5 Simple Tips to Keep Your Employees On-Side and Informed

Our employees are our biggest asset… blah blah blah…

How many times have we heard this? I’m sure there are no MDs or CEOs who would willingly insult their employees. But thousands are doing it every day just by sending out hapless employee communications.

Let’s face it most internal communications are organised by the marketing or communications department and often badly. ‘Not me’ you protest. I beg you, just have a look at the five pointers below and if you can’t check all of them off then there’s room for improvement.

We all know that the best way to find out what’s really going on in the company is:

a)      At the water cooler

b)      In the smoking area

c)       In the coffee area

d)      If you’re a woman, in the ladies bathrooms. (Possibly that goes for the gents too?…I invite your comments?)

So how do you harness this mire of gossip and underworld activity?

Here’s how.

1.       Nominate Communications Champions for each department. Give a real communications job to the office gossips. Filter the communication through them and keep them informed, both with the good and bad news.

2.       Not on computers? These days most people are on email. But for field based staff, technicians on the road, etc. this isn’t always possible. Ensure you have an effective and well understood system for communicating messages: SMS, noticeboard, or team briefings just for starters.

3.       No bullsh1t. This is fundamental. People will see through it and it will cause more harm than good. It’s essential to be 100% sincere in your communications. No stock standard phrases and no waffle.

4.       Love the media, but not too much. Don’t let employees find out what’s going on in the company through media reports. (Yes, this actually happens – I know. It happed to me on more than one occasion.) Ensure your employees are briefed BEFORE the media.

5.       Direct from the horse’s mouth. If it’s important (and by that I mean significant re-structures, mass redundancies, takeovers etc), let your employees hear it directly from the CEO. Call a mass meeting and talk to everyone together. And CEO’s: don’t be defensive when your staff ask questions. Answer truthfully and openly. It will do wonders for the CEO ‘street cred’ to be seen communicating directly with the staff.

Do you have anything to add to these five tips? What’s your experience? What works for your organisation? I’d LOVE to hear from you. I'd welcome your comments below.

Developing your Social Strategy

It’s become clear over the past 2-3 years, maybe even longer, that communication is no longer a one way street. In days gone by companies sent out their marketing messages and consumers decided to buy or not to buy. Communication has taken a massive shift and now we have the power to publically answer back to organisations, and we’re doing it in our droves. Ok, it’s true, we’ve always been able to write a letter of complaint and if you could be bothered, you could always send it to the local newspaper or current affairs TV program. But all that takes effort. Social media makes this process so easy. We can post a comment on a forum or discussion site, share it with our friends, and a multitude of other people we don’t even know. It’s mind boggling how powerful social media can be.

People power can make or break an organisation in a matter of minutes. Globally. Like it or hate it, marketers simply must embrace social media. Whether that’s to watch from the sidelines and monitor PR or actively join the conversation.

But before you go out there and willy-nilly start setting up a Facebook page and Twitter account for your company, stop and think about what’s going to work for your organisation. Like anything else in marketing, social media needs a strategy. Here are a few pointers to consider in formulating your plan:

How are you going to manage your social media? It takes time, a lot of time. Do you have a dedicated resource?

Who are you trying to communicate with? Different audiences use different social media sites. Approximately half of Twitter users are professionals aged 35-50. Myspace has a young demographic. And if you think Facebook was for kids, consider this: the fastest growing segment on Facebook is the over 35s. (Source: Nielsen online)

What are your goals with social media? Be clear on what you want to achieve and how you will measure this.

Listen to the conversation before you jump in. Monitor forums. Follow Twitter feeds. Set up a Google alert for key words to find out what people are saying about your product or company. Then, work out a way you can turn social media to your advantage.

Get familiar with the various social media sites and decide on the best medium for you in terms of presenting the content you want to share.

Be prepared to set up some rules for social media in your organisation. You may need to write a formal social media policy to curb employees inadvertently, or otherwise, creating bad press. Don’t go overboard, remember you’ve already placed your trust in your employees by hiring them. It really all boils down to common sense.

These are exciting times for marketers. The fast pace of social media means there is always something new on the horizon. We are constantly challenged and have new mediums to work with and have new creative ways to interact with our audiences.

Do you have any comments on your experiences with social media and how it has benefitted your organisation? Lets start a conversation!

Keeping it in the family – developing a suite of brochures

One of the key things about branding is maintaining a consistent message. This is especially true of your printed collateral items. If you work in a marketing department, you’ve probably created a brochure or two. You may have created many. 

Brochures and flyers are often developed over time as needs arise. Yours probably all have the same basic look and feel. Or maybe they don’t. There could be a good reason for this, but chances are your suite of brochures has been developed by different people and different creative agencies over a long period of time.

Perhaps it’s time to add another task to your 2011 "to do" list: Review brochures.

Every organisation is different, so only you will be able to make a judgment call on your sales collateral. However, here are a few things to think about if you’re conducting a brochure review:

Who will be reading your brochures, and what information will they expect to see?

