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Moments after the Supreme Court announced its landmark Dobbs v. Jackson decision, Ropes & Gray’s chairwoman Julie Jones released a heartfelt statement. In it, she shared her personal and professional reaction to the seismic shift the decision represents. 

Jones acknowledged the differences of opinion her internal stakeholders held on the decision while openly articulating her dismay regarding the reversal of Roe v. Wade. She also made her firm’s position clear, saying, “There will be many opportunities for those interested to contribute on a pro bono basis to the protection of health care rights for women, a cause which Ropes & Gray will continue to champion.”

Jones’ full statement is powerful and authoritative. But from a PR perspective, it’s not so much what she said that’s particularly noteworthy. It’s the fact that she was poised to respond in a meaningful way that sets her apart from the majority of her peers.

More than ever, the professional service firm’s executive committee is called upon to make decisions regarding issues that don’t directly impact their business, or participate in narratives that have not required their participation in the past. Many of these issues and narratives are fraught with emotional risk for certain stakeholder groups, requiring abundant empathy and a strong understanding of their audience. For these reasons, executive committees should consider engaging directly with a PR firm that can provide objective guidance in this new landscape. Here are five ways engaging a strong PR resource can help an executive committee navigate the special situations that are heading its way with greater frequency. 

1. Know When and How to Speak Out on Social Issues

We’ve said it before. In today’s world, social concerns are business concerns. And that means your firm can’t afford to sidestep the hot-button topics your audience cares about. 

That doesn’t mean you need to speak out about everything that’s happening in the world. But it does mean you should carefully examine your values and develop unique points of view on the issues that matter most to your firm and your stakeholders.

For Julie Jones, that meant crafting a statement about Dobbs even before the decision was final. For other firms, it might mean developing positions of authority about tax reform, ESG principles, or climate change. 

Whatever the case may be, a good PR firm can help your executive committee anticipate what’s approaching on the horizon. That way you won’t be left scrambling to respond after another firm has beat you to the punch.

2. Protect Your Firm’s Reputation in Times of Crisis

It can be difficult for any leader, no matter how experienced, to know the best way to handle a crisis. That’s especially true if the crisis in question poses a threat to the firm’s reputation. 

Some accept an unwarranted ding to their firm’s public image for fear of making the situation worse. Others try to curtail the damage by minimizing or downplaying their firm’s wrongdoing or missteps. Neither end of this spectrum demonstrates the authenticity and vulnerability that a difficult PR scenario requires.

That’s why PR counsel is so important in the heat of the moment. We advise clients on how to respond to difficult situations with empathy for their audience. Keeping your audience’s concerns, questions, and needs at the forefront of your crisis communication plan is the crucial first step toward moving beyond the eye of the storm.  

3. Communicate Effectively During Leadership Transitions

Executive transitions — particularly at the most senior level — are news events that are certain to attract the public’s attention. As such, it’s critically important to communicate clearly with clients, stakeholders, and the public before, during, and after key executive changes.

But many executive committees don’t take time to plan for transitions before they happen. And without clear succession plans in place and solid communication plans to back them up, executive committees can miss valuable opportunities to properly leverage the moment when the time comes to announce a transition.

Working with a PR firm before leadership transitions are even on the table enables your executive committee to:

  • Craft compelling institutional narratives about where the firm has been and where it’s headed in the future.
  • Define and articulate your firm’s unique value proposition, which can become the common thread that connects an outgoing leader to an incoming one.
  • Capture and preserve the institutional memory and knowledge of key leaders before they depart. 

Successful leadership changes are carefully planned and expertly communicated. And the best way to ensure your firm experiences a seamless transition is to consider how your audience will view the relationship between the past and the future well in advance.

4. Make Informed Decisions About Client Representation

Your executive committee should engage in healthy debate regarding which clients to represent and which to pass over. That’s particularly vital in the age of cancel culture. It’s become increasingly common for individuals and community advocacy groups to access client lists and pressure firms to reconsider their affiliation with controversial individuals or businesses. 

A PR partner can help executive committees consider questions like:

  • Will representing this client contradict — and therefore undermine — our stated values? 
  • Is this engagement likely to invite threats to our reputation? And if so, are the short-term gains worth the risk?

