• Matter Communications Named 2017 ‘PR Agency of the Year’ in Best in Biz Awards

    Top Media & Analyst Groups Honor Matter for Fifth Straight Year

    Newburyport, MA – November 30, 2017 – Matter Communications, the fourth largest PR agency in Boston and one of the fastest growing nationally with in-house creative services and search marketing groups, has been named a Silver Winner in the 2017 Best in Biz Awards in the PR Agency of the Year category. The award is the seventh “Agency of the Year” honor collected by Matter in the past four years, including winning PR News’ gold award for “PR Agency of the Year” in 2016.

    The Best in Biz Awards are the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications in North America, including AdWeek, Forbes, Harvard Business Review and Wired magazine.

    “To consistently be recognized as a leader in the PR industry by the media groups we work with every day is testament to the top-notch staff we have here at Matter,” said Matter Founder and CEO Scott Signore.  “Our targeted approach to media relations pays dividends, both in terms of the quality of the coverage we garner for clients, but also the breadth of the connections we cultivate with the media.”

    With headquarters in Newburyport, MA, and additional offices in Boston, MA, Providence, RI, Boulder, CO and Portland, OR, Matter is one of the fastest-growing public relations and social media firms in the country.

     

    About Best in Biz Awards

    Since 2011, Best in Biz Awards, Inc. has made its mark as the only independent business awards program judged each year by a who’s who of prominent reporters and editors from top-tier publications from North America and around the world. Best in Biz Awards honors are conferred in two separate programs: North America and International, and in 65 categories, including company, team, executive, product, and PR and media. For more information, visit: http://www.bestinbizawards.com.

     

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency unifying public relations, social media and creative services into strategic, content-rich communications campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with five offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across high-technology, consumer-technology and consumer markets. For more information, please visit: https://www.matternow.com

     

    Media Contact

    Parry Headrick

    VP of Marketing & Communications

    [email protected]

    978-518-4547

     

    Matter

  • How CEOs Can Elevate Their PR Profile

    How CEOs Can Elevate Their PR Profile

    Here at Matter, we talk with national and regional business reporters every day, and they share with us the type of person and company they are interested in covering. Several commonalities are emerging from these conversations in 2018.

    Here’s how to attract and secure positive media coverage for you and your company this year, based on input and feedback from our nation’s top journalists:

    1. Strive for balanced gender and race representation on your board. Diversity in leadership results in better solutions for the diverse world corporations now serve.
    2. Pay women and men equally for the same job. It doesn’t matter what the law is or what regulators say. The court of public opinion is watching this issue closely – and it shouldn’t really be an issue anyway.
    3. Define yourself by what your company accomplishes, not by who you are. The Personality CEO (Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs) has been usurped by social media celebrities shaving images of Luke Skywalker onto the backs of their heads. Stay above the ridiculous by focusing on business successes.
    4. Have a relevant, compelling point of view. Be accessible. Share your expertise. Shape the story around your unique perspective. No comment? Then don’t waste a reporter’s time.
    5. Align your company with a charitable mission, either with dollars, smarts, or sweat equity. Not because it’s fashionable or because Millennials will like it, but because it’s a requirement for our survival. Regardless of political party, government can’t meet all the needs of our country. It takes corporations, nonprofits, and federal initiatives working together to solve our most challenging problems, and capitalists are great problem-solvers.
    6. Double down on respect in the workplace. Old-school denigration of colleagues is counterproductive. Got someone who likes to throw people under the bus? Show them the exit. No one wants to work hard for a jerk.

    This is the checklist reporters are holding in their hands as they search for the most inspiring leaders and successful corporations. But don’t do these things just to land a feature in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, or the Economist. Do it because your business, your people, and your community will benefit from it.

     

    Matter

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  • Matter Celebrates Successful Volunteer Initiatives in 2017

    Matter Celebrates Successful Volunteer Initiatives in 2017

    As the year concludes and we prepare to to tie all loose ends before we start fresh for next year, we would like to take a step back and proudly reflect upon Matter’s contributions in community outreach for the year 2017.

    Surpassing Company Goals

    Paid volunteer time is one of the many distinctive perks that help our firm further establish itself as a company that encourages its employees to give back and offer valuable service to the community. Our Director of Human Resources, Danielle Conlin, reports that we had set the goal of reaching 1,000 volunteer hours for the year 2017 and we well surpassed this goal, as we’re on target to fulfilling 1,100 hours by November 30.

