, with no clear unifying purpose, that company takes the risk of looking unfocused and unprofessional.
Sticking to a cohesive brand says something about who you are, that your brand is your corporate identity and not something that you created just for marketing purposes or because its trendy.
Builds Brand Equity
Over time, customers will get to know your company through your brand. Your brand will become synonymous with certain values and expectations. This brand equity will come in handy when you launch a new product or venture, or in some unlucky cases, when your company goes through a rough patch. Your brand is your reputation and at some point, you will need to trade on your reputation. Make sure you’ve built it up over time.
Brand consistency is important. It helps to establish trust with your customers. It builds equity, which will come in handy one day when you need it. And it gives you the opportunity to measure its effectiveness.
I think that’s worth sticking with the right brand colors and a few less exclamation marks, don’t you?
The working world is changing, there’s no doubt about it. Remote work arrangements are on the rise as companies maneuver to keep overhead low, and more and more workers are prioritizing flexibility in their work schedules. A recent Labor Report indicates that 23% of workers report doing some or all of their work at home, and this trend shows no signs of reversing.
Here on the Porch, we all work remotely. We gather when we need to, have robust dialogue via phone, text and email, and share work product and resources digitally. The rest … the when, where and how we work … is entirely ours to manage.
For me, it’s ideal. Solitude and silence are welcome commodities. I can largely plan my work around my kids and my commitments. I can work anywhere, at any time. It’s a great combination. But it’s not always rainbows and unicorns, and unfortunately, it’s easy to succumb to the pitfalls.
Distractions
Office environments come with their own set of distractions, there’s no doubt about it – the ringing phones, the chatty co-worker, the people who pop into your office when you’re at your most productive. But when you work remotely, your entire life can be a distraction – the unwashed laundry, the food that needs prepping for dinner, the television, the phone calls from friends.
It’s ok to let yourself go there on occasion, the ability to multi-task when necessary is one of the perks of working from home. But don’t sabotage yourself. Identify your triggers and make a conscious effort to avoid them. Put the remote control away. Set aside a window to respond to personal texts and emails. Or make deals with yourself – work for a few hours straight and then allow yourself a 20 minute spin on the Peloton or 30 minutes with the Real Housewives.
Designated Work Space
If working remotely is a once in awhile situation, working from the kitchen table or having Kelly Ripa on in the background is fine. But if working from home is the norm, you need a designated work space.
Set up a space to work in and ensure that you can be productive there. A designated room in your home that can act as your office is an ideal situation. Ensure it is well lit and stock it with all that you need to work efficiently. Don’t have an entire room to spare? Then set up a desk in a quiet corner and Container Store the heck out of it. Staying organized and focused is a must.
Boundaries
The good thing about working remotely is that it gives you the flexibility to work whenever you need to. The bad thing about working remotely is that it gives you the flexibility to work whenever you need to. So boundaries are important.
You will be more likely to succeed if you set up a schedule for when you will work and stick to it. This will not only ensure that your work gets done, it will ensure that work doesn’t bleed over into your personal time with your family. Know when to work and when to put it away. It will keep you efficient and it will keep you sane.
Change It Up
Although working remotely can be rewarding, it can also be isolating. If you find yourself feeling disconnected, change things up. Take your laptop to Starbucks. Have lunch with a remote colleague instead of spending an hour on the phone. Connection is a human need – don’t create a life lived in a tunnel.
The ability to work remotely is a wonderful thing. If managed properly, it can give you the perfect combination of efficiency and flexibility. With a dash of Real Housewives.
Contemplating a communication strategy to enact in the event of a company crisis is a cringe-inducing exercise for any business leader. But it’s a necessary exercise.
Considering possible catalysts and consequences allows you to craft contingency plans that will help weather a storm … before the clouds appear on the horizon. The more you plan, the more likely damage control becomes if a crisis strikes. Rapid containment helps prevent catastrophic damage to a brand’s reputation and bottom line.
There are core components of any crisis control plan, regardless of industry, company size, or severity of crisis.
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell, inventor
Before a crisis strikes, create a comprehensive crisis communications plan.
What are elements of a crisis communications plan?
Identify a corps crisis team. Your CEO, COO, Communication Coordinator(s) and Legal Counsel will undoubtedly be part of this group. Consider who else may need to collaborate.
Identify and know your stakeholders. Anyone who could be impacted by what occurs with your brand should go on this list. This includes customers and shareholders.
Identify and train spokespeople. Anyone handling communications with the media and/or on social media should be trained on the dos and don’ts. Train these spokespeople to remember you are never “off the record.” Ingrain in them these three C’s of crisis communications:
Be Clear. Concisely communicate the information and the plan as they are established.
Be Credible. Communicate only facts and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Authenticity and empathy build credibility. Acknowledge and respond to questions and mistakes quickly.
Be Cohesive. Stay on message throughout all communication methods and channels. Confusion breeds conflict.
Establish notification and monitoring systems. Consistent social media monitoring will allow you to watch for the early warning signs of a brewing crisis. Having established notification systems will allow you to quickly coordinate a response to avoid catastrophic damage.
Be proactive with your public relations. This includes having a a solid social media presence. Consistent connection with your audience builds a strong brand. The stronger brand you build before a crisis, the more credibility you will have when weathering one.
