• 5 Tips for Creating RFPs for PR Agencies

    5 Tips for Creating RFPs for PR Agencies

    Requests for proposals (RFPs) are a double-edged sword for PR agencies like Matter. Of course, it’s far better to be invited to compete than to be left on the sidelines; it’s gratifying to know your reputation for PR results earned you a shot. Who wouldn’t want that?

    The flip side is that – and with apologies to the marketing and procurement folks trying their level best to be efficient — the overwhelming majority of RFPs are poorly conceived, largely redundant and incredibly time-consuming for those asked to complete them.

    How time consuming? For some of the larger RFPs we see, it can take as many as five people up to two weeks to develop a truly eye-opening, strategic response that sufficiently raises eyebrows from the prospect. That group includes PR staffers, researchers and graphic designers to ensure the finished product shines and inspires the issuing party to invite us to the dance.

    For a privately-held PR agency like ours, that’s a whole lot of “soft cost” for one response to one RFP. Now think about the collective time expended across the five to seven PR agencies typically asked to respond. Moreover, firms completing the RFP response know they have maybe a 20 percent chance of winning the business. Some firms we know skip them altogether, but that’s never been Matter’s style. You can’t win if you don’t play, right?

    Here are five ways to make the RFP process better for everyone:

    1. Ideally companies seeking PR agencies can do basic recon by visiting the websites of firms they’ve heard great things about. There, a lot of very basic questions can be answered such as relevant expertise, billing models, executive biographies, agency philosophy, etc.
    2. After skimming the websites of potential PR partners, set up a half-hour call with a leader at the agencies of interest. Do they seem smart, credible and knowledgeable about the PR industry? Are they asking the right questions about your needs and industry? At this point it should be relatively easy to shortlist or deep-six a firm from the consideration pile.
    3. Limit your RFP shortlist to four firms if necessary, but three if possible. Here’s why: PR agencies will jump through flaming hoops if they think they’ve got a solid shot at your business. Three firms competing means a 33.3 percent chance at winning. More than that means completing the RFP response is likely an exercise in futility. Plus, your company’s selection committee will thank you for not making them slog through umpteen responses.
    4. Keep the RFP itself laser focused. After the basic “fill in your company name” stuff, it should be kept to about 10-15 questions such as list of competitors, team structure, average fees, client tenure, relevant case studies, and here’s the big one: an open-ended question about your place in your industry or a challenge you face. This will enable the agency to show you how it thinks, which is the lifeblood of any meaningful relationship. This is where award-winning PR agencies like Matter shine.
    5. Give a budget range! Trust me, even if that range is $10K per month to $60K per month, it gives agencies something to work with when developing their presentations (which is the next phase of the courtship if a firm makes it to the next round). If you secretly know you’ve got an $8K budget and the firm you invite in presents mostly $50K ideas, a whole lot of time, resources and mental energy has just been wasted – on both sides.

    Matter

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  • Effective Media Relations Begins Before You Pitch

    Effective Media Relations Begins Before You Pitch

    Almost any brand can benefit from great PR, but not every brand is ready for media relations. Earned media is part of a much larger PR picture, and a solid, strategic foundation can make all the difference when it’s time to step into the public eye especially for early-stage companies. Here’s a few effective media relations strategies to deploy before the first pitch goes out the door:

    Messaging

    Each brand has its own fingerprint, its own differentiators – what makes them different. It’s about how your brand benefits customers in ways that set you apart from your competitors. Relevant, targeted messaging is at the core of successful PR, and developing consensus on brand messages not only arms you with critical storytelling tools, but also sheds light on audience targeting and positioning.

    Elements of a messaging program may include:

    •    Live messaging workshops
    •    Stakeholder interviews
    •    Competitive landscape analysis
    •    Audience positioning exercises
    •    “Elevator pitches”
    •    Brand messaging hierarchies

    It’s a soul-searching process that takes time, but it’s well worth it when the day arrives for you to tell your story to the media.

    Asset library

    High-pressure, high-impact, short-lead media can be a boon in an ideal situation, or unavoidable in a bad one. Preparing high-quality PR assets ahead of time can mitigate the last-minute scramble that comes with timely issues-response PR, and create consistency and ease with longer-lead stories.