    /></p> <h2><b>Bi-coastal Volunteer Efforts</b></h2> <p><span style=The perk of having offices that cover both the east coast and the west coast is that our community outreach can have a larger impact and magnitude. Our different locations enable us to get involved in a wide scope of projects as well as serving different communities in different locations. Between our five offices, we have participated in charity walks, collected donations, completed beach clean ups, volunteered with animal shelters, crafted seasonal greeting cards to send to children in hospitals, helped local volunteer-sponsored events go off without a hitch, among many other exciting initiatives.

    /></p> <h2><b>Improving Leadership and Professional Skills</b></h2> <p><span style=Matter’s philanthropic involvement is an integral part of our success not only as a company, but as a group of individuals with different talents and goals. According to the Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, 92% of surveyed corporate human resource executives agree that contributing business skills and expertise to a nonprofit can be an effective way to improve employees’ leadership and broader professional skill sets. (1).

    Through volunteering, the connection and benefits earned between our team members and the organizations we work with is symbiotic. We earn just as much as we give, and it is for this reason that being involved with volunteering is essential towards our advancements and success as a team.

    In conclusion to our collection of successes for volunteering in the year 2017, we are thrilled to prepare for our volunteer initiatives for the year 2018. We are aspiring to bring in even more volunteer opportunities and contributions for the new year, keeping involved with our current causes and projects while also branching out and finding new movements and organizations to partake with. We are open to suggestions and encourage our employees to share ideas for new volunteer opportunities and projects.

    Matter would like to thank all of the organizations that have invited our team members to volunteer with them for this year. We encourage you to continue to follow along with our volunteer projects and community involvements by following our blog and our social media handles.

    /></p> <p> </p> </div> <div class=

    Matter

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  • PR Agency Matter Communications Named AOR for ZappRx

    Growing Healthcare Tech Startup Partners with National PR Agency to Increase Awareness, Educate the Marketplace and Bolster Business Outcomes

    [Boston, MA] – November 21, 2017 – Matter Communications, the fourth largest PR agency in Boston and scaling nationally, announced today it has been named AOR for ZappRx, a growing Boston-based digital health company that significantly reduces the administrative burden associated with prescribing specialty medications.

    ZappRx selected Matter as the result of a competitive agency review to grow awareness and promote the company among healthcare provider, payer, pharmacy, biopharmaceutical and patient audiences. Matter will support a comprehensive PR program for ZappRx, including executive and customer-focused media relations, social media, awards, speaking, branding, messaging, and overall strategic counsel.

    “At a time of significant growth and aggressive goals for the year ahead, we required an agency partner with deep knowledge and experience to help us navigate the complex healthcare industry we operate in,” said Libby Curtis Webb, Senior Vice President of Product at ZappRx. “I worked with Matter’s healthcare team at my previous company, and I knew that they’d bring relationships to the table along with the creativity we need to help us reach our goals.”

    “In only a few short years, ZappRx has made a significant name for itself in the highly competitive healthcare technology market. Not only is the company achieving growth through genuine innovation, it is effecting real change amongst the physicians, pharmacists and patients its solutions touch.” said Scott Signore, CEO, Matter. “As we continue to increase our focus on the healthcare industry, ZappRx is an excellent example of the kind of companies we want to represent. We are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

    With headquarters in Newburyport, Mass., and additional offices in Boston, Mass., Providence, R.I., Boulder, Colo., and Portland, Ore., Matter is one of the fastest-growing public relations and social media firms in the country. Matter has won six ‘Agency of the Year’ accolades in the past three years, and has been recognized numerous times as a best place to work.

     

    About ZappRx

    ZappRx simplifies the complex process required to order specialty medications, and helps doctors get high-risk patients on the right therapy as quickly as possible. Its cloud-based platform saves and auto-fills all of the information required in a prescription, including pharmacy information, payer/prior authorization requirements, and relevant patient clinical history. ZappRx then enables providers, pharmacists, and payers to digitally interact with one another to fill a prescription, reducing the need for fax and phone call interactions. The platform is currently live in three disease areas, and expanding to support other areas, including neurology, oncology, rheumatology, and gastroenterology.

