The State of the Website

By Alan Isacson

With the availability of information about a company readily available on Facebook, LinkedIn, through its blog and by following its Twitter feed, the role of the corporate website is changing.  Previously viewed as the one-stop-shop, websites now serve more as a structural base of the company’s brand communication.

However, that doesn’t mean the corporate website is a lesser communications medium than its emerging counterparts. On the contrary, as the number of platforms and channels continues to grow, and the content distributed on them reaches farther and wider (and with dizzying frequency) the website’s new role in the communications ecosystem is to provide the big-picture.

The website is either where a visitor starts, before authenticating information elsewhere, or conversely, where a visitor verifies information gathered through social media, discussions in face-to-face meetings and articles in relevant industry journals. Either way, it should provide an overarching view of who you are, the unique business value that you bring, and how you help customers.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your website paints the big picture of your company’s value:

• Make sure your homepage content is short, and benefits oriented
• Provide customer examples, to illustrate the value of your work
• Include an RSS feed to your blog posts on the homepage, for quick access
• Imbed YouTube videos that illustrate your product or service
• Include your Twitter feed in the sidebar of your homepage, and subsequent pages

Alan Isacson is the Chief Executive Officer at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +1 212-529-4755 and aisacson@abipr.com.

New Era Demands New Storytelling Tactics (Ladies and Gentlemen, pencils down…)

By Yulia Tribrat

Two more venerable B-to-B publications recently shuttered their doors, joining literally scores of other departed titles over the past 30 months. Add in consolidation and an increasingly fragmented media landscape and B-to-B communication professionals are facing an industry in flux.

Perhaps the writing was on the dead-tree page pre-Recession. As other B-to-B communicators can well attest, the news hole has been shrinking. As recently as five years ago the average feature article or case history length clocked in at 1200-1600 words. By today’s Tweet-driven standards, my first major written assignment, which ran with every comma intact, weighed in at an overweening 2450 words.

How best do we serve our clients in this uncertain environment? What can we extract from our PR arsenal to effectively communicate for them?

In a word: Video.

Publishers and editors inform us that they generate more web traffic – and longer visits – with the videos posted on their on-line portals. Their resultant desire for more well-produced, informative, and interesting video postings creates great opportunity for companies willing to invest and dedicate the time and resources to producing compelling content.

We’ve worked hand in hand with our clients the past 24 months to create myriad video content, scaling from single-camera “Just the facts, Ma’am” QAs up to highly produced, multi-cast, award-winning stories.

I’d like share with you some of our key findings:

• It’s about Story

One could argue that the decline of traditional print communications hastens us back to the pre-literate era, only now electronically captured, in which important facts and histories are passed down through the oral tradition.

Brand messaging, unique value proposition, and key value points need to be digested and then, and only then, be presented in an engaging storyline – complete with drama, villains, plot points, humor, and the other classic elements of a good story. People don’t remember a brand message — they remember a compelling story.

• Clients aren’t Actors

The rightful need for message control continues unabated regardless of format, particularly in a challenged economy. But we’ve learned that when clients, or their customers, are over-scripted and focused on memorizing their main points, the final result simply isn’t that good: stiff, robot-like, unconvincing.

 To paraphrase the great George Burns, if you can fake sincerity you’ve got it made.

 Prior to shooting we’ll have a full pre-interview with the participant, we’ll supply general questions and the direction of the inquiry, and then focus making them comfortable and relaxed during the taping. We stress that we’re merely having a conversation. As in real life, sometimes it rambles and digresses, sometimes they go slightly “off-message.” But it does not matter. It’s why we edit. We select the best bits, splice them together, and post the smooth and relaxed result.

• Endless Possibilities

Furnishing online media with credible content is the focus of this discussion, but the productive end-uses for video are practically limitless. Outside of website and YouTube posting, our clients have utilized video as part of sales presentations, internal sales training, investor presentations, trade-show exhibits, and new-business pitches.

The investment can be substantial. It’s important up front to identify all of the potential homes for professionally produced and highly persuasive video content that can add significant value both within and outside the company.