    PR assets needed before media engagement may include:

    •    Press release templates
    •    Headshots
    •    Photo and video libraries
    •    Digital media kits
    •    Speaker/spokesperson bios

    Media training

    Every brand builds success by leveraging the strengths of their top players, but while they are vital to the organization, those individuals aren’t always savvy communicators.

    To round out deep technical insight and thought leadership with media savvy, a PR team would conduct comprehensive media training workshops. Media training that can include:

    •    Mock interviews
    •    Dos and Don’ts for interviews
    •    Examples of good and bad interviews
    •    Overview of the media landscape
    •    Talking point drills

    Media landscape

    The press release just isn’t what it used to be. In a crowded media landscape, today’s journalists expect thoughtful, relevant correspondence, and frequently ignore outreach that takes the “copy/paste” approach.

    To create the building blocks of an in-depth media database, a customized “Top 25” lineup of journalists for your organization will help you target appropriately when the time is right. This valuable research may include publication information, sample articles, biographical information, reference photos, contact information, and suggested brand messaging.

    Tackling these areas before pitching the media will be essential to your brand’s PR success and pave the way for increased brand awareness down the road.

    Emily Quirk

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  • Happy National Volunteer Recognition Day!

    Happy National Volunteer Recognition Day!

    It’s been said that “you have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you,” and here at Matter, we agree! With five different offices across the US, each of our offices are involved in the Matter Helping Hands initiative, which aims to give back to local communities through volunteering. In honor of National Volunteer Day, we chatted with our volunteer office leads about their favorite volunteer opportunities, the importance of this program, and how local efforts are impacting communities across the US! Here’s what they had to say…

     

    What does volunteering mean to you?

    Volunteering is so good for the soul and I love to see how my efforts can truly impact the lives of others and can just bring a smile to someone’s face. If I can make one person smile a day, I feel like I had a pretty good day.  Even if it’s just paying it forward at the drive-thru and paying for the person’s coffee behind me or helping an older man/woman load their groceries into their trunks, any extra effort you make, can go a long way to others.

     – Danielle Conlin, HR Manager, Newburyport

    How has volunteering impacted your local community?

    Boulder is a tightknit community and as such, it really works together to give back through days dedicated to cleaning up the local reservoir to walks and runs to help end homelessness. We love being a part of the efforts to make Boulder one of the best places to live!

    – Kaitlyn Ethier, Senior Account Executive, Boulder

    What was your favorite volunteer organization and why?

    My favorite volunteer organization has definitely been the RISPCA (Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). I’m a crazy animal lover (and so is the rest of the Providence office), so being able to help out at a local animal rescue organization is more than just fun, it’s meaningful and rewarding. Being able to greet all the loving adoptable dogs and cats isn’t too bad either, of course! We’ve volunteered with the RISPCA twice in the past year, and I’m already looking forward to going back soon!

    – Gina Fergione, Assistant Account Executive, Providence

    What does volunteering mean to you?

    Volunteering has always been a big priority for me and it has been such a great experience being able to lead the Helping Hands effort in our office. Participating in volunteer events gives me the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of others in a positive way and give back directly to my community. Through volunteering I have been introduced to organizations I never knew existed and gotten to know the incredible people who lead them, which I am very grateful for.

     – Kelsey Williams, Assistant Account Executive, Portland

    If you could work for any nonprofit, who/what would it be and why?

    If I could work for a non-profit I would love to support the Doctors Without Borders organization. Doctors Without Borders provides aid to families and children suffering from natural disasters, famine, and those seeking safety from political unrest. I’ve always admired the courage its volunteers have to venture to even the most remote areas to bring help to those who need it the most.

    – Miriam Brito, Assistant Account Executive, Boston

    Tell us a little more about the Helping Hands Initiative.

    Giving back to our community has been a core tenet for our CEO,Scott Signore, and Matter long before we formalized our Helping Hands initiative. But now we’re more organized and effective, and our passion for doing the right thing is only growing stronger every year.

    – Mandy Mladenoff, President of Matter

    We’re already halfway to our agency goal of 1,000 hours of volunteering before the end of the year with many great events in the queue including the Jeanne Geiger Walk Against Domestic Violence (Newburyport), the 5K/Home Run for the Homeless at Coors Field (Boulder), American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure and Grow Portland, among others! Please join us in commending our fantastic employees and office leads who continue to make this initiative an office-wide success! Stay tuned for more volunteer updates throughout the year!