By engaging a PR firm to help you consider these and other questions, your executive committee can shape a smarter, more strategic process around client selection.

5. Communicate Transparently, Especially With Internal Stakeholders

Two decades ago, the Sarbanes Oxley Act was passed to increase transparency related to corporate governance practices. As a result, corporate boards sought out PR representation to help them manage accurate, transparent disclosures that their public shareholders and other stakeholders could understand and accept.  

Executive committees at professional services firms should take a page from this playbook as they develop internal communication strategies. 

Why? During the pandemic, your employees became accustomed to receiving frequent, transparent, and open communications. They felt they were kept in the loop about rapidly changing scenarios and circumstances. They saw a different side of executive leaders when children, pets, and spouses made unexpected cameo experiences during even the most important meetings and calls. And they continue to crave — and yes, expect — transparency about the decisions you make on behalf of the firm.

A good PR firm knows how to help leaders demonstrate transparency, openness, and authenticity when communicating to (and eliciting feedback from) their employees. 

Don’t Neglect Your Executive Committee’s Unique PR Needs

The executive committee is responsible for stewarding the firm’s wellbeing while simultaneously charting its course for the future. This important work shouldn’t be done in a vacuum, or an echo chamber. A strong PR resource can provide insight into the audience that is necessary to craft a  thoughtful and authentic response to any number of newly urgent and risky issues.  

Of course, the best time to engage a PR firm is before you need one. So even if the skies are currently clear at your firm, let’s talk.

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PR firms talk at length about concepts such as thought leadership and creating unique POVs that serve your audience. We tend to wax eloquent about participating skillfully in the conversations that matter most as an authority. That’s because we know that when your audience views you with trust and respect, they’re more likely to come to your firm for help in solving their toughest challenges.

Still, it’s natural for you to ask one simple question. Is our PR investment really worth it? 

It can be difficult to draw a direct line between the PR campaigns you invest in and the client engagements you secure as a result. And if you’re not able to accurately measure the ROI of your PR efforts, how can you be sure you’re allocating resources in the most impactful areas possible? 

You need to look at the right metrics at the right time. Because the truth is, authority is the ultimate ROI of an effective PR program. Assessing its full impact requires a holistic perspective and a willingness to prioritize long-term value over short-term wins.

The Value of Authority 

Our goal at Greentarget is to help clients establish and demonstrate their authority. But what does that really mean? And more specifically, what will it look like when your firm is viewed as an authority in your industry? 

First, it’s important to understand that the terms “thought leader” and “authority” are not interchangeable.

Thought Leaders Share Expertise

Thought leaders are ahead of the curve and play a key role in shaping the direction of their industry. However, they tend to share their knowledge in a one-way fashion — usually through owned media channels that don’t invite much discourse. As such, thought leaders aren’t typically concerned with how their audience receives and interprets the information they put out into the world. They simply want to reach as broad an audience as possible with the messages that are most important to their organization.

Authorities Serve Their Audience

By contrast, authorities go beyond dispensing expertise. They carefully consider how to position their knowledge in ways that matter to their audience. Yes, they are bona fide thought leaders in their own right. But true authorities express their POV to spark dialogue, solicit feedback, and test their ideas and perspectives among other experts. 

Furthermore, true authorities aren’t simply heard — they’re heeded. Unlike thought leaders who are usually more reactionary, authorities shape the conversations that matter and inspire action as a result. And they’re willing to embrace feedback, consider new viewpoints and pivot when necessary. 

To achieve this level of influence, you’ll need to:

Anyone can be a thought leader, but not everyone can be an authority. That’s why Greentarget’s approach to PR is oriented around helping firms discover and harness their authority. 

The ROI of Authority

In our highly digitized landscape, we’ve become obsessed with quantitative metrics. And there’s no shortage of data points we can analyze to measure the effectiveness of various communication tactics. 

For example, it’s common to assess your PR campaigns by tracking how often you’re cited by credible media outlets and other authorities in your field. Or, you might look at marketing metrics such as organic web traffic, time on page, click-through rates, and conversion rates to analyze how well you’re reaching your broad audience. 

But as important as these quantitative numbers are, they don’t tell the full story.

