Integrate to Elevate – How to Get More from Your Digital Investments

Want people to see your company as the leader you know it is? Great interactive design and content can make it happen.

However, to take full advantage of what’s possible online, it pays to have a good plan. In an earlier post, we highlighted three keys to integrated digital marketing. Now, let’s take a quick look at how a few of today’s best online marketing elements can enhance your integrated strategy.

Web Video 
There’s little doubt about the engagement power of video. Consider the ongoing, explosive growth of online video viewing on mobile devices, laptops, TVs and more.

Start with a brand-based strategy that adds up to more than just features or capabilities. If you’re taking a content marketing approach, make sure you’re reinforcing your expertise in a way that supports your brand.

In any case, you can get a lot more from your investment by integrating your video across multiple platforms – presentations, email, social media posts, even embedded in an online press release – to drive more awareness and leads.

Photography & Graphics
Get real. Be interesting. Those are perhaps the top two ways you should be connecting with your audiences online.

Fortunately, with original digital photography and a variety of options for creating engaging graphics, it’s never been easier. Photography keeps it real and unique. Infographics and icons make it clear and simple.

A solid strategy will help you develop the widest variety of images and graphics that best demonstrate your value proposition – whether it’s technical work, customer service or another attribute on display. Then you can stretch your initial photo shoot or graphic development investment by using images across collateral, direct marketing, PR efforts and more.

The point is – there’s a web of opportunity out there. If you make the effort to do it right, an integrated, professionally created online presence will help your company show up like a force to be reckoned with.

Crisis Communications Lessons from the Sikh Temple Shooting

What started as a bright Sunday morning in August quickly turned tragic.  A gunman opened fire at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., killing six worshippers before finally succumbing to police fire himself.  Meanwhile, as Froedtert Hospital staff went into crisis mode to treat the wounded, the global media spotlight set its sights on Milwaukee…..

Crisis is integral to the emergency room, but another department also had to be at the ready – the public relations team. Due to intense global interest, the PR team immediately faced nonstop media pressure, while also balancing the concerns of the victims, their families and hospital staff.

At a recent PRSA-WI luncheon, four members of Froedtert’s PR team shared their experience, as well as lessons you can apply in any business’s crisis communications planning.

Expect the Unexpected

Though by nature, the hospital is prepared for crisis; the temple shooting brought numerous unforeseen challenges, including communication barriers with Indian family members and media, coordination with key officials including Gov. Scott Walker, and miscommunication among law enforcement, emergency response and other parties.

Even if your company isn’t in the ER business, it’s still vulnerable to a crisis – misconduct by employees, sudden resignation of the CEO, product recalls, accidents, etc. Every company should have a good crisis plan in place to lead the way toward a better day.

As highlighted at the PRSA meeting, here are six basic steps to solid crisis communications planning.

1.  Identify potential crises for your business and industry.

2.  Analyze your organization’s state of readiness.

3.  Identify a crisis team – include employees from all areas, not just communications.

4.  Designate appropriate team roles, responsibilities and processes.

5.  Schedule media training for key employees.

6.  Practice.

Other takeaways from the meeting:

• Use all available resources and make it a team effort – You can’t handle it all on your own.
• Make sure contact info is current, including emergency phone chains.
• Consider a news conference to reduce the constant demands on individuals.
• Keep internal leaders up to date.
• Media training is absolutely critical.

While the true test of readiness won’t be measured until crisis actually strikes, it’s never too early to get started on a plan to head off unnecessary chaos when the time does come. 

Improve Your Email Open Rate with these Dos and Don’ts

In any web-based communication, you have seconds to capture the interest of your audience. Hundreds of messages stream through your audience’s inbox in any given week, making it critical to set yourself apart with relevant, concise writing.  

Debating the must-haves of successful email copy, we came up with some helpful reminders during our most recent copywriter’s best practices meeting:

First up - The Subject Line

It better be intriguing, clear and brief. People have too much to read as it is, so make it easy for them to choose your email.

Do: strive to keep it between 30-50 characters, and never exceed 72.

Don’t: use words like free, help, buy, open, join, or similar gimmicky sales terms

Do: stress urgency – people are more likely to want to read if they have limited time to act

Don’t: use symbols like $$, or % – spam filters are sure to stop emails with these ploys

Do: use actual numbers – especially if there’s a numerical benefit

The Main Attraction - The Body Copy

This is where you ensure audiences see an immediate benefit to opening your email.  What does your topic mean to the customer and why?  Some things to remember here are:

Do: choose one key benefit – too many and your readers lose interest; none at all and you’re forgotten

Don’t: divert to other topics – gear all your relating material to support the one chosen benefit

Do: use bullets and numbers to increase scanability

Don’t: leave all the calls to action at the bottom

Do: write in 2^nd person – you, you, you! Help your audience relate to your message and its benefit.

So there you have it, how to make the most of email communications. Brief and to the point – just like your subject line and copy should be.

Turn the Skills Gap into a Competitive Edge

The writing’s on the Web – here, here, here and here. American companies in many industries face a shortage of skilled workers. It’s perhaps the single greatest challenge facing manufacturers today.

But it isn’t a burden – it’s an opportunity. It’s time to take charge, set your business apart and bring in the talent you need to keep growing.

Start by sharing your story. Show recruits and employees what’s special about your company, why the work matters and what the future holds – for them, for your customers, for your industry, for your community.

Then make that story the foundation of a complete, ongoing recruitment and retention program that supports your HR team by reaching and resonating with vital recruits. 