    Matter

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  • 3 Steps to Effectively Support Your Customers Through Social Media

    3 Steps to Effectively Support Your Customers Through Social Media

    Have you ever thought about how much time you spend browsing your preferred social media channels? According to Nielsen, consumers devote an average of 5 hours and 30 minutes per week using social media. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that in 2017 your customers’ first instinct may be to contact you on social instead of dealing with an automated phone tree and hitting “0” until they reach a live person. Companies need to be up to the challenge of effectively engaging with their growing customer bases via social media and having a strong customer service plan in place.

    There are three valuable components to customer service success on social media: quick response time, creative and thoughtful customer engagement, and proactive resolution.

    Respond promptly

    At the end of every day, I look forward to checking my mailbox but, I often wonder why I do. Instead of being met with a thoughtful card or package, I am greeted by piles of junk mail. One well-known financial company in particular sends me credit card offers every week, and every week I tear them up and throw them in the garbage, frustrated with the amount of paper they waste on me. Finally, I had enough and wanted to get in touch with them to take me off their direct mail list. Instinctively, I knew the quickest way to get their attention was to send out a tweet. In a few short minutes, I was providing my mailing information to a friendly community manager, JD, and he was getting me off that mailing list – problem solved.  

    With social media being such a quick and visible way to get the attention of a company, consumers are turning to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram in droves. Not only does this benefit the consumer by receiving a personalized and speedy resolution, it can benefit your company as well. In order to do so, every company needs an escalation plan in place. Without one, it could turn into a customer experience fail.

    Engage thoughtfully (and don’t be afraid to have fun!)

    Social media presents the perfect opportunity to provide an overall better customer experience. If a situation arises where your customer had a negative experience, social media grants you a second chance to make it right. It’s vital to treat every customer like they’re your number one priority; this demonstrates to current and future customers that you care and you’re trustworthy.

    However, not every tweet, Facebook post, or comment you receive will be negative – cherish these moments and allow the voice of your brand to shine! If a customer is taking the time out of their day to write a glowing review of your company, product, or employee, not only should you be proud, but you should also recognize they must have been really impressed. Use this opportunity to have some fun with your audience and your customers will love you for it.   

    Take action, and keep your customer updated

    Your top priority after engaging with your customer on social media is taking action to address their concern. This is an opportunity for you to take what you’ve learned directly from your customer and improve their experience. Maybe you’ve noticed a small spike in complaints about a particular product you sell and one customer’s experience was enough to launch a full internal investigation. Perhaps an employee went above and beyond to make a customer happy and you can recognize him or her for a job well done. Whatever the situation, after you’ve taken the steps to address the issue or feedback, update your customer. Through social media – you can follow through in a warm and friendly way to close the loop.

    Navigating social media as a customer service channel can be complicated but also fun. By responding quickly and thoughtfully on social, you can intercept a potential PR crisis and start the resolution process before your customer can fire off a second tweet. Positive experiences are just as important to learn from as the not so great experiences – whether it’s customer praise for an employee or just some playful B2C banter on Twitter, be active and engaging and your customer will value the experience and more importantly, you will strengthen their brand loyalty. Do you have a customer service policy in place for your social channels?

    Matter

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  • Key Takeaways from the 2017 Health IT Marketing and PR Conference

    Key Takeaways from the 2017 Health IT Marketing and PR Conference

    I was fortunate enough to attend the annual Health IT Marketing and PR Conference or #HITMC (pronounced hit-mick) in Las Vegas. For those outside of the healthcare marketing and PR world, HITMC is a conference put on by one of the most successful and influential bloggers in the space, John Lynn, and his partner Shahid Shah, who is also a widely respected thought leader in the health IT world. The conference is unique in that it brings together some of the best and brightest, and me, from healthcare marketing and PR, both in-house and agency side. When you consider how quickly healthcare and PR / marketing are evolving, it is immensely valuable to be able to collaborate with and learn from others who are facing the same challenges as you. I was hoping for a very collegial and educational experience at HITMC, and that was exactly what I got. Here are a few key takeaways worth sharing for both healthcare and those in healthcare communications.

