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by Greentarget
Executives are increasingly expected to speak up on a range of issues – but just because they have 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
In other words, realizing the full ROI of your authority requires you to take the long view.
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.
by Greentarget
Amidst the Great Resignation, companies increasingly face disruption from the mass exodus and acquisition of employees. The departure of public relations and marketing leadership can prove especially difficult, given their handle of your company’s communication strategy – involving both publicity and reputation management.
Though this period of staffing transitions is poised to persist, it doesn’t require the derailment of your company’s marketing and communications plans. Involving your external PR firm during the off/onboarding process is a great way to keep your communications momentum going.
by Greentarget
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
by Greentarget
Reaching your audience is simultaneously easier and harder than ever. On one hand, you have a host of digital channels and communication platforms on which to share your messages. On the other hand, it can feel impossible to cut through the digital noise long enough to compel your audience toward action.
Every piece of communication you create needs to count. You must be crisp, clear, and persuasive in order to stand out.
But how can you be sure your communications deliver the impact you intend? Research shows that humans lead with emotion first, then rationalize their positions using facts.
This is equally true in B2B and professional services settings where decisions are made in groups. Do you know how to tap into the emotions that drive your audience?
