Tag: Marketing

Dazzle Before Distraction

Clairemont InternBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

In an oft-quoted 2015 study, Microsoft revealed that the human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish. The small creature can remain focused for approximately nine seconds, while the average person stays focused for only eight. Public relations professionals must adapt to the changing media environment, constantly crafting creative ways to communicate their messages. Everything from word choice to timing can make or break the efficacy of your communication.

Tips for Emails

John Edwards, marketing consultant and CEO at Hosting Facts, unveils important tips for effective email communication. He points to a USC Viterbi School of Engineering study that observed 2 million users who sent more than 16 billion emails over the course of several months. Two findings include:

  1. Send Emails in the Morning

While most professionals check email throughout the day, the highest response rate comes first thing in the morning. Send a note early to catch the reporter when she first gets to her desk.

  1. Follow Up After 48 Hours

There is a 90 percent likelihood you will get a response to your email within 48 hours. If you don’t receive one after this time frame, you may not receive a reply at all. Follow up after two days to improve your chance at an answer.

Tips for Mobile

A 2015 study released by Deloitte concluded Americans collectively check their phones 8 billion times a day, and the average person reaches for his phone 46 times daily. It is vital to adapt your PR strategies for mobile considerations.

  1. Keep Email Subject Lines to Five Words

Pierpont notes that if recipients can’t read your entire subject line on their phone, they’ll delete your message. Google’s algorithm will truncate your headlines if it is more than 65 characters and eliminate additional subheads. Keep openers, subject lines and headers brief!

  1. Add Video

Fifty-nine percent of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text if presented with the option. Consider relaying information through a short, eye-catching video.

Tips for Blogs

  1. Hubspot notes that B2B firms with blogs generate 67 percent more leads per month than non-blogging firms.

Encourage clients to produce their own content. Whether it’s a feature on management, opinions about the industry or tips about work-life balance, allowing potential customers to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the company’s personality can boost the website’s reach.

  1. Keep Age in Mind

Millenials are 247 percent more likely to be influenced by blogs or social networking sites. Think closely about your client’s audience when considering which platforms to focus efforts. If the client base skews younger, for example, explore Snapchat and Instagram.

Check out other tips to master your social media in 2017!

Written by Casey Moore, senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Marketing in a Post-Truth Era

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, , , ,

It’s no secret that America’s climate is undergoing a political, economic and social redirect. In fact, researchers claim that we’re entering into a new cultural era, one of the first shifts of this kind since the mid-1960s.

For example, recent findings by the Kantar Futures Group reveal a resurgence of the populist mindset. For the first time in decades, Americans place a premium on a sense of community and social ties rather than a sense of individualism. While self-expression still exists, it is couched within a context of smaller worlds, shared allegiances and common interests. People are willing to give up a small portion of our “lone ranger” mentality to stay connected to the group.

In addition, recent developments have launched us into a “post-trust era” (or the “post-truth era“) where we no longer trust experts or leaders. It’s not that we don’t see them as credible; we just believe they’re pursuing their own agendas. Interestingly enough, this mindset spans political parties and socioeconomic strata.

As with any cultural ebb, America’s shift affects branding, marketing and public relations. A cursory overview shows how these concepts have already manifested on social media.

– Mastodon: A Twitter clone that appeals to the “old Twitter crowd,” as it were. It sidesteps features that users perceive interrupt their experience — such as a stream of ads or ranked content. Users felt incensed that some “untrustworthy” governing authority regulated their timelines. Mastodon offers organic, real-time experience unfettered by the influence of “the man” along with several privacy options.

– HaterDater: While many apps connect users based on common interests (Match.com, MapleMatch, you name it), app developers have gone so far as to launch forums that connect people based on their dislikes. From those who loath certain politicians to people who hate slow walkers, users can find a like-minded friend on HaterDater. Our desire for connection has prompted us to connect with small communities in some very unexpected ways.