    /></p> <h1 style=Healthcare Trends to Watch

    • Continuing convergence of payers and providers: With the shift toward value-based care (doctors get paid for making you better) and away from our current fee-for-service model (doctors get paid for everything they do whether you get better or not), there is more incentive for payers (insurers) and providers (doctors / hospitals) to work together. This is likely even extending into other areas of healthcare, like pharma. This convergence is transforming the business model of two of healthcare’s key entities, and subsequently the way that technology vendors and service providers must work with and for them.
    • Healthcare is being infiltrated by “outside technology”: Healthcare, which has been traditionally slow to adopt technology and innovate, is finally trying to catch up with the tech experiences we enjoy in our personal lives, and across other industries. This is opening the door to major tech companies that weren’t born into healthcare, like Google, Apple and Microsoft. Because these outside entities can innovate so much more quickly, or so it would seem, many healthcare organizations are willing to take a gamble on their new solution purchases. While they may not believe these outliers to have the best solution today, five years from now they probably will because of their ability and willingness to innovate. This is also driving an increasing number of partnerships between traditional healthcare players and non-traditional tech companies looking to get into healthcare.

    Lessons for Communicators – Healthcare and Otherwise

    • Focus on your “love group”: This was a great lesson delivered by the conference keynote Gary Rhodes regarding where we should focus our energies as communications professionals. Too many companies and marketing departments fall victim to focusing on brand detractors. Every brand has them and they should be addressed, but this should be done quietly and behind the scenes. Where we should really be focusing our energy is on the customers that love our brand / company / client. Learn to see the world through their eyes and let them inform your communication strategy and key messages. Use their love to convert the indifferent and detractors and attract new customers. Spend 80% of your time with your “love group” and 20% focused on detractors. Unfortunately, many businesses and communications departments fall into the trap of reversing this ratio.
    • Know what your media wants from you: This goes back to PR best practices, but still seems to be a challenge for many in the industry. Know what reporters are important to you and your customers and learn what is important to them. After listening to a panel, which included a handful of highly regarded journalists from Forbes, Health Leaders, and com, it quickly became clear that not one of them wanted the exact same things as the other – imagine that. Some like to be asked what they are working on, some hate it and think that you as a PR person are asking them to do your job for you. Some love data and infographics, some could care less and are annoyed by them. Most agreed that they generally don’t care about your product press release. Most also agreed that they’d rather talk to your customer than you. All this said, they all want different things and want you to work with them in different ways. Learn what they like and do your best to give it to them.

     

    These represent just a handful of the many takeaways that I had from the event. Since these topics have inspired several follow on conversations between me and my colleagues over the last week, I thought that perhaps they’d be worth sharing more widely. For anyone in healthcare tech marketing or PR, I’d definitely recommend the HITMC conference as a great way to collaborate and sharpen your skills. There are also pretty active social communities on Twitter and LinkedIn for anyone looking to engage today. I look forward to attending next year’s event and hope that it will continue to grow in popularity. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a note if you’d like to discuss any of these topics or if you’d like to connect at next year’s event.

    Ryan Lilly

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  • 5 Steps to Validating Your Campaign Concept

    5 Steps to Validating Your Campaign Concept

    In a world where consumers are increasingly demanding social responsibility from their chosen brands, it’s imperative that said brands refrain from turning social movements into tropes to be exploited. The consequences, as Pepsi found out last week, can be severe. On Tuesday, the soda brand attempted to capitalize on the perceived Social Justice Warrior generation with an ad disarming a police blockade using a can of delicious cola delivered by the stunning in slow-mo Kendall Jenner. What they got instead of cheering crowds and a Coachella dance party was an enraged social media mob. How did things go so wrong? Here are 5 steps to validating your campaign concept.

    https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/849391281893769218

    1. Make sure your spokesperson is relevant.

    Pepsi is only the latest in a series of big name brands getting tripped up by misreading public opinion. Last year Budweiser pulled an ad series amidst backlash for Seth Rogan and Amy Schumer advocating the gender spectrum in a commercial called “Labels”. While the reasons might be multi-faceted, one important question that was overlooked is “Are these spokespeople really the best choice?” Kendall Jenner is undeniably glamorous, but it’s that glamour that made her as wrong for the Pepsi spot as Rogan and Schumer were for Budweiser. If you’re going to use a celebrity to represent your brand within a cause, make sure that it’s a cause they’re known for supporting. No one is going to bat an eye at Matt Damon in a Poland Spring commercial about making clean water available to everyone, but Lance Armstrong supporting a healthy lifestyle? Don’t shoe-horn a supermodel into the middle of a protesting crowd. You can do better than that.

