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July 20, 2022 by Greentarget

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.

July 13, 2022 by Pam Munoz

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.

June 9, 2022 by Greentarget

In March 2022, Elon Musk tweeted: “Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?”

Musk answered his own question a few weeks later when he made a formal offer to purchase the publicly held social media platform and take it private. A self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” Musk’s goal is to remove many (if not all) of the Twitter Rules the platform uses to moderate user content. He might even restore the banned accounts of controversial figures like Donald Trump and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Some fear changes like these could unleash unprecedented levels of hate speech, harassment, and misinformation.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Musk will follow through on his offer or walk away from the deal. And sure, there’s a chance he could change Twitter for the better. But regardless, his arguments about free speech and public spaces merit close consideration.

Here’s why Elon Musk is wrong about Twitter — and a few thoughts about how authorities can and should respond.

Historic Town Squares Were Carefully Regulated

Let’s assume that Elon Musk is right — that Twitter functions as a digital town square. Even if that’s true, he’s missing a critical detail. While town squares are public spaces, they are not — and never were — free from government oversight.

Modern town squares evolved out of the British concept of the village green or town common. In the Middle Ages, villagers who didn’t own land were permitted to raise crops, care for their livestock, and buy and sell goods in these public spaces. Many common areas also featured bogs where commoners could cut peat, an important heating source equivalent to modern-day public utilities.

But did villagers have unfettered access to do whatever they wanted? Could they consume public resources without limits? Of course not. Use of the village green was carefully regulated by overseers in charge of distributing this precious shared resource.

That’s because without rules, common spaces risk succumbing to “the tragedy of the commons.” This 19th century economic theory argues that individuals who consume a shared resource by acting wholly in their own interest — and at the expense of every other consumer — will ultimately degrade and endanger that resource. This is especially true when there are no guardrails in place to prevent anyone and everyone from consuming the resource.

Put simply, town commons exist to support commoners collectively. Any single individual’s rights — or that of one group — cannot supersede the common good. As such, community standards must be applied. So if Twitter really is a town square, rules and regulations are a justifiable and even essential part of the equation.

The Right to Free Speech Isn’t Absolute

The second part of Elon Musk’s tweet argues that the limits Twitter imposes on free speech undermine democracy. Again, his thinking is flawed.

As most of us can recall, the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.” The First Amendment is solely concerned with protecting Americans from government overreach. As such, the right to free speech guarantees us the freedom to speak truth to power and hold the government accountable for its actions. It does not give us the right to say anything we want whenever we want to say it.

We can’t yell fire in a crowded building. We can’t spew hatred toward members of protected groups without consequence. And no one has the right to stand on someone else’s front porch and scream profanities.

The First Amendment simply does not extend into the private sector. Plenty of institutions, corporations, and entities can choose to limit speech within their spheres of influence. Universities, private businesses, civic organizations, and religious institutions may all impose limits on what their members and constituents say.

To that end, all social media platforms, including Twitter, are well within their rights to place limits on speech as they see fit. If Musk is concerned with upholding democracy, he should take his quest elsewhere. The government doesn’t own Twitter, and therefore Twitter’s stance on speech has no bearing on the health of our democracy. Elon Musk cannot make Twitter any more free from government interference than it already is.

Why Should Authorities Care — And How Should They Respond?

Elon Musk is right about this much: Important conversations take place on Twitter. And because of that, it’s crucial for authorities to step into this arena and shape smarter conversations.

The challenge here is that true authority is getting lost in the noise, and the public’s respect for bona fide expertise keeps diminishing. Thanks to the rampant spread of misinformation and disinformation in a highly polarized environment, it’s becoming harder and harder to break through the digital clutter and capture attention.

But authorities must try.

Directing a smarter conversation involves putting several elements of our Authority Manifesto into practice, including:

Challenging non-experts with new or conflicting perspectives.
Creating unique positions of authority that cut through the digital clutter.
Participating skillfully in uncontrolled settings to effectively disseminate your point of view.
Reaching your audience effectively by communicating in the places and spaces where they spend time.

Without the influence of authoritative, fact-based points of view, the public could very well experience the tragedy of the commons in a whole new way.