Final Takeaway

Video is an important and growing communication tactic in today’s altered B-to-B media landscape. Properly planned, strategically implemented, and professionally produced video will net excellent placement opportunities in addition to multiple productive uses. The centrality of excellent storytelling will ensure that your message is remembered, repeated, and profitably deployed. Lights, camera, action!

Yulia Tribrat is an Account Executive at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +44 207-014-3524 and ytribrat@abipr.com.

Social media tools align with b-to-b sector

By Amy Epstein

Word of mouth, it is said, is the most effective marketing out there. And in the highly knowledgeable, often technical world of b-to-b, this is even more so the case. Word-of-mouth is far easier to build when everyone is speaking the same language.

Given that b-to-b decision-making is heavily reliant on peer-based input, why has the sector been slow to embrace social media? In theory, it would be particularly successful in this space because b-to-b is a closed system.

Sometimes it’s due to lack of understanding of the value of social media, which results in fewer allocated resources. Higher-ups in b-to-b organizations don’t immediately recognize the value of new media to support sales efforts, and so they don’t want to fund it.

Other times its lack of recognition that the audience is accessible through social media. Even though successful b-to-b communications programs are executed every day, proving that the target audience is on the other end is still a challenge.

While there may be challenges associated with effectively using social media, it is an ideal b-to-b communications tool that can significantly expand a company’s reach. Here are some reasons why social media can’t be ignored:

It’s peer-based. B-to-b prospects seek information from a very controlled number of credible sources. They depend on blogs, discussion groups, and other ways to gather input from others.

It’s about people. The authenticity and interpersonal dynamic inherent in social media jibes well with the highly relationship-dependent nature of b-to-b sales.

It’s fast. While in the “old” days (think 2005!), PR professionals were looking at lead times of two to three months to pitch articles and case histories to industry publications. Now credible content reaches prospects almost immediately through peer-based media vehicles.

Contributing to industry discussion boards is a good way to establish credibility among prospects seeking information. Likewise, answering questions posted on LinkedIn can help demonstrate industry expertise. A third technique is to pay attention to – and quickly comment on – relevant blog posts. These three approaches can help you make good use of common social media platforms.

Have no fear, b-to-b companies, social media well-deployed is playing to the traditional strengths of your sector. Well-informed prospects are out there, searching for the information and news they know they need to succeed in the marketplace.

Amy Epstein is Managing Director, Americas at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +1 212-529-4757 and aepstein@abipr.com

This post appeared in PR Week’s insider blog. You can view the post here: http://www.prweekus.com/social-media-tools-align-with-b-to-b-sector/printarticle/180313/

Encouraging Men to Exercise Their Buying Power

By Charlotte Fougeres

Women contribute to 80 – 85% of all consumer purchases.  Being a self-admitted shopaholic, I concede that I most likely contribute a great deal of this percentage. So, yes, we women love shopping, and the figures prove it.  I enjoy all kinds of shopping: clothes shopping, home shopping, even window shopping, but, my favorite is undoubtedly food shopping.

Again, I am not alone.  93% of women make food purchases for their households.  Needless to say, the female population hits the supermarket pretty often in their lifetimes.   This has not gone unnoticed by brand owners, and they are completely in tune with what consumers, and specifically female consumers, desire.  They know our favorite shapes, colors and designs.  For typical worries, such as our health, we look for low calorie products.  Presto! Coca Cola gives us Diet Coke in a slim can.  Not only is this the healthier option, but also a much more feminine design to entice female shoppers.

In the world of consumerism though, brand owners can not and will not focus only on women.  Brands are starting to target different types of consumers, from men to teenagers to children.  That very same Diet Coke, when placed in a darker color bottle or can, with a slightly sportier design, suddenly starts to look more masculine.

Recent statistics, like the 2010 U.S. Census, confirm that men are waiting longer before getting married, meaning they have to start making household purchases like groceries. This is a prime opportunity for brand owners to encourage males to exercise their buying power.

I look forward to the day when I go to the supermarket and see Coke cans, along with all different types of products, designed for women as well as men. And if brand owners maximize the opportunity, those heavily women-dominated statistics will soon change!

Charlotte Fougeres is an Account Manager in the London office of ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +44 (0) 207 014 3507 and cfougeres@abipr.com.

