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Hostetler Public Relations

Providing public relations and marketing communications counsel, strategy and support

Rae Hostetler

The message: It’s your communications foundation

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Social media, content management, blogs, enewsletters. The list of cool and new communications tools goes on and on. Over and over business owners read and hear about these tools and many are ready use them, but often forget the foundation of communications: the message.

As a business owner, if you’re considering undertaking a marketing/communications campaign, consider the following question before undertaking use of any of these tools.

  • Can you and your employees share your company’s mission/vision/values?
  • Do you know your company’s message or story?
  • Can your employees and sale team effectively share the company story?
  • Other than revenue growth, what are your company’s short- and long-term goals?
  • Do you know your target markets to strategically grow your business?

If you’ve answered no to this list of questions, consider taking a step back and spend time designing a well-organized communications foundation that includes these elements: mission/vision/values; message; and audiences. With these elements in place you and your employees will be able to strategically navigate the use of communications tools consistently and effectively to meet your goals and generate ROI.

It’s my business to know your business

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When I meet with clients many of them think I will quickly have all of the answers—after all, I’ve worked in public relations for nearly 20 years. Ask me a question I’ll have the right answer. Right? I wish my brain processed that fast!

Instead of a quick answer, the clients usually get a lot of questions. Why? Because it’s my business to know your business. I want to understand the reason behind the question.

  • Why are you thinking about doing something?
  • Why are you asking me this question?
  • How does it translate back to business goals?
  • Will it help the bottom line or the company image?

I’ll be the first to admit I ask a lot of questions. Maybe it’s the journalist in me? Maybe it’s curiosity? Or maybe it’s because the better I understand where a client is coming from, the better we can make the final decision together to advance their business.

Recently I was invited to collaborate with two creative services firms on behalf of a client. I was asked to to the meeting with little to no information about what we were going to discuss for our mutual client as a campaign for the New Year. The creative team presented the big idea and I started to ask questions. I felt a bit negative not hopping on board out of the gate. I asked questions…

  • Would the concept create too narrow of a niche for our client?
  • Have they asked the client for sales data related to the idea?
  • What does trend data in sales show?
  • How will this move the bottom line in a positive direction?
  • Can we use the concept through all communications (it takes 4-7 impressions to get someone to act!).

The creative team didn’t have any answers and I wasn’t getting the concept. It seemed narrow based on my conversations with the business owner, his position in the Indianapolis community and vision for the company. The team decided to ask questions and reconvene the next week.

On the way to the meeting the following week I was hunting a parking spot in downtown Indianapolis when my cell phone rang. It was the owner of the company. We’d been trying to connect on an unrelated topic. During the phone call he provided key trend data related to the future sales position of the company. I said, “Well that’s interesting. I’m walking into the meeting about 2013 marketing and public relations for your company. The team is going to love the information.”

Be open to questions and be honest. If you have concerns about sharing too much information, ask for your agreement to have a confidentiality statement. I’ve had business owners look puzzled when I ask questions about the direction of their company. The more your public relations and marketing team knows, the better the ideas, advice and recommendations that will benefit your business in the long run.

Social Media: Stake your claim, start with the message

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I was invited and went to a great social media presentation yesterday given by Tim Sanders–a self-touted social media guru. He was there on behalf of Chase bank. They’d invited their business clients, who ranged from owners of retail stores to manufacturers and scaled from small- to mid-sized company owners.

Tim gave a great presentation. He’s truly a believer in social media and how it can work for business. He was great! While I listened sipping my coffee and nodding in agreement along with Tim, it was apparent that many of the people in the room were energized, excited and enthusiastic BUT not sure how to jump into the world of social media. That latter observation came during the Q&A and networking post talk. It seems overwhelming to many of these company owners After all social media is the wild west (I’ve called it that for years and Tim used the same phrase; high-five Tim). Where and how do you stake your claim?

Tim had one great nugget that he glossed over pretty quickly. He said that among the newest trends in social media is determining how to keep consistent communications and messaging from post to post, site to site and so on. That’s true, but it’s also something those of us in the public relations profession have know for a couple of years. Maybe we’re trend setters?!

Social media can be overwhelming. Starting at the beginning with your message is critical. Think about it this way: while the marketing and communications tools have changed, the methods have not. You have to know what you’re going to say, who you’re talking to (who to follow/friend/link to) and how you’re going to to it (which social media sites work best). That gives your company personality, style and brand.

Want to stake your claim in social media? Start at the beginning with your message.

Good luck!

Be ready for the interview

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Many company leaders want to be a source for reporters. They want a voice and to be part of a story. Reporters today are on tight deadlines. Staff in a newsroom is smaller and many writers have several things they’re working on all at the same time. When you become a source, consider the reporter’s needs. Give them want they want and you’ll become part of the contact list for future stories.

  1. Most reporters are working on deadline. Ask the deadline and the story run date upfront to know the time frame.
  2. Ask the angle of the story and who else is being interview. Often you can suggest sources within your contact list, too.
  3. In the interview give clear, concise explanations since they must become experts on the topic within hours (we’ve all had months and years).
  4. Most are looking for a few “sound bytes” for their stories—what’s the byte we want them to take away? Think about it before the interview.
  5. Most are looking for the top line on the issue, topic and subject (NOTE: You have limited time to educate and inform. Be ready with notes.).
  6. TV reporters typically have about one and a half minutes to tell the story—speak concisely.
  7. Print reporters interview several sources and you might just be one “sound byte” in a larger printed story.
  8. Most reporters do not report on your business every day so we need to recognize they will make mistakes… keep the end goal in mind… awareness.
  9. All need a source… a talking head… an interviewee…
  10. Add the final story to your website, email it to clients and prospects and keep it on file.

Feed the beast… Google that is.

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I’ve recently found my practice focused on several client projects that involve website development. As I work with clients to design their communications plan, company story and budgets for these projects I get the opportunity to partner with talented Indianapolis graphic designers. These designers all have some great web folks.

Together we all continue living and learning about social media, SEO and Google.  And yes we’re talking a lot about Google the ever changing breathing search engine. And as we work to educate clients, I keep using the phrase… “Feed the beast.”

The reality of website work today is that it is never done. Long gone are the days when a company, non-profit or business owner would put up a website, post it and share an atta boy. Website content (words, pictures, phrases, video) needs to consistently be analyzed and updated to remain fresh in the eyes of Google. Here are some ways to “Feed the Beast”….

1)      Research your keywords and update. Google has a keyword finder tool. Put in your website address and it recommends words and phrases. Include those phrases in your copy.

2)      Add a blog to your site. Trick here is to post regularly. Even the well intentioned professional (me!) gets busy and sidetracked. Adding keywords about your industry gives Google something to bite on.

3)      Consider video. If you’re in a visual industry it really helps to show people what you do. It also helps Google, which is the proud owner operator of You Tube. Video editing today is so easy even a kid can do it (mine does! And he’s only 12.). Then post it to You Tube adding your keywords and voila—something yummy for Google.

4)      Tag photos, tabs and behind the scenes. Find a good web partner to help here. Tech folks know what they’re doing and do it well. It’s worth the investment when a prospect calls and you can turn them into a client.

5)      Consider farming. Link farming that is. In real life business is all who you know. It’s the same on line. Link to business partners and ask them to link to you.

We look forward to helping you communicate your image!

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