Elevate Smart Conversation on Twitter and Beyond

Time will tell whether Elon Musk will actually buy Twitter and implement a no-holds-barred approach to speech on the platform. Whether he does or not, your professional services firm has a role to play in demonstrating true authority and elevating the conversation for your audience and society at large.

But to direct a smarter conversation, you need to first create and hone your unique positions of authority. We’d love to help.

May 23, 2022 by Joe Eichner

Just because a senior executive has something to say doesn’t mean a news outlet will run it. Depending on the content and intended audience, an external publication might not even be the best medium for the message.

In fact, publishing directly through owned channels like LinkedIn’s new newsletter function or a company website might be better for reaching particular targets and achieving an organization’s specific goals – especially if the work is part of a broader, owned executive communications platform.

Here’s an example: a professional services firm wants to spotlight a new internal initiative – say, a flexible work-from-home policy. A mention in a trade publication’s roundup story isn’t enough to affect employee perception of the new policy or use it as a recruiting tool. Maybe the CEO could write an op-ed on it?

That’s one option, but there are some questions to ask before moving forward:

Is your company reputable enough in this area to merit attention from your ideal outlet?
Is your work-from-home policy truly unique?
Can your CEO extrapolate a unique POV or actionable guidance for others from the policy?
Do the benefits of filtering the message in a way even a small trade publication might require outweigh the benefits of speaking specifically, personally, and directly to those you want to reach, i.e. new and existing talent?

There are no one-size-fits-all answers. But as executives face mounting pressure to speak up on a range of issues – and with trust in business now greater than trust in government and media – how and where they develop their communications has taken on greater importance. An owned channel, be it a company blog, email or alert, or LinkedIn newsletter, may be the most effective (if not the only) path forward.

Why should executives consider owned channels?

Over the past two years the public has increasingly looked to executives to speak out on topics from social justice to COVID-19 to climate change. An individual leader’s beliefs and values – once seen as largely irrelevant in the professional realm – now factor into how people decide what brands to buy and advocate for, where they choose to work, and which companies they invest in.

At the same time, people’s trust in media and government has declined at an alarming rate. While earned media placements still confer genuine credibility for most professional services executives, they shouldn’t ignore the growing trust people – especially their own employees – are placing in companies and business leaders. In fact, communications received directly from one’s employer are viewed as more believable and trustworthy than those from government and media reports.

Depending on the topic and audience, owned channels can also deliver high-quality engagement. As my colleague recently wrote, they can give executives a straight line to certain audiences and even help lead to earned media opportunities. And while your own channel might not be The New York Times, well-executed owned content can yield powerful metrics: the top posts shared by C-level executives on LinkedIn generated over 33,000 views of their profile, over 2,000 new connections, and 16,000 views on the company’s job page.

When should executives consider owned media?

Deciding which medium is right for your message depends on your target audience, topic and point of view.

For instance, nine times out of 10 it will be easier to place an article with a unique point of view and/or useful guidance about a new regulation or litigation trend than to place the example we started this piece with: an executive discussing a company’s new work-from-home policy.

But if the topic is more personal and/or promotional, and the primary audience is new and prospective employees, an owned channel can be a great option. Some cases where it might be useful to consider this route:

Establishing a new leader’s voice and authority. A leadership change is a natural time to want to showcase an executive’s personality, values and vision for the future of their company. In this case, a feature story, Q&A, or byline in a leading industry trade can be a real win – but it’s not the only option. An owned executive communications strategy could allow executives to speak more authentically, clearly and directly, while creating a consistent channel to share their thoughts and highlight those of others.

Connecting with existing and prospective talent. Amid the Great Resignation, it’s increasingly important that executives find ways to become a destination for their industry’s top talent. In an age where work is personal, executives’ communications can and should be, too. Sharing stories that compellingly showcase your firm’s culture, community investment, benefits programs and values may not be worthy of an op-ed in an outside publication, but it will show up when prospective employees search your website and LinkedIn page.

