What’s on the mind of business owners?
leadership, small business
/ /Business owners have a lot on their mind these days. Among other things, they may be: Trying to figure out how to manage a remote team. Encouraging potentially nervous employees to come back to the physical workspace once shelter-in-place orders have been lifted. Reinventing how they safely deliver their product or service to customers. Realizing…
Think before you post
reputation management, social media
/ /With more people working from home and sheltering in place, people are spending more time on social media – one report says global social media usage is up 21%. I know I am checking Facebook and LinkedIn more than I did before. But what I am seeing from some businesses is a bit concerning. Most…
Even during a pandemic, it’s important to communicate
crisis communication
/ /Whether your company is open or closed, it’s still important to communicate with your customers, employees and vendors. But before you do that, you should be asking yourself: What does your audience really need to know about your organization right now? There is too much information coming out every day; it’s overwhelming and people are…
Getting the word out during a crisis
crisis communication
/ /Let’s focus on everything that happens behind the scenes before you ever even receive a crisis communication. In other words, the communication itself didn’t just appear (like some viruses); it is transmitted only after careful thought and assistance from professional communicators. Understand that for companies large and small who are trying to manage a crisis,…
Every Picture Tells a Story
marketing
/ /We all know the power of messages, the drama that beautifully crafted words can bring to telling a story. This idea of storytelling through a consistent brand message is so powerful that sometimes we forget the other key component to messaging – the visual. So, what makes up a great visual message? Well, what we’re…
Love Your Clients and Customers
small business
/ /In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I want to revisit briefly a topic I have written about before, namely “loving your customer.” Here are three simple ways to show your clients and customers some love this month. Respect their decision-making We should always respect the choices customers make when it comes to our products and…
Your Brand’s Reputation is Everything
reputation management
/ /Companies work hard to establish their brand, using valuable resources (time, people and money) to create a brand that will make their customers come back again and again. Yet it doesn’t take much to jeopardize that brand – a bad review on any number of online sites (Google, Glassdoor, Yelp, etc.) can wreak havoc. That…
Convergence: Media and Social Media
social media
/ /Whether we like it or not, media are looking at our company’s social media channels for information, news tips and more. So why not think of social media as being a complement to your existing communications efforts? After all, social media provides an interactive way to tell your story and build relationships with your audience(s),…
Leadership + Communication = Better Organizations and Engaged People
leadership
/ /There are a number of people who believe communication is easy for business leaders, but nothing could be further from the truth. I learned this as a result of a graduate certificate course I recently completed on Communication and Leadership. A leader is not only expected to communicate, but communicate well because their organization and…
Know Your Audience
effective communications, marketing
/ /Whether it’s reaching prospects with your sales and marketing messages, communicating with customers or vendors, creating a communications plan, or targeting the media with your press releases, knowing your audience matters. Asking some questions upfront will help you do a better job of reaching the right audience with your message. Who do we want to…