When a threat or crisis is identified, immediately implement your plan.
Coordinate Central Command. Establish frequent communications with the crisis team.
Control the Narrative. Crucial to conquering any crisis is controlling the narrative surrounding it. Compose a message establishing what you currently know and what you are doing to counteract the damage. Identify the communication channels you will use to provide future updates.
Communicate.Pause scheduled posts on social media but continue monitoring and responding in real time. Remember the Three C’s when engaging with the media and/or on social media. Every touch point is critical.
Collect Information. Most of the time that means going offline, but it is critical that you continue to monitor and respond.
“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” ~ President John F. Kennedy
After the dust settles, comb through what worked and what didn’t. Change the plan accordingly, and continue to update it on an ongoing basis.
Nonprofits work hard for little money and recognition. With few resources, you’re doing the best you can. But don’t think for a second that just because your organization is a nonprofit that you can’t have great marketing.
Remember, nonprofit is a tax status, not a case for support. Being a nonprofit alone is not a reason for anyone to give. Nonprofits must tell the public about the good they are doing and how people can help.
Here are 5 common nonprofit marketing mistakes and how to fix them:
Mistake #1: Not Participating in Social Media
The point of social media is to be social. Too many nonprofits post only about themselves, follow only a few accounts, do not respond to comments, and ask without giving in return.
This is the equivalent of meeting someone at a party who only talks about themselves, talks your ear off for 20 minutes, and then asks for $50.
Don’t be that guy.
Here is a good rule of thumb to remember when it comes to social content:
A third of your social content should promote your organization, converts readers and generates donations.
Devote a third of your social content to sharing ideas and stories from thought leaders in your industry or like-minded organizations.
A third of your social content should be fun stuff to show that there are human beings behind your social media handles.
Mistake #2: Forgetting Who Your Audience Is
Too often, organizations market to themselves. They only consider what appeals to them and not their supporters. Step outside of your perspective and think long and hard about your audience.
Are your supporters older, younger, parents, young professionals? Are they more likely to respond to digital appeals or direct mail? What do they care about the most – saving time, professional development, kids, the environment, education, social issues? Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes.
Stretched logos, incorrect brand colors, spelling errors, pixelated photos – if they happen once or twice, it’s a simple mistake. If they happen all the time, it makes your organization look homespun at best, or unprofessional worst. And that can erode trust.
Mistake #4: Too Much Text
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And a thousand words alone is, well, not something anyone wants to read.
Your supporters lead busy lives. Take a closer look at your content and figure out where you can tighten your copy.
Mistake #5: Boring Photography
Scott Kirkwood, former editor-in-chief at the National Parks Conservation Association magazine, put it best in a HOW Magazine article:
“…if you helped the nearest national park receive money for a new building, don’t show a photo of that building – it’s a building. Think about how that building will change the life of a visitor. Will the park be able to offer more bird-watching programs as a result? Great. Show a photo of a bird.”
Don’t think that just because your organization is a nonprofit that you can’t afford great photography. The latest smart phones can take great pictures and with a few tutorials, you could be well on your way to taking great photos.
Show photos of the people, animals, environments, etc. helped by your programs.
Show, don’t tell.
You’re trying to do good on a shoestring budget and a skeleton staff. We get it. Its understandable if this seems overwhelming. Great marketing is a constantly moving target that poses a challenge for many organizations.
If you want to talk about your organization’s marketing challenges, give us a call.
If I were to google you right now, what would I find? What impressions would I form after viewing your professional history, your social media presence (or lack thereof), and your photos? Would I want to do business with you? Hire you? Befriend you?
Wakeup call, people … you’re being watched. It’s time to take control of your personal brand.
Say what?
Whether or not you identify it as such, you have a personal brand. Branding used to be reserved for businesses, but with the mushrooming social media landscape and the growing gig economy, the time has come to embrace personal branding.
A personal brand is how you present yourself to the world. It’s what you want people to know — who you are, what you think, what you stand for, and what makes you unique. Oftentimes, it’s the first impression someone will make of you.
So … yeah, it’s important. A strong personal brand establishes you as a thought leader in your industry, promotes your company (and your career), differentiates you from those who share your space, and allows you to build trust with those who seek you out.
Know thyself
Developing your personal brand starts with taking an objective look in the mirror. How would you describe yourself personally? Professionally? How would others describe you? Identify a handful of adjectives that feel like spirit words and make them your litmus test for everything you publish, post, share, comment on, and participate in.
Find your niche. Solidify what sets you apart. And then run with it. It won’t happen overnight. It requires communicating your mission to your audience, in a genuine way, consistently and for the long-term.
Speaking practically
Focus your branding. Share only what rings true. Posting just for the sake of posting is just noise.
Deliver value to your audience. Make sure what you’re sharing is relevant to those you are talking to.
Put the “social” in social media. Interact on the platforms where you live. Comment when you have something to say. Like when something rings true to you. Start a conversation.
Share yourself with your audience. Give them a glimpse into your life and your soul. People want to know what makes you tick.
Don’t live and die by your numbers. Having a gaggle of followers is fantastic, but are they your people? Are they engaging with you and furthering your brand?
Lastly, and most importantly, make sure the on-line version of you matches the in-person version of you. Nobody likes a stepford wife. Don’t get caught up in what you think you should be – be authentic.
