The "Power Tool" of Branding

OK, the jury is in. Community outreach has now been deemed one of the most powerful ways to brand and promote your program and your services. Developing relationships with organizations in your community will not only help create customer affinity but gets people to start promoting your business for you!

But the secret is not that you do outreach, but HOW you do it.

I’ve learned many lessons over the years in my marketing career, but one of the fundamental truths I’ve experienced is that you need to do outreach with the community on their terms.

Whoa, this is different you say. Why not just invite community leaders to your place, send out a nicely designed invite, and do a show-and-tell. Give them a tour, invite your executives to present and…Voila…Community outreach accomplished.

NOT! This is outreach strictly on your company’s terms. Here is a better approach:

Step 1: Create your list of organizations or communities you want to target

Step 2: Set up a personal one-on-one meeting with a leader in these organizations or communities

Step 3: Listen and ASK THEM, “what is the preferred way to connect with their members and customers, as they  serve as the entry point to reach these individuals and families.

Step 4: Be prepared for a very different approach. This may include:

• Being a part of one of their forums, by utilizing their local meeting venues and forums. Don’t expect people to come to you.
• Using community leaders as facilitators–or let them make the introductions. Their endorsement is critical.
• Ensuring presentations are made by staff who are members of the community or with ties to it. Not necessarily your leadership team.
• Practicing cultural competency. Understand the values of the community and honor them. For example, with Latino communities, don’t be Anglo time driven, rather serve food first, allow people to socialize and when there is a lull, begin the meeting.
• Being showcased not in a forum, but via a word-of-mouth referral by leaders.
• Creating mini-articles for their community publications, and then being open to placing an ad, usually at a nominal amount.
• Following up with leaders one-on-one throughout the year. Don’t forget them after you do your initial outreach engagement. Otherwise you won’t be considered sincere.
• Supporting their local causes and fundraising events. Your presence and participation shows you are committed–not just throwing money at them.
• Including your own family in community activities. This humanizes the company and puts a face on it.

Outreach is all about branding and extending your own community to others, who may look and act differently with contrasting values and styles. These  organizations and individuals can be powerful advocates and evangelists  and create word of mouth goodwill….if you show respect and meet them where they are, on their terms.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

Banking the Good Times for a Downpour

One of my sons is steeped in the interview process for his second job out of college. He loves the industry he works in but feels his opportunity to learn and grow with his current employer plateaued.  

Earlier this week, he called to talk about his second interview and how it went with the recruiter.

"Killed it!" he said. The fumes of euphoria still coursed through his veins.

Needless to say, I was elated for him. After congratulating my son, I hung up and headed back to my keyboard.

Then, as a nice summer breeze pushed in through my office window, I got to thinking. Is there a lesson here that the father figure could offer his son?

About 60 minutes later, I sent him this email:

Great job on smokin' that interview...

Keep that feeling of how you did in that interview in your life memory bank...remember how impressed you left the recruiter, how your confidence flowed and how you really handled a high pressure situation...

Later on in your career (happens to everyone), you'll feel dejected and not worth a piece of poop...it's at that time where you go back into your memory bank and pull today's interview out to remind yourself that even in your worst moods and worst times, you know you're not only okay but you're damn talented!

Anyone who has spent time in the marketing communications world knows that feeling of sky-high enthusiasm and rock-bottom depression. It comes with the industry, not to mention the business world.  And like life, there will be good days, and there will be not-so-good days.

Many of you already have learned this lesson.

 But for those who haven't, I suggest you think about it the next time you write a highly engaging post, create an award-winning website or earn a coveted grant for your mission-driven organization.

Take that euphoric feeling. File it away in your memory bank. And break it open the next time you feel those dark clouds starting to gather.

The way I see it, banking the good times is not just an umbrella.

It's a confidence booster.

And who couldn't use a little bit more of that in their life?

~HCollaborative.com~

Are You Real? Authenticity Trumps in the Sales and Marketing Game

 We all get involved in our jobs, our careers and play out the roles that enable us to fit in the workplace culture.   And those “masks” we wear, that we put on each day to woo customers with promises and personas, entice and attract.  It’s hard to deny that it works. 

We give the customer what they want to hear.  We echo back their words, even mirroring their tone and pace of speaking.  It’s a technique I learned and practiced when I directed an Account Management Team.  It helped create a connection.

But does it pass the “sniff test” today? 

Not anymore.

The test of authenticity has become the bar for engaged consumers that increasingly make purchases based on word-of-mouth experience.  Access to information on the internet including customer reviews, quickly reveal any inconsistencies between what you promote and say and the reality for the customer that they readily share on YELP or on social media.

This also applies to mission-driven organizations and nonprofits, who promise they are “changing the world” and “making a difference” .  The sniff test works here too.  According to research, Millennials are the most “cause driven generation” (their words) in a long time.  They dig deep and look behind the words.  They want simplicity. http://www.hcollaborative.com/blog/2016/6/2/the-power-of-simplicity-in-communication-in-life.   They demand honesty, humility, justice, equity, and sincerity before purchasing, donating or volunteering. 

This all equates to one thing: AUTHENTICITY!

It must be demonstrated in your brand and in all your social media and marketing strategy.  It’s the new litmus test.  A recent study by the New York Times found that authenticity is even more important to consumers than brand recognition on the  impact of your bottom line.

Here are top “anchor behaviors” for companies to display to show authenticity:

Behavior                               Percent that believe this is important

Communicates honestly about its products and services              91%  

Communicates honestly about its environmental impact              87%  

Acts with integrity at all times                                                                87% 

Is clear about and is true to its beliefs                                                 83%  

Is open and honest about the partners and suppliers                     82%  

Stands for more than just making money                                           74%

Has a relevant and engaging story                                                        43%

Source:  http://www.cohnwolfe.com/en/authenticbrands

Authenticity is one of the core pillars of Conscientious Marketing.  HCollaborative is happy to help your organization craft messaging that shows your true authenticity, through relevant content management, impactful videos and creation of a unique brand manifesto. All of which will pass the “sniff test”.

~HCollaborative.com~

The Teaching of Zion Canyon: "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"

Talk about a humbling experience. Here's what I mean:

Our ego tempts us every day as it tries to validate our importance.  We believe we know stuff, that we are right, that people should listen to us.   After all, we know what is best if folks would only follow our advice.  

My beleaguered spouse can testify to this.  He patiently listens to my ever present counsel – smiles and then of course goes back to what he was doing before I interrupted him!

But a walk in the canyons of Utah, puts us in our place.  Sometimes we just need a little attitude adjustment that results from a humility lesson.

Against the majestic peaks and boulders of Zion, my ego was checked.  I reflected and did some soul searching , among rocks and canyons thousands of years old that have endured over the millenniums…  

I was really just a brief moment in time.

And I wondered why I worry so much about the little things. 

Are the little bumps and annoyances in my life really that important?   Why do I stress over people and their behaviors that bother me, just because they differ from mine?

What if I let go… and chose to not sweat the small stuff?

What if I let go… believing my way was the right way?

The canyons of Zion smiled at me that glorious day as I hiked to Angels Landing. I thanked them for that gift of perspective.

It’s time to give others the benefit of the doubt.  In the bigger scheme of things, my opinion may not be that important at all.