    2. Be genuine.

    Whichever side of whichever issue you happen to be on, it’s clear that there are as many problems facing our world as proposed ways to fix them. And with the key demographic of young, active people increasingly getting involved it might look like prime real estate to advertisers. If you’re going to drink from those waters however, it’s vital that your message be formed around the movement and not the other way around. Airbnb’s Super Bowl ad about acceptance is a prime example of how to do it right. The 30 second spot is filled with messaging about racial, orientation, religious and gender co-operation all packaged with some beautiful photography and clever editing. In fact, you can’t even tell it’s a commercial; rather than a PSA, until the last 2 seconds when the hashtag #weaccept flashes over the company’s logo. It’s a touching commentary set over soft piano music that could easily move one to tears, and into an Airbnb partnership.

    3. Don’t hop on the bandwagon, build it.

    Along the same lines as being relevant, don’t play ‘social movement roulette’ when choosing where to focus your efforts. Recently Lyft has been held up as the paradigm for “good is the new cool” putting its money where its mouth is by headlining corporate values and with programs like “Round Up & Donate”. Anyone can get behind adopting puppies, but how is that applicable to your brand? Making the world a better place is a wide scope; be specific, make it personal, and build a cause rather than borrowing one. 

    4. Make a list of what you’ll be praised AND criticized for.

    This one should be obvious, but there are some nuances that may be as difficult to grasp as a soda can. Going back to Budweiser, its 2017 Super Bowl ad extolling the virtues of immigrants received just as much hostility as it did praise. The company has gone on record in saying that it’s only coincidence that the commercial aired at the same time the White House announced its controversial travel ban, but that’s not the point. What is clear is that observant people sat down and considered the content from the audience’s perspective and decided that the cause was in keeping with their values despite the criticism it might receive.

    https://twitter.com/RonanFarrow/status/849407386502778884

    5. Put it all under a microscope, before your audience does.

    Can you find a person over 30 in the Pepsi commercial? Or one that doesn’t look like they stopped for that protest on the way to a GQ runway? It’s well known that people like looking at attractive people, but when your campaign is going to be seen as sponsorship for a social cause, it’s critical to include a healthy dose of reality. Remember that your audience is going to be looking at every frame, every street sign, every license plate. Not every faux pas may be as obvious as Nivea’s “White Is Purity” but if it’s in there, the internet will find it and you do /not/ want to be the next #prnightmare.

    https://twitter.com/krojasjoy/status/849771606494859264

    With the bar of advertising creativity on a constant rise, it might be tempting to use current events to punctuate your content campaigns. And it can pay off big like it has for Airbnb, Lyft, and Delta, if you can remain genuine and critical of what it is you’re saying to the audience. It’s important, nay required, that if you’re going to tap into people’s passion for social justice, you do it with the same concern that you would religion. If someone on your review team says that having Heidi Klum seduce the Dalai Lama with a cheeseburger is in bad taste, you probably shouldn’t have her offer it to a police blockade instead. Just sayin’.

    Matter

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  • How to Create a Killer Branded Video

    How to Create a Killer Branded Video

    Go to any company website or log on to your favorite social platform and poke around for five seconds. I guarantee you will run into at least one branded video. We are seeing more videos than ever, and for good reason. According to Cisco’s VNI Forecast, video will account for 79% of internet traffic by 2020!

    I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’ve chosen to  create video for your company in 2017. You’ve got a budget, and you’re ready to go. But how best to make use of it? How do you go from nothing to something? When it comes to branded video the old adage of, “prior planning prevents piss poor performance,” rings loud and clear. Don’t panic, let’s take a step back and look at some of the ways you can make sure your commitment to video gets started properly.