How should marketers respond? Demonstrate that you have your audience’s best interests at heart. Support and enable small communities. Back off of rampant fact sharing, and provide ways for people to strengthen their relationships with others. Heck, sponsor a local tee-ball team! (Okay, not necessarily, but you get the point.) Invest in personal, local and connected as the new currency to strengthening a brand.

What other strategies should you explore to strengthen your brand? Check out our post on Communicating Your Brand.

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VW’s #pinkbeetle Signals Change in Communications

Dana PhelpsBlog, Counselors Academy, Marketing, , , , , ,

Leading consumer public relations campaigns is fun and rewarding because I get to explore my own consumer preferences at times and devise creative concepts that reach people just like me…or people totally different from me! Sometimes, the best inspiration is an experience as a consumer that sparks an idea for one of Clairemont’s clients.

I recently bought a new car. But not just any new car. I bought a #pinkbeetle. Yes, that is the actually name of Volkswagen’s special edition VW bug sold in October in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I loved the company’s marketing tactics so much that I was compelled to write a column for that appeared in Tactics called VW’s #pinkbeetle Signals Change in Communications. I hope you’ll read it, and let me know if you want to take a spin!

As a member of PRSA‘s Counselors Academy executive committee, I collaborated with Tactics editor John Elsasser for part of 2015 and all of 2016 as a liaison of sorts to secure contributors for the publication’s monthly column called “Changing Times.” The column was started by Michael Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA, friend and mentor to many. There was no one better than Mike to write about changes in the public relations industry, but his only published column appeared in January 2015, the same month he unexpectedly left this world. Since then, members of PRSA’s Counselors Academy have been contributing their thoughts on the evolution of our profession.

Want to know more about Counselors Academy and its members? Read our previous posts here.

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Dhruv’s New Bike

Sarah HattmanBlog, In Our Community, Photo of the Week, , , , , , , ,

With only one look at Dhruv’s face in the photo, you can tell he is ecstatic to debut his new bike to his classmates at Green Hope Elementary School. Seven-year-old Dhruv suffers from cerebral palsy, a condition which causes spastic muscle movements and makes it nearly impossible for him to ride a bike … that is until he won the Duet Bike from the Great Bike Giveaway.

Earlier this year, Dhruv thought he was simply riding his new bike to school, but when he arrived he realized he was in for a huge surprise.

This scene might not have happened if not for Andrew Valkanoff, owner and operator of Triangle Dairy Queen and a Clairemont client.

Back in March, Andrew agreed to hang fliers encouraging people to vote for Dhruv in all three Triangle Dairy Queen locations on one of the busiest days of the year – Free Cone Day. That was just the beginning. When Andrew met Dhruv in person, Dhruv’s big smile and positive attitude stole Andrew’s heart, and Andrew committed to making sure Dhruv won the adaptive bike. With the help of Facebook, Twitter and media stories, Dhruv secured the most votes … and a new bike!

To make sure the school celebration was complete. Andrew even donated ice cream to Dhruv and all of his classmates. It doesn’t get much sweeter than that!

Want to see a few other fun events we’ve done with Dairy Queen? Check out our special DQ Frozen gig!

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On the Record: NCPRSA Seminar & Awards

Sarah HattmanBlog, On the Record, Professional Development, , , , ,

Ask anyone in PR, and they will tell you they welcome the opportunity to work with a client year after year. It allows us to get to really get to know our clients and their expectations and become embedded with their cultures, brands and products.

However, it can also come with the challenge of keeping it fresh. How do you sustain a multi-year campaign when the event or message is the same every year? That’s the question The North Carolina Public Relations Society of America is facing after 10 years of hosting its annual seminar and awards banquet.

Let’s go On the Record to find out what changes are taking place this year with NCPRSA’s seminar and awards programs.

 

Want to know more about the seminar and awards banquet? Shoot me an email at s@clairemontcommunications.com.

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