Monday Mornings at ABI

By Elliot Schimel

One of the constant challenges faced at many companies is internal communication. When a company’s divisions aren’t talking, it can often lead to slowed innovation or handicap a team from doing its best work.

What’s the best way to kick-start company-wide communication to ensure that all divisions are efficiently sharing information? For us, it’s Monday mornings.

Every Monday morning, energized ABIers grab their cups of coffee and head to the conference room.  In the span of half an hour, everyone in the office is given the opportunity to share recent successes, challenges and current projects with the rest of the team. Oftentimes, someone will bring a brief presentation outlining lessons learned in a new project. Whatever the focus, these meetings ensure that everyone in the office is collectively learning by sharing experiences.

Our Monday morning staff meetings are molded after Rudy Giuliani’s morning meetings. During his tenure as Mayor of New York City, Giuliani held meetings that were open to all department heads in his administration, ensuring that everyone on staff had access to him on a regular basis. Additionally, the meetings served as information sharing sessions within the administration and were invaluable in building coalitions when introducing new ideas or legislation.

At ABI, these meetings have become an essential tool for information sharing. It is important for everyone to have the opportunity to share their successes and new endeavors. It has also become an invaluable platform in sharing challenges. Sometimes an account team will discuss a challenge they are currently stuck on, and another member of the agency will perk up and explain how they dealt with a similar situation. In the long run, the time spent meeting regularly has already saved time for the agency, thanks to the ongoing sharing of lessons and shortcuts.

Elliot Schimel is a Senior Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +1 212-529-2583 and eschimel@abipr.com.

Unplugged

By Paula Pou

I recently adopted a Hermes 3000—the 1970s typewriter, not a futuristic Parisian silk scarf. I’m not sure why I brought it home, but I’m pretty sure my sneaky subconscience (let’s call her Fifi) was behind it. See, Fifi is convinced that she needs to interact with something that doesn’t need a battery charge. She’s behind the book purchases I make even though I have a Kindle and an iPad and she’s had a hand in the magazine subscriptions that pile up on my coffee table; she’s practically a Luddite.

Then, last week,  I ran across a piece on the NYT about how typewriters are the new hipster trend—and let’s be honest: by the time a trend piece makes it into the Times Style section, it’s probably been a trend for years—and I realized Fifi is not alone. Now, the observation that we’re too plugged in and dumbing and numbing ourselves down as a society is not new (there’s a reason we still read Walden), but we are arguably living in the most hyperconnected era of history (so far).

Have you ever tried typing on a typewriter? You have to stop and actually think. You can’t navigate away from a blank page—not without physically walking away from it, admitting defeat. It’s a humbling experience. Ideas have to be a heck of a lot stronger.

There’s a lesson in all this for marketers. We’re deeply plugged in and, frankly, have to be in order to understand the media landscape in which we operate. But—get this little irony—because the whole world is just one never-ending information network these days, our ideas have to be a heck of a lot stronger if they’re to have any permanence. It’s easy to wax nostalgic about the days of Mad Men, but it’s more productive to spend that time finding the middle ground between classic idea development (ingredients: pen, paper pile, willingness to discover just how disturbing your train of thought can get) and hyperconnected idea development (ingredients: gadget with Internet access).

Let’s say you use Facebook to conduct an informal poll about a target group. Stop when you have what you need. Take it with you and look at it until it means something beyond one of 10 screens you have open on your computer. You’d be surprised at how much it changes while in your hands, getting your full attention.

Typewriters are nostalgic because they offer a sense of permanence that we’re losing at a pretty fast pace—Fifi and I can agree on that much. But if we slow down just a bit, we have a shot to have ideas with permanence—and that’s a skill that will never become obsolete.

Paula Pou is an Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +1 212-529-2543 and ppou@abipr.com.

First Impressions Aren’t Just For Meetings

By James Nicholson

“You’ll never get a second chance to make a great first impression.”

Hackneyed? Yes. Trite? Probably. Wrong? No.

We may roll our eyes when someone trots out this cliché, but that doesn’t mean we don’t follow it to the letter. Every time you don a suit and tie for an interview, every time you shave and put on cologne before a first date – even when you tidy the house before your parents come over – you want to create a good impression.