    Mark Your Calendar

    If you’re like me your calendar is filled with appointments, meetings, and plans. Get your head out of the day-to-day and look at what is happening down the road. Have a high profile conference coming up? Are there going to be clients at this event? You could create a testimonial video with select clients and attendees. Set up a studio in a spare room and capture as many interviews as you can. Or put on your press hat and bring a cameraman for some roving reporting around industry questions. Have access to keynote speakers? A quick one-on-one after their delivery could provide valuable content for your newsletter and social channels.

    Or maybe you have a new product launch coming up, and it’s debuting at a trade show. Need a video to use at your booth? An outreach piece for investors? Should you interview the CTO, produce an animated explainer, or spend some time filming in the lab or assembly line? It depends on your product, your audience, and the context in which your video will be seen.

    Start Brainstorming

    Often a good place to start is watching sample videos. Have your team collect links to videos they like, then hold a brainstorming session and write down every suggestion someone comes up with. Yes, even the crazy ones! But do try to keep audience and context in mind. An investor video shown in the boardroom is different than a piece you’d use in your paid search campaign. Think about the visuals you’d like to have in the video. Is it a product video? What are the advantages of this product, and how can we show this visually? If it’s a customer testimonial, think about the unique ways this customer uses your product. How does their story bring your product to life, how does it make them successful? What questions can you ask that will bring out some color or personality? How can you make your video look and sound different than what’s expected? Write down those ideas, and keep them fresh.

    Get it Produced

    As you start to conceptualize your video, look at your budget. Make sure that is supports the type of video you want to make. There’s nothing worse than getting to the day of production only to realize that your budget did not allow you the wiggle room to create the video you want.

    You need to understand the logistics of your shoot very closely, every single thing affects your budget. Are you using your own team and gear? Or hiring a crew and renting equipment? Will you need just a single cam, or 2, or more? What sort of support do you need for the camera?  Are you shooting nearby, or do you have you fly your team somewhere? Pin all of these costs down upfront, be honest with yourself and create a budget that is in line with the video you are hoping to produce.

    Once you have all of the logistics handled, then you can jump into the nitty gritty of the shoot by creating a production outline. Think of the production outline as your guideline to the upcoming shoot. It contains at a glance everything related to the upcoming video: concept, timeline for production, contact numbers, messaging, desired b-roll. Remember to share it with your peers and make sure everyone is on the same page…literally!

    Now that you have you everything you need to start shooting, the next step is to do it! Get out there and stick to your plan…but keep your eyes (and ears) open for the unplanned nuances that can make or break your shoot.

    Fill out the form below to schedule a free strategy call with our team.



     

    Matter

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  • All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    As you might’ve heard, we had an election this past November.

    Perhaps you were living under a rock in a locked container that was hermetically sealed and then buried in the earth’s mantle before going on a top-secret mission to the planet’s core? Yeah, you probably still heard.

    Along with tax returns, email servers and plenty of other subjects, fake news on social media platforms was a much-discussed topic. And like Election Day itself, the implications of fake news on social will reverberate well beyond this election season.

    Here’s a cliff notes version, for those who didn’t follow it closely:

    There was an enormous amount of misinformation on social platforms about politics in the run-up to the election. A lot of us get political information from social platforms, Facebook in particular. Some people who worked for social networks had serious reservations about their role almost immediately. In the months since Tuesday November 8, Facebook has unveiled new ways to fight fake news, while Twitter introduced tools to mute and report hateful conduct, a longstanding issue on the platform.

    /></p> <h2><b>Will social networks sort it out for us?</b></h2> <p><span style=How about it, then? Will social media companies, featuring some of the best and brightest, be able to settle for us what’s fake news and what isn’t?

    In a word… nope! Here’s why they are sure to fail, told through one small example.

    Among a certain group of people, it’s long been fashionable to declare that certain other people don’t pay any federal income tax. If true, that seems kind of unfair, right? Like they’re getting off easy?

    The thing is, they aren’t. The reason that many U.S. workers don’t pay federal income tax is because they don’t make all that much money, and in fact many people who fit that description pay a higher percentage of their income due to local taxes, payroll taxes and the like.