Commenting on social issues and demonstrating community engagement. Executives looking to get out there on big topics of the day can use blogs and other owned platforms to speak out and demonstrate how firms are taking action in their communities and within their own organizations. Owned channels allow executives to control their messaging around sensitive topics and highlight initiatives (e.g., a charitable giving or pro bono effort) that might not otherwise get media attention.

Demonstrating leadership skills. Many executives write on leadership and management topics in business and industry publications. But not all leaders have the credentials, time, or perspectives that would enable them to do so successfully. An owned channel can help executives articulate what makes a good leader and demonstrate to their stakeholders that they’re up to date on current trends. If done well, such content can could even serve as the foundation for future earned media opportunities.

What makes for good executive communications on owned channels?

At Greentarget, we talk a lot about establishing positions of authority and finding a unique point of view. While those aspects certainly apply to executive communications, owned platforms allow for other elements to shine through: personality, authenticity, humanity, and honesty (not to mention they can also be more genuinely self-promotional).

Richard Branson comes to mind here for a reason. One look at his blog and you feel it immediately captures his fun, adventurous, encouraging, philanthropic spirit. His personality suffuses the words and images on the site, and, of course, the broader Virgin brand.

While not everyone can be a Richard Branson, each leader has a singular life story on which to draw. In 2020, for instance, Guru Gowrappan, then CEO at Yahoo/Verizon Media, wrote about his experiences voting for the first time in U.S. elections as a way into discussing the importance of factual and trusted information – and to highlight how the company’s content provides that for people. Sometimes, an owned platform empowers leaders to shine the light on others, too. Mark Baer, CEO at Crowe, used a post about the firm’s Crowe Gives Back campaign to spotlight the specific charitable and volunteer activities of employees throughout the firm.

Ideally, the best owned executive communications combine these elements with those of good authority positioning to offer personable content that demonstrates a unique and useful point of view. Scan LinkedIn’s Top Voices for Management & Culture, and you’ll find the list filled with (seemingly) counterintuitive headlines that go on to provide useful guidance, including the co-founder of software developer Aha! talking about why he “will never hire another salesperson” and corporate strategist Molly Moseley using Tesla’s lateness policy (“How to get fired in 9 minutes” reads the headline) as an entrée into guidance on how HR teams can build loyalty among employees.

Want to learn more about developing an owned executive communications platform to support goals and values? Let’s talk.

April 27, 2022 by Diana Dixon

Employee turnover is a disruptive force that can quickly upend your communications department’s best-laid plans. This was true even in pre-pandemic times when it was normal for marketing and communications professionals to seek out new opportunities every two to five years.

But in the midst of the Great Resignation, the reality is even starker. According to a report from PwC, 65 percent of workers say they’re looking for a new job, and 88 percent of executives are noticing a higher level of turnover than usual. Chances are your team will be impacted, too.

You can’t afford to let employee departures slow your company’s momentum when it comes to marketing and communications, especially in this era of rampant noise. The last thing you want is for your executive team to experience a disruption in the normal level of service you provide or for your company’s brand to take a reputational hit.

Leaning on your external public relations firm just might be the best move you can make to keep your communication strategy moving forward in the midst of employee transitions. To that end, here are four things a strong PR partner can do to help you weather the offboarding/onboarding process.

1. Handle the Day-to-Day Details of Your Communications Program

As you’re well aware, communications departments juggle myriad details every day. Press releases, media outreach, internal comms, website updates, award submissions, media mentions, etc. — there’s always something in the works. And when the people who typically handle these tasks depart from your company, one of two things will happen.

You’ll get bogged down by the “tyranny of the urgent” and neglect the big picture communication needs of the business. Or you’ll focus on high-level strategy while the day-to-day details fall through the cracks. Neither situation is tenable.

As a communications leader, it’s crucial that you attend to the strategic business needs of your company.

So, delegating the day-to-day tasks to a PR partner frees you up to do the work only you can do. We saw this play out recently when a client’s entire comms team turned over at the same time. Greentarget stepped in and kept every plate spinning until the new team was in place and up to speed. Meanwhile, we kept the CMO unencumbered so she could continue moving the marketing and business development strategy forward at the executive level.