But remember how easily things go wrong if you don’t pay attention to the details. When you tidied the house everything was in its proper order and every dish was cleaned, but all that your mother noticed was the dust on the bookshelf. And no matter how smart you looked and sounded at the interview, because you forgot to get rid of that stain on your collar you appeared scruffy and unprofessional.

Here’s another cliché for you: God is in the details.

This applies to public relations just as much as anything else, but we sometimes forget the power of a simple mistake. Whether it’s a press release, an article, or even just a quick email, we focus on asking: does it hit the right spot? Is the tone effective? Does it communicate what it needs to? Our goal is always to catch the audience’s attention and then retain it, with a compelling story, precise language, and a snappy turn of phrase.

Content, however, is only half the battle. Just like that interview or that first date, appearance is crucial as well. And this is where we can find ourselves falling short.

Blame it on deadlines, social media, or just the imminent death of the (hand) written word. Whatever the cause, the quality of our writing is on the decline. We now exist in an online world where speed of communication is valued over accuracy and where spell-checking is taken as gospel. It’s easy to understand how small errors start creeping in.

But it’s also the small things that really leap out at the reader and annoy them – we’re professional communicators, after all, so we’re supposed to get these things right. “If they can’t even correct these mistakes,” they wonder, “what else are they getting wrong?”

Your story may be scintillating, your prose engaging, but the first thing anyone is going to notice is the typos, the extra spaces between words, the inconsistencies in formatting. These errors can permanently tarnish the reader’s impression of your work, and it will never get the attention it deserves.

We all need to spend that extra five minutes reading through our work one more time. If the pen is mightier than the sword, then the typo’s an uzi.

James Nicholson is a Senior Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +1 212-529-2543 and jnicholson@abipr.com.

The Chinese Social Media Bandwagon

By Juliet Zhu

Here is a snapshot of my family on Chinese New Year’s Eve: we are all sitting in front of the TV watching the annual New Year gala concert performances on China Central Television. My dad is busy posting updates and ‘following’ others on Sina Weibo through his iPhone, while my mom is “planting and stealing vegetables” on her QQ farm. As for me, I finally get around to updating my long-neglected Renren while also uploading my Christmas travel photos.

Allow me to translate, for the uninitiated, what this all means: Sina Weibo (Microblog) is the Chinese equivalent of Twitter; QQ is a combination of MSN Messenger and “FarmVille,” with browser-based online games; and Renren (‘Everyone’) is China’s Facebook, with more than 160 million registered users.

In the world’s largest Internet market, social media has developed tremendously over the last few years. A fair share of global social media companies have tried to penetrate the Chinese market, but intense competition and Internet restrictions have posed a hurdles they have yet to cross. To successfully enter this market, a localized, tailor-made social media strategy has to be developed.

In the Chinese B2B scene, industry webportals have mushroomed over the last few years, effectively creating an integrated and comprehensive portal that includes direct B2B commerce, news and trends update, industry directories and company information. This general explosion of information is usually packed haphazardly onto Chinese websites. Although useful, the sheer amount of information can oftentimes be intimidating and overwhelming for people who are not accustomed it.

The usefulness of industry portals lies partially on the forums they host: forums allow like-minded people to get together and engage in discussions of varying topics. These portals are not only a main source of information for companies, but they also help facilitate communication between companies both within and across industries.

For people or companies who are trying to jump on the social media bandwagon, it is important to first identify the main purpose of utilizing these platforms. The second key to success lies in having a firm understanding of the social media environment and habits (on both personal and corporate levels). This will help companies map out more effective strategies for the utilization of various social media tools as key platforms.

Juliet Zhu is the Asia Pacific Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +65 6296 4384 and jzhu@abipr.com.

 

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By Juliet Zhu

 

Here is a snapshot of my family on Chinese New Year’s Eve: we are all sitting in front of the TV watching the annual New Year gala concert performances on China Central Television. My dad is busy posting updates and ‘following’ others on Sina Weibo through his iPhone, while my mom is “planting and stealing vegetables” on her QQ farm. As for me, I finally get around to updating my long-neglected Renren while also uploading my Christmas travel photos.

