CommsConsultants.com

Problem Solution Results (with some impressive stats) This is the boilerplate format for a #case #study, and for the most part it's pretty boring to read, especially when the solution almost exclusively focuses on the product as the hero of the story. Newsflash: if your #customer isn't the focus, you're doing it wrong. As much as #product folks would love to believe their software is so incredible and unique that anyone who uses it is going to smash their #KPIs, we know that's not true. If it was, #churn wouldn't be a thing because the ROI would speak for itself every time. A tool is only as valuable as the person using it. Put a crappy elementary-school grade violin into the hands of Joshua Bell, and the music is still going to sound amazing because it's Joshua freaking Bell. Put a Stradivarius into my hands, and you're going to wonder who's strangling a cat. Your #customer didn't get the awesome results because they used your software; they got the awesome results because they did something strategic and creative and impactful WITH your software. THAT's the story you want to tell. THAT's the story your other customers and prospects want to hear--so they can get inspired and hopefully do it too. And THAT's the difference between self-congratulatory bull$hit and putting the focus where it belongs--on your customer.

Communications ≠ Public Relations I debated tackling this topic because I have a strong background in Public Relations (PR) and don’t want to diminish the value of PR, but I’ve seen too many businesses misunderstand the differences, or lump Communications and PR together, to their detriment. Raise your hand if you believe that PR is primarily about getting media coverage. If you mentally (or physically) raised a hand, you’re not wrong, per say. In practice, media relations tends to be the largest part of how PR programs are executed. After that, you’ll see public affairs and then maybe content and social media, but usually it’s using those channels to amplify the news coverage. Communications is much broader. While there are a lot of viable and correct ways to think about it, I break down Communications into three pillars: - Internal - Customer - Reputation The three are deeply interconnected, but in my experience companies glaze over the first two when thinking about their Comms programs. Which sucks because they are missing out on key audiences? and programs that can move the profitability, growth, and net retention needles. Also, by limiting the investment in Communications to only PR, businesses introduce risk into their organizations. Here are some examples: - Customer Communications: Voice of the Customer programs or Advisory Council/Board programs rely on purposefully-designed and disciplined communications to be successful, and Customer Success teams will need the support of Comms to help execute these types of programs. - Internal Communications: Leaders and boards spend a lot of time and energy on annual plans. But a plan that isn’t communicated well will not be executed. And keeping people aligned and executing takes far more than a town hall and targets listed in a project management tool. When investing in communications make sure that you’re seeing the whole opportunity landscape and mapping to organizational objectives and resources. If you need help with this, get your head of comms to weigh in, ask your PR agency lead for how to expand the thinking, or work with a fractional comms leader/consultant to identify the right balance of Comms strategies.?

"We’ll grow through word of mouth". Cool. And I’ll get abs by thinking about going to the gym. Waiting to be discovered isn’t a strategy, but PR is. You can either control your narrative - or let the market ignore you. Here’s how PR helps you actually stand out: ?? Early Stage – No one knows you exist. Storytelling fixes that. ?? Growth Stage – Media coverage = credibility + scale. ?? Maturity Stage – Thought leadership makes you the go-to expert. ?? Reinvention Stage – PR helps you pivot without looking lost. ?? Crisis Mode – Protect your rep before it’s too late. Startups that invest in PR don’t just grow faster, they lead the conversation. So, what’s the PR game plan for your startup? More on the topic here: https://lnkd.in/g7gUFfBs

The M?bius Strip of Trial & Corporate Communications: I used to think I left trial consulting. Turns out, I was just moving along a continuous surface, where every experience, corporate messaging, stakeholder strategy, digital storytelling, flows right back into the courtroom. After eight years away, I’m back in war rooms and courthouses, but with an entirely new arsenal. The skills that shape persuasive corporate narratives are the same ones that win over juries. The difference? Just the venue. Read more on how trial and corporate communications are two sides of the same M?bius strip: #TrialConsulting #CorporateCommunications #PersuasiveStorytelling #BDegreeCreative #trials #litigation #digitalmarketing #strategicommunications #courtroom #presentation

Technology is outpacing our ability to use it well and use it responsibly. There are too many tools to keep up with. We'll catch up, but that takes time. Meanwhile, some companies are reducing headcount while agencies and consultants are losing clients. So what now? #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Leadership #Communications #AIReadiness Here are five ways to find peace amid AI anxiety and chaos:

?? Marketers, meet the unfiltered truth on PR KPIs ???? When talking to a prospective PR pro, who has never worked on your specific brand before, the best answer you can receive when asking what results you can expect is: ?? ?? I don’t know what I don’t know…but let’s find out TOGETHER ??♂? ?? I know, ?? right?! No, using your current results from a PR pro or agency you’re unhappy with (hence the prospecting) is not a good benchmark. Their success or lack thereof cannot serve as a barometer effectiveness of another PR pro. ?? They are case-by-case, campaign by campaign. And I need to get my hands dirty under the hook and some campaigns under my belt to see what KPIs DO make sense moving forward. There is no blanket KPI barometer. Here are some questions you may be tempted to ask but WON’T be effective: - This is my brand…okay, so what KPIs are achievable over the next 6 months? - I haven’t even reviewed your proposal yet and assume I say ‘yes’ to everything, what can you secure and where can you secure it? - We don’t have a strategy or comms approach nailed down, but this is my brand…okay, so what can you get us? - We’re talking to other PR pros to keep our options open, before you send us a proposal, what results can you guarantee for this budget? If someone has told you otherwise, I’m sorry to say that you’re being taken for a ride. And NOT in a Rolls Royce! NOT in a Maybach… ??♂? The BEST PR is a partnership, not a transaction, which means we can work - together - on what stories to tell and how we can work - together - to shape them. Let’s build the house - together! See a pattern here? ?? Not everything will ‘hit,’ and if we’re doing our jobs right - together - we’ll push the boundaries to the point they not always will! ?? Collaboration is KEY! ?? Trust is KEY! ?? Supporting them and them supporting you and leadership is KEY! Now, being solutions-oriented, here ARE some KPIs that I can help measure: - Share of Voice (SOV): a snapshot of your brand vs. the competition, captured on a regular cadence to identify trends - Formation of new media and influencer relationships (and trend lines) - Deepened relationship with existing ones (and what that leads to over time) - Qualitative evaluation of coverage (to what extent is the brand featured vs. story as a whole) - Earned vs. organic coverage ratio (though I’ll die on the hill that organic can actually be considered ‘earned’) - Trend line on how often the brand is seeked out for story support by media DON’T look for KPIs inside a vacuum as the end-all, be-all differentiator of PR pros. DO look for someone who admits not having all the answers, but will collaborate with you - together - to the ends of the Earth to uncover them! And also what measurements matter to leadership ?? PR is the looooong game, and this extends to KPIs too. Now, raise your hand ??♂? if your leadership needs to hear this! #PR #Marketing #Communications