It’s About Quantity and Quality

Measuring the ROI of authority requires you to think about qualitative indicators and insights that round out the quantitative data. Instead of only asking how many people you’re reaching, you should be evaluating how effectively you’re engaging the prospects that matter to your firm the most.

After all, it’s better to have one quality conversation that leads to a high-value engagement than 100 conversions from wrong-fit prospects. But if you look at your standard KPIs in a vacuum, those 100 leads look a whole lot better than one conversation. 

To be sure you’re measuring the right indicators of authority’s ROI, ask yourself:

  • How often are our ideas sparking real dialogue among the people we’re most interested in reaching?
  • Are our POVs being iterated upon and therefore becoming sharper and smarter over time? 
  • To what extent are we challenging existing narratives or assumptions within our industry? 
  • What kind of feedback are we getting from our network when we put ourselves out there with a new or provocative point of view?

During the pandemic, Freightos, a digital booking platform for global shipping and logistics, discovered they possessed valuable data about supply chain issues. They determined they had information and a level of analysis that the industry could benefit from, and started a podcast to share their insights about shipping data, including an index of ocean container travel times. Subsequently, The New York Times ran a feature story about their impact. 

What’s interesting is that Freightos didn’t measure success based on how many people accessed and downloaded their useful, salient data. And though they were excited to be featured in The New York Times, that was not the end-all, be-all for them. What signaled success for them was hearing excitement and buzz from the friends, colleagues, and influencers in their own network. That’s when the ROI of their PR efforts was fully crystallized in their minds — when they were recognized as an authority.

Leading vs. Lagging Indicators of PR Success

It’s also important to understand that many of the standard KPIs used to evaluate the effectiveness of PR are lagging indicators of success. But your authority is a leading indicator of future results. In other words, the qualitative measures of impact we discussed earlier are both results in their own right and assurance that you’re headed in the right direction. 

The initial evidence (i.e. leading indicators) that your firm’s authority is yielding ROI can be found in the quality of the conversations you’re having and the anecdotal affirmations of your influence in your network. 

Then, over time, you’ll see additional lagging indicators of your authority’s ROI, such as:

  • Revenue. Your revenue is growing over time, and you’re reaching desired growth targets. 
  • Geography. You consistently see media coverage in the markets that matter the most to you.
  • Talent. Your firm is an employer of choice and you succeed in attracting and retaining top talent as a result.
  • Profitability. Because your authority yields more right-fit conversations, you’re able to focus on the engagements that lead to the greatest profit.
  • Capabilities. You continually identify new services and offerings that evolve with your clients’ changing needs.

In other words, realizing the full ROI of your authority requires you to take the long view.

Invest In PR to See the ROI of Your Firm’s Authority

Although establishing your firm’s authority is a process that requires patience and perseverance, you’ll never see the ROI you’re after without taking the first step. That means you can’t afford to put it off or hope for the best. You need to work with a partner who knows how to build your authority and leverage it in ways that contribute to your firm’s immediate and long-term success.

Greentarget clients have seen a significant return on their PR investment, both in terms of the authority they earn and the business engagements they secure as a result.

We can help your firm, too — but only if you make establishing your authority the priority it needs to be. 

It’s time for you to seize the mantle. So let’s talk.

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As we enter another election cycle, there’s no doubt that politicians will continue to weaponize issues like climate change, reproductive rights, and the recent economic downturn to curry favor with their constituents. Many will accuse their opponents of spreading ‘fake news’ — all while contributing to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation themselves. 

Compounding this issue is the diminishing trust in news outlets. Our own research shows that credible journalists feel alone in combating fake news as less reputable media outlets seem bound and determined to make the problem worse. 

Edelman puts it this way: “We find a world ensnared in a vicious cycle of distrust, fueled by a growing lack of faith in media and government. Through disinformation and division, these two institutions are feeding the cycle and exploiting it for commercial and political gain.”

In a time rife with polarization and confusion, the world needs true authority more than ever. And as a communications director, you have the opportunity to position your firm’s experts to respond.”

Leverage the Trust Your Audience Places in Your Firm

There’s a growing number of people functioning as “news activists” — individuals who are passionate about the truth and who are willing to debunk disinformation when they see it. But there’s only so much progress news activists can make on a person-by-person basis. They need help from leaders with large communications platforms to dispel misinformation more widely. 