Components might include:

• A careers website
• Media relations
• Social media engagement
• Special events
• Public-private partnerships

There’s plenty more to the success of your recruiting efforts, of course. Explore more about how our agency is helping clients deal with the crucial talent issue. Or check out the case study below: 

Case Study (PDF): How a comprehensive program can support  HR recruiting efforts

3 Keys to Integrated Digital Marketing

You know it’s important for your company to speak with “one voice.” But with all the online platforms available today, how do you do that consistently and effectively?

Boil it down to these three essential tasks:

1.     Take a comprehensive approach. Review your goals for the year and determine which online channels will help you achieve those goals.

2.     For each online channel, develop a set of communication goals, strategies and tracking tailored for the medium.

3.     Make your website the hub for all your efforts, defining how each of the other channels fits in that framework.

Here’s an example of how it can work. You pick a social media platform where you can reach your target audience. And via that social media platform, you continuously promote relevant content that’s hosted on your website. Your social media strategy should consider short-term goals and of-the-moment issues to increase engagement, while also allowing for the long-term, brand-building approach supported on your website.

Done right, an integrated approach creates a deeper brand experience and brings more and better sales leads to your company. In a future post, we’ll talk more about how to do that, exploring various forms of online media content and how they relate to an integrated digital marketing strategy.

You There – You Don’t Know Everything

I’m not telling you this to hurt your feelings. I’m telling you because knowing that you know nothing – to paraphrase Socrates – is the only true wisdom. 


When you recognize the unknown, you ask questions. And asking questions illuminates answers. 


For example, ever heard of the Five Whys? It’s a technique originated by Toyota in which you get to the root of a problem by asking "why" five times. Watch a good Five Whys primer from Harvard Business Review below.

But asking questions isn’t just good problem-solving policy. It’s essential to all leadership, creativity and innovation.

The key is to continuously break free from the biases and assumptions that hold back fresh ideas. After all, you know what happens when you assume, right? (It’s the mother of all mistakes.)

That’s why, in B2B marketing just like anywhere else, it always pays to start by challenging your assumptions and asking questions, whether you’re:

•  Launching a product
• Considering a brand extension
• Starting an ad campaign
• Entering a new market
• Going after new customers

What’s the main objective and why? What’s the primary audience? What do they care about? How does what you’re offering make life better for them? And how do those answers fit into a single, clear message for the marketplace?

Those are just some of the questions bouncing around our office as we challenge our inner-know-it-alls and uncover new perspectives.

And now a question for you: What questions do you find helpful in your process?

To Hire a Millennial, Think Like a Millennial

Earlier, we demonstrated how to create a strong employer brand to attract talent in a highly competitive marketplace.  Different generations require different recruitment approaches, and with baby boomers nearing the cusp of retirement, it may be time to focus more on the dynamic, 80 million strong, Millennial generation.

Just how worried should you be about these generational changes?

Well, the Office of Employment projected that the average large company in the U.S. will lose 30-40% of its workforce due to retirement over the next 5-10 years. Yikes. Definitely time to shift your Millennial recruitment strategies into high gear.

Young Talent

Hiring young talent has many benefits:

• Flexibility.  You have the opportunity to shape an individual to be the best fit for your company.
• Youthful perspective.  Millennials bring fervor and excitement to client engagements, meetings and projects.
• Innovation.  This is the most educated and technology-savvy generation.  They bring fresh ideas, creative thinking and the ability to see things differently.

The key to unlocking this talent pool is understanding the background and characteristics of this generation, as well as accommodating their work style and motivators.

To hire a Millennial, you need to think like a Millennial.

So here’s how we suggest you focus.

The Top Three Ways to Get on the Millennial Radar

1.  Foster their interest in technology

Growing up in a digital savvy world has created the expectation of innovative websites, social media engagement, and interactive recruiting efforts. Everyone wants to be excited about the company they work for.  If your website is outdated and doesn’t captivate the skilled person checking you out (believe us, they Google EVERYTHING), they won’t even bat an eye as they cross you off and move onto the next company on their list.

Do yourself a favor, update your website, get on social media, and invest in a well-designed career page that encourages applicants to get excited to work for you.

2.  Participate in the community

According to a recent USA Today article, Study: Millennial generation more educated, less employed, civic trends have always risen with age, but this generation is emerging as being much more involved at an early age.  Millennials care about community involvement. 

To get on their radar, you need to look at the bigger picture.  Figure out how to promote yourself as not only a thought leader, but also as an active member of making your community, industry, and the big picture, better.

3.  Appeal to their shared characteristics when constructing recruiting communications, HR initiatives, training programs, and more.   

• Social - This generation is showing up as totally aware of work-life balance. They value spending time with family and friends doing things they enjoy. They want a fun work environment.
• Team oriented – A recent survey of Millennial professionals, conducted by Robert Half International and Yahoo! Hot Jobs, found that over 60% of Millennials want to hear from their managers at least once a day.
• Achievement oriented – Praise is something this group is accustomed to, show that you value your employees and are invested in their individual and group success.
• Flexible – Technology has opened new doors and more opportunities – Millennials expect convenience.  Find a way to incorporate this into your program.

The foundation of a successful business is an invested, interested employee base and Millennials want to  be a part of that. Those companies that don’t change their thinking and processes to attract, hire, and retain this new generation will risk it all.

Take our advice and invest in Millennials, because by doing that you not only are investing in yourself as a company, but you’re investing in the strength of our nation.