    If the above example seems abstract, here’s why it matters. The phrase in question (50% of the people in this country pay no income tax!) is true, but it can give voters exactly the wrong overarching idea (that others who make less have it easier than them).

    Would the above be an example of “fake news?” That’s hard to say. A more appropriate term is “technically true, but grossly misleading.”

    Most political rhetoric lives in that kind of gray area, because it allows candidates to push their agendas without saying outright falsehoods. This is part of the reason that it has traditionally been tricky to catch a politician lying outright.

    How brands can steer clear

    From their perspective, large brands should steer clear of this entire debate on social, with a few notable exceptions. Political arguments often bring more heat than light, and that’s especially true when they take place online. Except for brands with a very clear identity that matches their customer base (think Ben & Jerry’s), politics is a high-voltage area and should not be entered lightly.

    Most companies with a couple dozen employees or more are probably serving stakeholders of all political ideologies and persuasions. Because of that, even if they think all their customers will agree with a particular statement, putting it out there courts more risk than reward, because in this era, there’s precious little that’s considered consensus across the aisle.

    At the end of the day, social networks can’t fix the problem of fake news, because it’s a lot bigger than them. The fake news fight is one more manifestation of America’s political polarization. And solving that problem is well above even Mark Zuckerberg’s paygrade.

    Matter

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  • Exploring the Portland Startup Scene at NewTech PDX

    Exploring the Portland Startup Scene at NewTech PDX

    As a Massachusetts native, I’ve encountered my fair share of smart, scrappy founders working to turn their ideas into reality in a competitive ecosystem. As a transplant to the west coast and working in Matter’s Portland office, it’s easy to see there’s something different in the air here, and startups love it. To date, I haven’t been more reminded of that than I was at a recent NewTech PDX gathering. A monthly networking event, it brings together individuals from across Portland’s diverse business community to make new connections and support the professionals that power this budding startup mecca. This month’s event, hosted at New Relic, was themed after a subject near and dear to Portland’s heart: Food.

    Before you start salivating, check out the video we created below that takes a closer look at the individuals and organizations that make up NewTech PDX.

    Companies like Intel and Nike give Portland a reputation for top notch tech and consumer goods, but there’s no discussing the best things in Portland without mentioning its culinary culture. It’s also perhaps one of the best ways to understand what drives this city’s robust startup community. Food and drink is everywhere in Portland, from high end steakhouses to Froot Loop donuts; from molecular mixology to gourmet grilled cheese food carts. It’s a boon for diners, but even moreso for entrepreneurs looking to make a splash in food.

    During this month’s NewTech PDX event, I had the chance to sample some unbelievable cuisine and to hear from a handful of companies leading the charge in foodtech. As I listened to founders passionately describing their projects, there were some standout takeaways that illustrate why Portland is such a great place for startups, delicious and otherwise.

    1. This is a haven of sustainable and intentional living. It might be the overwhelming beauty of our natural landscapes, or Oregon’s strong farming and craft culture, but the demand for transparency and responsibility in food production is pervasive. Leveraging a regional predilection for farm-to-table with tech-driven convenience, MilkRun has found a willing test audience in Portland to take their fresh, farmer-friendly take on food delivery to a national stage.
    2. Portland’s people and infrastructure are evidence of a community ready to let technology reshape daily life. From bikeshare kiosks to digitized streetcar tickets to iPad cash registers, a night (or day) on the town is unavoidably digital. YouAte, a free food journaling app available for iOS, is finding new ways for technology to help us make healthier choices and enjoy all the great food this city has to offer in a more mindful way.
    3. Portland loves a food fad, but from food carts to underground gastropubs, the people here also know that great dining experiences often come in unexpected packages. Feastly, a company that connects chefs with venues for pop-up restaurants and experimental culinary events, is providing a new platform to make this happen. It’s great for chefs looking for adventurous eaters, and vice versa. I’ve personally got my eye on Food of Guam next month, but there’s plenty of great meals to go around, regardless of your preferred tastes.
    4. I’ve been here for a year, and about half of the people I meet at a given event have been here for less time. The fact is that talented young professionals are flocking to Stumptown in droves, and they need jobs. Poached, another NewTech presenter, is changing the way restaurants hire, providing a platform that opens up a world of new opportunities for those working in the foodservice industry. With new restaurants popping up every day and torrent of professional transplants, business is booming.