That’s where your firm’s authorities come in. 

Authorities are the players who are best-positioned to suit up and participate on this high-stakes field of engagement. Why? Audiences are more likely to trust your firm than they are to trust politicians, the media, and even nonprofit organizations. In fact, the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer once again confirmed that business is the most trusted institution in society. 

Of the more than 36,000 respondents surveyed:

  • Only 50% reported they trust the media
  • 52% expressed faith in government 
  • 61% stated they trust business  
  • 77% said they trust their own employer

By leveraging the trust your internal and external audiences place in your firm’s authorities, you can help cut through the noise of false information and provide a powerful counterpoint to deceptive narratives. 

Formulate Unique Positions of Authority on Timely Topics

Your firm’s authorities aren’t responsible for arguing against every bit of fake news they encounter. However, they should be prepared to address the topics and social issues that matter to your firm’s clients, employees, and other stakeholders. 

Ask your experts to think about the unique insight they can offer on topics that are most likely to be weaponized by those perpetuating disinformation. 

For example:

  • An accounting firm might develop a point of view on whether or not the recent economic downturn should be classified as a recession 
  • A financial services firm might offer a perspective on ESG investing that helps their audience think about climate change in a more nuanced way
  • A law firm might hone positions of authority regarding the rapidly changing regulatory environment as it relates to the tech industry

Working with your firm’s experts to identify and fine tune salient points of view takes concerted effort, but it’s incredibly impactful. Well-reasoned, conflicting perspectives can spark conversation, help your audience identify disinformation for what it is, and consider thoughts and viewpoints that differ from their own. 

Use Your Firm’s Communications Platforms to Actively Challenge Disinformation

Elevating truth is always worthwhile. But your firm also has a vested interest in joining journalists in the fight against fake news. Your firm relies on earned media coverage in credible news outlets to establish your own authority. When disinformation dominates the public discourse, your firm’s message will have a harder time breaking through.

To that end, if your experts have the opportunity to talk to the media for a news story, help your authorities nail the interview. But beyond that, make it a priority to use your firm’s own platforms to communicate factual positions of authority.

Communicate Positions of Authority with Employees

It’s normal for authorities to feel unsure — even reticent — about publicly combatting disinformation. A good place to start is with your internal audience. 

Business is no longer neutral territory. Leaders are being pushed by employees and other stakeholders to speak out on the most pressing social issues of the day. But sharing your firm’s positions of authority involves more than releasing a statement affirming one side over another. It’s about wading into the fray and providing unique insights on complex problems. 

Sometimes that means creating tension — even in the workplace. Leaders must be willing to correct wrong information and skillfully engage employees in difficult conversations they may prefer to avoid.

These challenging internal conversations can become the foundation of your external communications strategy.

Share and Promote Factual Information on LinkedIn

Even the most well-intentioned people (including your own employees) can unwittingly spread fake news, especially on social media. They might not understand the role algorithms play in offering up questionable content — or they might simply share stories that align with their unconscious confirmation biases.

Your firm’s well-formulated positions of authority can help challenge both intentional and unintentional sources of disinformation and educate your audience about the facts on a variety of issues.

Linkedin is the most natural platform for your authorities to share the position pieces they’ve written or the articles in which they’ve been quoted. Remind your experts that this isn’t mere self-promotion. Each time they promote credible news sources and share legitimate information, they’re actively engaging in the battle against disinformation.

Communicate Directly with Your Clients and Stakeholders

Finally, think about how you can proactively communicate your firm’s unique points of view with clients, potential clients, and other stakeholders. These are the people most likely to trust what your authorities have to say and thoughtfully consider your firm’s position. If they’ve internalized false information and believe it to be true, your message could persuade them to rethink and re-evaluate those messages.

And of course, promoting the owned media assets (e.g. blogs, podcasts, videos) that underscore your authorities’ expertise is doubly beneficial. It helps get truthful and nuanced information in front of your audience, and it’s also a smart business development strategy.