Do customers need technical details in order to make a purchasing decision, or do they simply require confidence that your company is a good operator. Ensure you pitch technical information at the right level for your reader. Consider their gender too. Men and women will value different pieces of information in different ways. Ensure your brochures are user friendly. Remember it’s effectively a sales pitch on paper and you want to create a good impression.

Consistent look and feel

We all know that cross selling and upselling to existing customers is the easiest way to grow your business. So you need to ensure that your product brochures look like they come from the same company. They need to contain the same branding message about your business no-matter what the brochure is about. This includes imagery, colour schemes and style of writing. It may be worth investing in a five colour print process to ensure your logo always comes out in a consistent PMS colour, especially if you will be presenting several brochures together. Blue, in particular, is a difficult colour to reproduce consistently in a four colour print process.

Develop a family tree

When reviewing your brochure suite, it’s useful to think about how your group of brochures will represent your whole company. You can think about it a little like a family tree. You might start with a corporate profile as a high level overview of your organisation and its products. Then you might have the next tier of more product or market specific brochures, followed by a series of single page technical flyers on individual products. Think carefully about your needs as an organisation. You will also have to consider any rules for adding to your series of brochures if your product range expands. Many organisations use colour coded brochures to differentiate their various products or market sectors.

Many businesses are reducing their reliance on brochures as a marketing tool, preferring to provide online information for customers. However, there’s still very much a place for brochures in today’s digital world. Many companies still use them extensively.

CraftWrite would be happy to assist in improving or creating brochure copy for your organisation. Contact jill@craftwrite.com.au for an obligation-free estimate.

Seasonal Marketing

As I started writing my final blog for 2010 with the holidays just a couple of days away, I began to think about how we, as marketers, capitalise on seasonal events such as Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Halloween etc. It’s not just toy stores at Christmas who stand to win from seasonal marketing. There are a whole range of opportunities throughout the year where you can take a seasonal event and turn it to your advantage. With a little lateral thinking, I’m sure most businesses could come up with a promotion to capitalise on a season’s festivities.

I’ve had a little troll through You Tube and the depths of my memory to find some examples of what I’m on about. Here are a few adverts/promotions from companies who have cleverly used a seasonal event which does not really have a direct correlation their product, but they’ve used the time of year to their advantage.

Prescription drugs at Easter:

NHS Easter Bunny Advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpGRFM-8mW4 

End of Financial Year and Pay TV

Foxtel EOFYS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVo39AsXcZ8&NR=1

Lamb and Australia Day

Eat Lamb on Australia Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dqsyXPkG3I&feature=related

Iron Bru soft drink and the World Cup

Irn Bru – world cup 2010 advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S36BCNgH9As

Tea bags at Christmas

PG Tips Tea Christmas advert:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga08Lz5-RLk&NR=1

Citroen Car on Valentines Day

Citroen – Love in London: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q1cv1o_0rQ

There are many more examples where organisations have turned a seasonal event to their advantage. It would be great to hear your stories, so feel free to share any experiences.

What will your marketing calendar look like in 2011?

CraftWrite wishes its blog readers a wonderful  Christmas!
Look forward to bringing you more marketing gems in 2011.

Developing your Web Strategy

There’s no getting away from it, the internet is an integral part of our lives. It’s a seemingly inexhaustible source of information on every subject you can think of. It’s entertainment. It’s expands our social world. It educates. So why is it that so many businesses don’t apply the same strategic thought to their websites that they would apply to other marketing initiatives?

When the web first became mainstream, back in the late 1990s, it was used much like an online brochure. In fact many companies simply uploaded their brochures in PDF format, added a “contact us” email link then left the whole thing well alone. Of course the internet has moved on somewhat since those days. But how do you get the most from your online presence?

Here are seven questions that need to be answered when formulating your website strategy.

1.       Why do you need a website?

It may seem an obvious question. Everybody’s got to be on the web – right? It’s true the majority of businesses will benefit from a web presence. Just be sure of what you need your website to be or do. Some examples could be:

·         Low cost sales channel

·         Interaction with existing customers

·         Generate new sales leads

·         To inform before making a purchase in-store.

2.       Can you update your website easily?

Websites need to be regularly updated, particularly if there is anything seasonal or time specific in your content. Out of date materials will give the impression that your business doesn’t care. Ensure you have someone who can update your site regularly and easily.

3.       Does your website reflect your brand?

Your website is the face of your business as much as a brochure or a sales representative. It needs to reflect your brand on every page. This means representing your brand in imagery, design and copy.

4.       Are you using your website to its full advantage?

A website is an evolving process, and your strategy for its use needs to be reviewed regularly. What may start off as a sales hub may evolve into a customer service centre. Keep track of trends and find out what your customers want.

5.       Is your website easy to navigate?

A rule of thumb is that it should take no more than 2 or 3 clicks to reach any section of your website. Today’s web-savvy consumer will easily tire of pointless clicking and will be quick to move to a competitor site if yours is all too hard. Don’t try and do anything clever with your menu structure. It’s paramount that you keep the navigation simple and intuitive.