2. Retain and Impart Your Company’s Historical Knowledge

Every time an employee leaves, they take institutional knowledge and memory with them. And no matter how competent and skilled your new hires are, they simply don’t know what they don’t know. It will take them a minimum of 90 days to get the lay of the land and begin executing those tasks their predecessor left behind. But in truth it can take much longer than that to figure out the nuances of your particular culture.

That’s time you don’t have. When working with executives,reporters, and other important stakeholders in your business, your company needs your team to communicate effectively on its behalf — with no gaffes or missteps along the way — from day one. And to navigate industry and office dynamics without a hitch, your new hires need access to the written and unwritten information about your company.

Preserving this valuable institutional knowledge is one of the most important reasons to consider developing a long standing relationship with a trusted PR partner. A PR firm makes it their business to know who your key players are, which clients require special consideration, and what types of sensitive situations you’ve handled in the past, among other things.

To that end, your PR firm can help your team understand:

Your company’s historic impact on (and current standing in) your industry
Sensitive information about your company and/or its client base
Brand standards and messaging guidelines to ensure every press release, media brief, and internal memo reads consistent
Approval processes and conflict-check procedures that should be followed before releasing any external communication
Company preferences regarding certain media outlets or particular reporters
Ongoing sensitive situations, litigation, deals, or other important announcements that might garner media attention

Without insight into the inner workings of your company, your new employees will feel like they’re operating in the dark. Give them a head start and set them up for success by being intentional about imparting institutional knowledge from the outset.

3. Bring Fresh Perspective and Expertise to Your Comms Strategy

Although you want to win the war for talent and avoid employee turnover whenever possible, it’s important to remember that every change is ultimately an opportunity to grow.

Yes, your departing employees undoubtedly contributed valuable skills and insight to your program. But perhaps they also became complacent in certain areas or were resistant to new ideas. That’s normal. Sometimes the only way to move your program forward is to tap into an external perspective that can help you identify the gaps you can’t see on your own.

For example, your PR firm might:

Help you expand your roster of spokespeople to showcase more diverse perspectives or up-and-coming leaders
Spotlight your company’s work in new industries or innovative service offerings
Offer media training to your executive leaders to help them prepare for high-profile interviews
Suggest a new approach to annual happenings like signature events or financial reporting
Head up a salient market research project to establish your company’s authority and intelligence in a particular area
Launch a content audit to determine what is resonating with your key audiences and where it might be time to interject novelty, utility, urgency, and relevance.
Assist in developing a more consistent owned media program to underscore your company’s expertise in your industry

The lesson here is this. Employee turnover doesn’t have to halt your momentum. Don’t put initiatives on hold or abandon them altogether while you focus on hiring. Rely on your PR partner’s expertise to advance and evolve your organization’s communications capabilities.

4. Counsel Your New Comms Team Through Crisis Situations

Communicating effectively in times of crisis is always challenging. It’s even more difficult when you don’t have a trusted PR partner to help you navigate internal and external communication needs. If you’re experiencing turnover while also handling a sensitive PR situation, you need an ally in your corner.

This is particularly true if you’ve recently hired a new leader to take up the mantle of your company’s crisis communications strategy. They will need support to help them manage the situation skillfully, and consistently with how the company has handled similar situations in the past.

Greentarget has helped several new PR leaders onboard while facing difficult scenarios at the very start of their tenure. Without a steady guiding hand and historical and cultural context, they may have struggled to effectively and efficiently devise the right strategic communications plan for the company at that time.

There are also two important relationship-building opportunities that may arise from times of crisis. First, this is a meaningful opportunity to lean on the PR firm to help your new, in-house communicators build relationships with key decision makers within the company. And second, with a good PR partner, navigating a crisis situation can set the stage for a strong and lasting partnership.

Communications Team Transitions are Inevitable. Are You Ready?

As a marketing and communications leader, there’s no escaping it. Your team will eventually face staffing transitions.

The good news is you can be ready. By viewing a PR firm as a steadfast partner, you can prepare for the likelihood of natural attrition, manage offboarding and onboarding smoothly, and level up your communication program’s effectiveness along the way.

Interested in learning more about the ways Greentarget can help your team succeed? We’d love to hear from you.