True Authorities Engage in Society’s Most Important Conversations

The threat of misinformation and disinformation continues to rise. And with so much at stake, it’s vital that business leaders take up the mantle of news activism to engage in smart conversations about the issues that matter most.

You can play a key role in helping your firm’s leaders participate skillfully in this crucial battleground. Identify and hone the unique, timely points of view that set your experts apart. Then use all the communications platforms available to you to share messages that elevate truth and promote credible information.

(And if you need a little inspiration in this area, be sure to check out Greengarget’s Manifesto.)

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If your firm is facing a crisis that’s about to make headlines, your first instinct is probably to try to make the story go away. That’s understandable. No one wants bad press or to see her or his firm’s name dragged through the mud. 

But you can’t stop reporters from doing their jobs. They are going to tell your story regardless of your feelings about it. And if you try to kill the narrative, your efforts could cause more reputational harm for you and your firm than the bad news itself.

As a senior leader, it is up to you to calmly guide your firm through the crisis with honesty, transparency and humility. There may be no way out, but there is a way through. And in our experience, the way through is eased by mindful appreciation of certain things that aren’t commonly found in your typical crisis playbook.     

Here are the seven truths you should remember when the next crisis hits.

1. The Press Coverage Is Going to Be Bad. You Can Only Make It Less Bad. 

If a reporter asks you to provide a comment for a story about a crisis at your firm, you can’t make the story go away, turn it from negative to positive, or avoid the likely ding to your reputation. The coverage is going to be bad. But you may be able to exert control over how bad it is by: 

  • Giving the reporter an interview. As counterintuitive as it may feel, now is not the time to shy away from the spotlight. Instead, engage skillfully with valid arguments and counterpoints that provide context for your side of the story.
  • Helping reporters get it right. Credible journalists want to be fair and accurate. Give them context and information that will enable them to separate fact from fiction.
  • Communicating directly with your audience. No matter how many people hear the bad news that’s about to break, remember: The world is not your audience. Spend the lion’s share of your energy communicating directly with your employees and clients and other stakeholders who matter most.

2. You’re Going to Feel Differently About This Crisis in Three Months.

So the press coverage was bad. You’re embarrassed and morale at your organization is low.  When facing such a scenario, it may feel like the stigma will last forever. But Wells Fargo is still making loans. United Airlines is still flying planes. And you can still pick up a Whole30 Lifestyle Bowl, with double protein at Chipotle in your brand new Volkswagen. These companies worked through significant threats to their reputation and you will too. The way you respond to the crisis will influence how long it takes for you to rebound. You need an authentic mitigation strategy and effective communication plan to regroup and redirect. 

3. Your Default Corporate Statement Will Cause Eyes to Roll. This Is the Time to Be Authentic and Vulnerable. 

In response to bad press, your lawyers and advisors will want you to release a statement that shields your firm from liability. Chances are it will sound overly formal and stilted, not address the underlying issue, and sound nothing like anything a human being would actually say. If you want to repair the reputational damage a PR crisis can cause, resist the urge to hide behind the pat holding statement. 

Moments of crisis require executive leaders to respond with transparency and accountability. Your employees, clients, and other stakeholders want to know you genuinely care about addressing the underlying problems that brought your firm to this situation. 

If you need to dispute certain details in the press coverage or the degree to which the organization is responsible, you can do that. (See no. 6, below.) But do so while expressing sincere regret for any missteps that occurred on your watch. Above all, communicate empathy and concern for anyone who was harmed or affected by the events in question.

4. Set Your Ego Aside. You May Be Embarrassed, but This Is Not About You.

Sharing statements that dodge accountability is not the only way to undermine effective communication. Your own ego and the desire to avoid personal embarrassment can also get in your way. A reporter’s questions are rarely ad hominem attacks. Even if they are, taking them personally risks clouding your judgment. To address the issues at hand, your vulnerability and willingness to listen are more effective because they are disarming. 

5. If Something Is Broken in Your Firm, Fix It.

Good things can come out of even the worst situations — but only if you’re willing to do the hard work of repairing what’s broken. To that end, don’t waste the opportunity this crisis affords. As an executive, you have the power and responsibility to get to the bottom of what’s wrong. 