 

Allow me to translate, for the uninitiated, what this all means: Sina Weibo (Microblog) is the Chinese equivalent of Twitter; QQ is a combination of MSN Messenger and “FarmVille,” with browser-based online games; and Renren (‘Everyone’) is China’s Facebook, with more than 160 million registered users.

 

In the world’s largest Internet market, social media has developed tremendously over the last few years. A fair share of global social media companies have tried to penetrate the Chinese market, but intense competition and Internet restrictions have posed a hurdles they have yet to cross. To successfully enter this market, a localized, tailor-made social media strategy has to be developed.

 

In the Chinese B2B scene, industry webportals have mushroomed over the last few years, effectively creating an integrated and comprehensive portal that includes direct B2B commerce, news and trends update, industry directories and company information. This general explosion of information is usually packed haphazardly onto Chinese websites. Although useful, the sheer amount of information can oftentimes be intimidating and overwhelming for people who are not accustomed it.

 

The usefulness of industry portals lies partially on the forums they host: forums allow like-minded people to get together and engage in discussions of varying topics. These portals are not only a main source of information for companies, but they also help facilitate communication between companies both within and across industries.

 

For people or companies who are trying to jump on the social media bandwagon, it is important to first identify the main purpose of utilizing these platforms. The second key to success lies in having a firm understanding of the social media environment and habits (on both personal and corporate levels). This will help companies map out more effective strategies for the utilization of various social media tools as key platforms.

 

Juliet Zhu is the Asia Pacific Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +65 6296 4384 and jzhu@abipr.com.

 

The Chinese Social Media Bandwagon

What’s in a Name?

By Jen Sprance

It’s been confirmed – a rose by any other name WOULD NOT smell as sweet! Sorry Shakespeare.

A recent study by a Harvard Business School professor validated what all of us marketers and public relations professionals have been preaching all along – a brand is a powerful thing. It can significantly influence the consumer’s perception of quality and value, whether consuming products, services or content.

The study focused specifically on how a publication brand can influence a reader’s perception of the quality of an article. It found that readers rated the quality of the same article more highly if it was presented as having run in The Economist than in the Huffington Post.

First, these findings can be logically applied to products and services. When a company is known for quality, high performance, innovation or other positive factors, that reputation is passed along to its products and services and can improve a consumer’s experience and satisfaction. Investing in supporting a corporate brand and strengthening industry expert positioning can go a long way in moving products up the value chain.

The study results also bolster the case for public relations.  Editors are gatekeepers and the stronger the publication brand, typically the harder us PR reps need to work to secure coverage. A strong editorial placement in the leading industry magazine adds weight to the message being stated.

Jen Sprance is Managing Director, EMEA at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +44 (0)20 7014 3503 and jsprance@abipr.com.



Loyalty is Key

By Erica Helton

As a frequent traveler, I’ve made a concerted effort recently to remain loyal to one airline and one hotel brand.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn last month that my hotel status had gone up a rung – to the coveted Gold standard.  The next time I checked in, I was thrilled to be offered complimentary internet, a free Wall Street Journal and concierge access.  Many years ago, airlines and hotels learned that giving consumers that thrill through loyalty programs would keep them, well, loyal.

All of this gold, silver, platinum and elite talk made me wonder if a similar loyalty strategy could work for industrial business-to-business companies.  Often, B2B organizations sell through a network of distributors, who also sell their competitors’ products.  Implementing a loyalty program could ensure a stronger network.  Rewards similar to those offered in other industries – like free trips, gadgets and even cash – will give distributors a thrill and encourage them to sell your products over the competition.

Such a program will also facilitate frequent communication, enabling your company to pass along marketing materials and new product information quickly.  When joining the loyalty program, distributors should agree to be placed on a mailing list.  From a reprint of a feature article about a new product to a customer testimonial, your network will be better equipped to communicate the value of products and services.

Take a page from the travel playbook, and realize that loyalty, in any industry, could be the key to taking sales up another rung.

Erica Helton is a Senior Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +1 212-529-2632 and ehelton@abipr.com.