6.       Are you analysing your web stats?

Google analytics and many similar packages will work behind the scenes to give you reports on visitors, audience data, length of time on your site, navigation patterns and a whole host of important information. Make sure you use this data to understand your users and to refine and improve your site.

7.       How will people find you online?

With billions of websites accessible at the touch of a button, you need to be easy to find. The best way to do this is by Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), but it can be a tricky process to work your way to the top of the search engines. Another way to be found is through online advertising, either through Search Engine Marketing (SEM) which is Google Adwords or the like. In addition to this you will need to work out a promotional strategy to drive people to your website. More on this in another blog.

If you can answer these questions then you are well on your way to a successful website strategy.

If your web copy needs an overhaul, then share your strategy with CraftWrite and re-vitalise your online communications. Contact Jill Bynon today for a no-obligation quotation: jill@craftwrite.com.au

Marketers vs. Lawyers

I’m no lawyer, but I’ve had to work with a few over the years as part of the sign off process for communication materials and marketing campaigns. I’ve butted heads on more than one occasion, so I thought I’d share some wisdom for getting lawyer approval on your marketing collateral:

Firstly get to know the lawyer or risk manager in your company. Give him/her a general overview of the types of marketing activities you do, so they can understand the bigger picture.

Lawyers deal with dry legal documents all day, so marketing materials are often a welcome distraction from the mundane. It brings out their creative side and some lawyers will try to re-write copy because they want to get involved and not for any legal reason. Make sure any changes are for legal reasons only. Remember you are the marketer.

Make sure you can back up any of the statements you make in your marketing communications. You’ll never get “guaranteed” or “we’re the best…” or “we’re the largest…” past your lawyer if you can’t substantiate it.

Be prepared to compromise. You might need to re-word something slightly, but if it’s not going to destroy the message then don’t worry about it.

Be up front with terms and conditions in your main body copy, as lawyers will try to insert disclaimers and small print on your beautifully designed artwork.

Think through “what if” scenarios and have the answers before you present your artwork to your lawyer. They will always approach your material from a negative point of view. Not because they are negative people, but they are paid to advise the company on potential risks.

Know the rules of what you can and can’t say for your particular product type or industry. You will only irritate a lawyer if you keep making the same mistakes over again.

And lastly, if you think your campaign may be a risky one, get your lawyer involved early on in the design process. It will save you a lot of time, money and energy later on.

If you’re looking for a skilled copywriter with plenty of corporate experience, then consider CraftWrite for your next job. Contact jill@craftwrite.com.au

Building Better Briefs

Why is it pink?

What planet are they on?

I can’t show this to the MD!

Legal would have a fit!

Have these words (or similar) ever crossed your lips when reviewing artwork from your creative agency? If so, then you need to write better creative briefs!

The quality of the artwork your creative agency produces is in direct correlation to the quality of the brief you give them. In this blog, I’ll give you a few things you’ll need to address in your brief so your creative agency can deliver the output you need.

Most agencies will have a briefing document, some more comprehensive than others. Depending on the size of the agency, you may never actually speak to the creative person that will do the work, so your briefing document needs to contain everything the creative team needs to know. Here are the main things that you need to tell your agency:

Background – why are we doing this? What were the drivers that brought us to this point?

What are we trying to achieve? What does the creative piece need to do? (for example:  drive sales, be informative, be inspirational, be innovative, etc). What are your expectations on results?

What are the main points of the message? Provide your agency with some dot points on the key things you need to communicate to your audience.

What is unique or different about the proposition?  This will help your agency build the “big idea” that will be the cornerstone of your communication.

Why will the audience care about it? Help your agency understand your target market.

What are competitors doing? This will help your agency build your unique position.

What are the creative boundaries? How creative can your agency be on this job? There’s a whole scale from “totally out there, never seen before” right down to “minor tweaks on something done before”. You need to guide this process.

Be specific on imagery. If a particular type of image is a no-no, then say so.

Define the brand guidelines. If you have strict rules on how artwork needs to be presented, then you need to share this with your agency.

Tell the agency about any mandatory items for the job: eg: “must contain link to website” or “must mention the closing date of the offer”. Let them know if there’s a certain way you must describe your product or any legal disclaimers that must be included.

Deadlines – let your agency know as soon as possible what your deadlines are so they can put resources in place and schedule your work. (Let them know as early as possible, particularly if time is tight.)

Budget – give your agency some idea of what budget you have for the project. Your budget will also rein in any “expensive to execute” ideas and help keep it real.

All the little details – you need to tell your agency about things such as quantities, sizes, paper specifications and technical information.

I’d love to hear your stories about creative briefs, please share your experiences (no need to name clients/agencies!)

Contact Jill Bynon at CraftWrite with your next copywriting brief!  jill@craftwrite.com.au