Some problems are easier to fix than others. But even if you discover systemic issues, don’t give up until you unravel them. Ask your employees, stakeholders, and investors to help you identify and name your organizational shortcomings. And empower these same people to help you solve them.

Once you’ve done everything you can to address and repair the situation, communicate the steps you’ve taken with the press and with your internal and external stakeholders.

6. You’re Allowed to Punch Back if It’s Warranted.

You should do everything in your power to remedy situations for which your firm is responsible. But if a reporter assigns blame to you for things out of your control — or treats you with blatant unfairness — you should absolutely address it.

Do your due diligence first. Make sure you fully understand the situation and that you have your own facts straight. But then feel free to go on the record and dismantle the opposition’s arguments using clear, to-the-point communication. Don’t accept an unmerited hit to your reputation. And enjoy the warm feeling of satisfaction that this will deliver! 

7. You Need to Take Care of Yourself.

Leading an organization through a reputational crisis is not easy. The potential for overwhelming stress and exhaustion can’t be overstated. You need to take care of yourself in order to handle the situation in the best way possible. 

Think about the fundamentals that you need in order to stay focused and productive on a normal day. Do you typically run a few miles every morning? Write in your journal to keep yourself accountable to your goals? Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and veggies? 

It’s tempting to forgo selfcare and other wellness routines during stressful situations. The “all hands on deck” mentality can even make you feel guilty for spending time on yourself. But all the added pressure and stress make it more important than ever to double down on the fundamentals so you can continue to function at peak performance. 

Your organization needs you to be at your sharpest to see it through to the other side of the crisis. So give yourself opportunities to take a break from the unrelenting news cycle and focus on the people, places, and pursuits that bring you joy. Doing so will help you carry the heavy burden of leading a firm through a high-stress season.

The good news is you don’t have to navigate this crisis alone. Greentarget has developed effective PR strategies for clients facing a variety of special situations. We’d be happy to help you, too — just reach out.

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Venture capital investments are increasingly hard to come by. With the stock market heading into bear territory and inflation reaching all-time highs, investors are making fewer VC bets and expecting sweeter terms when they do. In fact, some analysts say VC investments will decrease by 70-80% in the coming months. And that means if you’re a Stage 2 start-up looking for Series B or C funding, you need the biggest competitive edge to differentiate you in the market.

This starts by building credibility with prospective investors. And the best way to do that is with an aggressive earned media strategy that garners endorsements from top-tier media. Here’s how working with a PR firm can set your start-up apart so you can secure the VC cash you need to propel your business forward.

Invest in PR to Secure the VC Investments Your Start-Up Needs

Your advisors are probably telling you to conserve cash and temper expectations. But let’s be honest — you can’t afford to simply tighten your belt and wait for the market to shift. You need to deliver ROI to your current investors as quickly as possible and secure additional capital to fuel your company’s upward trajectory. So it’s time to shift your focus toward making a stronger case for why your company deserves funding. 

PR is a strategic tool to increase your credibility and position you as a leader in your industry. And the good news is it also happens to be one of the most cost-effective ways to accomplish these objectives. 

Advertising campaigns are expensive. Presenting or manning a booth at a trade show can also take up a significant portion of your marketing spend. But investing in an earned media strategy is affordable and attainable and has the potential to make a lasting difference for your business.  

Find and Hone Your Start-Up’s Unique Positions of Authority

You know your industry needs the product or service your start-up offers. After all, you’ve built an entirely new company around that core belief. But to stand out in a crowded VC landscape, you need more than a solid business plan. You need to communicate unique positions of authority.

At its heart, demonstrating authority is an act of service. Your start-up’s thought leaders possess insights that can help your potential customers make smarter decisions, plan more effectively, and navigate complex challenges. Sharing your knowledge in a strategic and thoughtful manner shows your audience and investors you’re worthy of attention.