    While Portland’s startup culture has exploded in recent years, the city has a well established and long standing reputation as a haven for entrepreneurs. Most of us have heard, at least a dozen or so times, the story of Portland’s original deal maker, Henry Pittock, who showed up penniless in 1853 on the banks of the Willamette before becoming a self-made millionaire. In 2017, his sprawling family mansion is still a Portland landmark, and a testament to the fact that if you’ve got a crazy idea and a willingness to work hard for it, this is a great place to be. If only he’d also predicted Portland’s inexplicable obsession with donuts, his house might have been even bigger…

     

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  • 5 Ways to Turn Existing Content into Engaging Visuals

    5 Ways to Turn Existing Content into Engaging Visuals

    />If your company has existing content that is not being utilized in a visual way, then you may be missing out on a rich source of engagement. Turning your content into engaging visuals may sound like an intimidating task but once you get started you’ll find ways to expand your library of visual content quickly and efficiently. We’ve compiled five ways to help you get the most out of your content and get more eyes focused on your work.</span></p> <ol> <li> <h2><strong>Case Studies</strong></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style=One of the most effective ways of taking existing content and turning it into a more visually engaging piece is through the creation of case studies. That successful project you put your heart, sweat and tears into for three months? Share it with your audience! Why not create a dedicated page on your website, a sales tool or a company brochure? Highlight your stats with colorful graphs and icons. Hire a professional photographer to capture authentic images of your office or team members collaborating together. Giving your audience a view from behind the scenes is a great way to build trust in your brand and show transparency.

    Ebooks

    If you’re looking to grow your list of prospects, an ebook is a great way to generate inbound leads. An ebook is an electronic version of a traditional printed book that users can view on their computer, tablet or smartphone. Take an existing blog post and reorganize the content into defined pages or chapters. Then, add some complementary imagery to help tell the story. Once you’ve got your snazzy new ebook ready for release try setting up a page on your website where visitors are required to enter their email address to access and download the free content. Publicize your ebook further by taking some of the imagery to promote on your social channels or in a paid campaign. 

    Infographics

    An infographic is a visual piece often consisting of icons, graphs, charts and stats which present otherwise dense or complicated information in an easy to consume way. Your company may conduct meaningful research about market trends or user insights or your annual report could be re-considered as an infographic for investors. Keep a file and make sure to track useful company and industry data and analytics throughout the year. Those stats and figures can easily be turned into powerful infographics that your audience will want to engage with and share. According to HubSpot, infographics are liked and shared 3X more than any other type of content. To support the SYLVANIA State of the Socket Survey 2016, we created a branded infographic for media pitching and marketing purposes, and then broke it down into bite-sized “social snapshots” for spreading the word on social media.

    Video

    If you already have an infographic that’s getting some attention, the next thing to do is elevate that piece into an animated video. Motion tells the story in a compelling, dynamic way and holds your audience’s attention for the duration of the piece.

    If you have a corporate brochure that gives an overview of the history and scope of your services or product, then you already have the outline of a script for an explainer video. A video services agency can turn your script into a powerful video that builds brand awareness.

    Another way to spur off a new video is to do some analysis and get creative! To kick off Black Duck Software’s first-ever user conference, we dug into their history, their customer, and the technical background of their product. The result? A high-energy piece with an epic voice-over from famed narrator Stefan Rudnicki.

    Social Posts / Advertisements

    When it comes to social media it is crucial that your company shares content on a consistent basis. Facebook posts with images see 2.3X more engagement than those without. You can use images from your company’s new case studies, ebooks, infographics and animated videos, and see what your audience reacts to the most. Try reworking a significant stat from your infographic and cropping it into a post that can be easily shared. Mock up your ebook up to look like a physical printed piece and promote your smarts. Take the animated video and split it up into moving GIFs that can easily be shared on social media or used in a paid campaign.

    The possibilities are endless when it comes to displaying existing content in a visual way. For every case study, blog post or other piece of content you produce, think “visual content package” and apply the ideas above. Break out your brand guide! With a uniform look and feel, your content library will multiply, your marketing calendar will thank you, and each new piece will play into one another seamlessly.

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