Firms like Greentarget can help you discover and hone your points of view — and then leverage them to make a name for your start-up in the media. This happens through:

  • Talking with your company’s leaders and subject matter experts to learn about their expertise and build the foundations of your content plan
  • Reviewing the earned media landscape to determine what journalists are writing about and what their needs are
  • Developing hypotheses about needs in your industry and then conducting primary market research to suss out salient insights
  • Discovering what topics have been discussed at length and identifying gaps for your experts to step into
  • Talking with your company’s leaders and subject matter experts to learn about their expertise and build the foundations of your content plan
  • Reviewing the earned media landscape to determine what journalists are writing about and what their needs are
  • Developing hypotheses about needs in your industry and then conducting primary market research to suss out salient insights
  • Discovering what topics have been discussed at length and identifying gaps for your experts to step into

For example, say your start-up is launching a software platform for supply chain and logistics. Given the world’s ongoing supply chain disruptions, reporters are eager for new insights from qualified subject matter experts. And it just so happens your CEO is aware of changes to shipping practices in Asia that might affect the landscape in the coming years. 

In this scenario, we would take the lead to conduct extensive research on the topic, identify gaps that haven’t been covered yet, and work with your CEO to flesh out strong positions worthy of media attention. In turn, your start-up establishes its position of authority in the public arena and demonstrates to investors that you’re worth backing.

Use Storytelling to Demonstrate Your Start-Up’s Value in the Market

Facts alone won’t inspire VC investors to bet on your start-up. In fact, stories do a better job of persuading people than data ever does. That’s because narratives evoke an emotional response — and humans tend to lead with emotion when making decisions.

The same holds true in B2B decision making. Even the most sophisticated and educated professionals tap into their emotions to guide them rather than leaning on rationality alone.

Of course, facts still matter. VC investors will most certainly pay close attention to your business plan. They’ll scrutinize your strategies and ask pointed questions about how you’ll follow through on delivering the ROI you predict. But stories bring those cold, hard facts to life and ultimately do the hard job of persuasion. It’s an example of the “show don’t tell” philosophy. Every start-up has its hard data and KPIs. But through intentional storytelling, you can shape those metrics into a narrative that assures investors they’re making the right decision. 

So if you want to secure VC cash in a tight market, make it a priority to tell compelling stories about the value you bring to your field. 

Paint a Picture of Long-term Impact

Many start-ups come and go without ever reaching the success they envisioned. So it’s important for potential investors to know that you have a solid vision for your product or service. They need evidence and reassurance that your start-up will stand the test of time. 

The first step is to make sure your intellectual property is protected. Secure any patents required so you don’t risk losing out to an unscrupulous competitor. Then, create narratives showing how your start-up will meet a need or fill a niche not only now, but in five years, ten years, or longer.

How One Start-Up Used Storytelling Effectively

One of our start-up clients, Zipari, used storytelling extensively in their efforts to grow their business. When they launched their signature product — the only consumer experience (CX) platform built specifically for health insurance providers — they needed to elevate the company’s position as the leading innovator (in an industry that’s notoriously slow to innovate).

We harnessed Zipari’s unique understanding of the digital guts of health insurers to position Mark Nathan, Zipari’s CEO, as a thought leader. We established a regular cadence of founder-led thought leadership and media coverage at key points throughout their growth cycles to develop a generous brand voice and reinforce the company’s vision. Through this thought leadership coverage and storytelling around its CX platform, Zipari shared how they helped clients (health insurers) improve ROI and drive healthier member actions.  

As a result, Zipari secured a strategic growth investment that allowed them to acquire another healthcare engagement platform (HealthX) and significantly grow their company’s value.

Start Leveraging Your Authority to Secure the Investments You Need 

Your company already has extensive amounts of expertise to leverage. You just need to identify the unique positions of authority that set your company apart — and then tell the stories that will resonate with your audience and investors. 

Greentarget can help — just reach out.

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Video is making inroads with the business crowd — including buyers of professional services — as a medium best known for cat videos and TikTok dance trends extends its reach into B2B marketing. With online video increasingly influencing purchase decisions, including it in your marketing plan can reap big dividends, boosting user engagement and providing an opportunity to resurface and spotlight existing content.

After two-plus years on Zoom, in-house counsel and other executive decision makers are warming up to the benefits of visual content, from online meetings and webinars to video clips they can watch quickly and then share to their networks.

And while B2B audiences don’t necessarily prefer videos over other content types, almost half of marketers say interviews with subject matter experts and influencers produce the best video results.  Videos performed better than other types of B2B content assets such as in-person events and long articles or posts over the past 12 months, according to the Content Marketing Institute.

Law firms and professional services organizations are sitting on a trove of written content that can be efficiently transferred into video soundbites to re-ignite conversations and interest in key topics and issues. Video can underscore your firm’s distinct positions of authority and even help you win the war for talent by showcasing your organization’s culture, vision, and values in a way that feels personal and welcoming.

The good news is that video is much easier to do than you might think, and the expectation for quality isn’t high. Clips ranging in length from a few seconds to two minutes don’t cost much to produce, and have a high engagement rate on social media, according to Gartner.

Here’s what you stand to gain by incorporating video into your firm’s communication strategy. 

Videos Help Authorities Build Trust and Establish Credibility

Today’s smart conversations are increasingly shared, promoted, and consumed through video. If you want to position your firm’s authorities as relevant, savvy experts in a digital-first world, video is an important element in your communications toolbox. 

Video mimics the look and feel of in-person communication, offering another way to build trust with your audience. It can also humanize your spokespeople and allow their personalities and style to shine through.

Of course, communicating effectively in any medium requires practice and preparation. For video, your authorities must learn how to:

  • Distill complex topics into 30, 60, or 90 second soundbites
  • Maintain eye contact with the camera to make the audience feel they are being spoken to directly
  • Speak clearly without verbal fillers like “um,” “like,” and “uh”
  • Convey enthusiasm and warmth without sounding overly excitable
  • Reinforce key points using presentation slides or other demo tools

Video Guides Your Audience to Your Thought Leadership Content

Search algorithms tend to favor web pages with video content, so embedding video can also help you attract more visitors to your site via organic search.  Consider video a value-add to your existing content and editorial strategy. It should pull from — and point to — the wealth of useful, authoritative content you’ve amassed. 

Comb through your existing content library and create videos that highlight key points from high-performing assets. Email videos to your audience and promote them via social media channels to drive traffic back to these pieces.

Repurposing key pieces of content using video will spark fresh conversations around salient issues and lead your audience to dive deeper into topics that are pertinent to them. 

Video Elevates Your PR Communications

Video can also be an effective way to make your internal and external communications more engaging. For example, employees and stakeholders, including busy executives who don’t have time to read an in-depth report or whitepaper or engage with a lengthy presentation, can benefit from watching a short video outlining the key takeaways.

Here are some ideas to help you think through video’s PR possibilities.

  • Annual Reports and updates. Have your organization’s leadership share highlights from your annual report and provide regular updates, perhaps on a quarterly or bi-annual basis. 
  • Recruiting. Give prospective employees a sense of your firm’s culture by interviewing members of your team or showcasing unique aspects of your work environment.
  • Partner/new hire introductions. Send clients a short video introducing new members of your team and let them know of any opportunities to meet the team in person.
  • Mergers and acquisitions. Entering into an M&A deal requires thoughtful communication, especially for professional services firms that may have hundreds of partners, shareholders or principals spread across multiple locations. Filming leaders from each firm together can be a powerful way to show a sense of unity and shared vision. 
  • Emotionally charged situations. In difficult situations such as a reputational crisis or a tragic event, consider using video to convey your CEO or firm leader’s authenticity and vulnerability. This can help your audience understand and process your message more readily.
  • Leadership transitions. These scenarios present an “all eyes on you” moment. You’ll need to craft a compelling organizational narrative to communicate effectively with stakeholders and the public during a change of this magnitude. Video can be a powerful way to do so.

 A word to the wise: make sure PR videos are tightly scripted and well-contextualized so there’s no risk of viewers misinterpreting your message now or down the road.

You Don’t Need a Film Crew to Reach Your Audience Through Video

To reach your audience, it’s crucial to communicate with them in the channels and methods they’re most comfortable with. Fortunately, the barrier to entry for creating video has gotten much lower.

Professional services firms often hesitate to add video to their communication strategy because they lack professional equipment. But in today’s world, it’s common for videographers to shoot beautiful, crisp videos using an iPhone, a ring light, and a free video editing app. Modern technology has made it possible for anyone to create engaging, high-quality videos from anywhere. 

So don’t delay. Use video to establish and strengthen your firm’s authority. Repurpose high-value evergreen content. And communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders about the issues that matter to your firm. 

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