     

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency unifying public relations, social media, creative services, and search marketing into strategic, content-rich communications campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with five offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across high-technology, consumer-technology and consumer markets. For more information, please visit: https://www.matternow.com

     

    For more information, contact:

    Ryan Lilly

    [email protected]

    978-518-4533

    www.matternow.com

    Matter

  • Q&A with Don Davis, Editor-In-Chief at Internet Retailer

    Q&A with Don Davis, Editor-In-Chief at Internet Retailer

    We sat down with Don Davis, Editor At Large at e-commerce news & research firm Internet Retailer. He is a New York native and Yale graduate.

    Matter (M): Don, how long have you been a journalist? Where’d you get your start?

    Don Davis (DD): I began my first reporting job in June 1970, right after graduating from college. The job was at the Springfield Union, a morning daily in Springfield, Mass. I wrote obits, chased cop cars and fire engines, and covered whatever happened on weekends when more senior reporters were off. I had a blast.

    M: Favorite food?

    DD: Just about anything on a French bistro menu.

    M: Favorite movie?

    DD: 1900

    M: Spirit animal?

    DD: Sorry. I’m too focused on the real world to even make up an answer.

    M: What’s your favorite brand and why?

    DD: I buy most of my clothes from L.L. Bean or Lands’ End. I think fashion is a rip-off and prefer comfortable, durable clothes that never go out of style (at least in my mind.) I do occasionally splurge on Tommy Bahama, which I find really comfortable.

    M: What are you doing when you’re not editing copy, assigning stories and being hassled by PR folks?

    DD: Playing tennis, listening to jazz, eating and drinking with friends and family, studying Chinese, traveling.

    M: I joke about you being hassled by PR people (kind of). You’re a tough and well-respected, but yet very accessible editor. That is rare. What advice do you have for PR people and their clients? How do we break through all the news and get your attention?

    DD: We’re very clear about what we want: We want to speak with retailers about their online operations and strategies. Give me that and you’ve got my attention. We also want insights from experts on stories we’re digging into. That’s a bit trickier, because every one of your clients thinks they’re an expert on all sorts of topics. Some of them are. Tell me why the person you’re pitching really does have something to offer.

    M: What’s the biggest mistake that PR people and their clients make when pitching the media?

    DD: They don’t spend a few minutes reading our stories. Anyone who did would have a pretty good idea of what we cover and what we’re looking for. With just a little bit of study of our website a PR person with a client in our industry should be able to craft a pitch that would get our attention.

    M: How is social media changing the way your team finds and reports stories?

    DD: I’m a social media skeptic. I’ve tried to use Twitter and occasionally other social media to find stories or to connect with sources. For the most part, it’s been a waste of time. Others on our staff insist it’s worth following social media, but I think they get a modest return for the time they spend.

    M: You’ve been at IR for as long as I can remember. What continues to surprise you about the ecommerce industry?

    DD: That people keep coming out of nowhere with great ideas that big corporations might have thought of, but didn’t. Think Warby Parker, Blue Apron, Rent the Runway.

    M: Aside from IRCE, of course, what industry events get you most excited? What topics or tracks catch your attention?

    DD: I’m not seeing all that much new at shows covering online retailing, which may reflect that the industry is getting more mature and there’s less that’s fresh and amazing. On the other hand, business-to-business e-commerce is just getting going in a big way. We’ve hosted two seminars this year where there was really rich discussion among the manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors who came. And next September we’re partnering with the leading expert in B2B e-commerce, Andy Hoar, on a new show called B2B Next. I’m very excited about that.

    M: What’s your opinion on all this “store of the future” tech and the closures of major chain’s brick and mortar locations? Is this Amazon doom and gloom chatter for real, or do we need to be thinking about retail differently? In thinking about all of this, what are your predictions for next year?

    DD: “Your margin is my opportunity.” That short quote from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos encapsulates where we are in retailing today. Retailers for years marked up merchandise by healthy amounts because they could. In the internet—and Amazon—age that’s no longer possible for most retailers. When it comes to commodity items, big companies like Wal-Mart, Amazon and China’s Alibaba will dominate. No “store of the future” is going to entice consumers to spend a lot more on everyday items like paper towels and toothpaste.

    Where other retailers have a chance is in creating unique products or providing the kind of in-depth information consumers won’t find on the websites or in the stores of mass merchants. Apple, of course, is the prime example of a company that provides products so good consumers will pay more for them, and that can keep innovating so that it holds that enviable spot for years. But there are plenty of other retailers that have developed their own brands of products, whether that’s Bonobos in men’s pants or startup M.Gemi that sells handmade Italian shoes at half the price of high-end retailers.

    Trusted sources of information will also survive. If you’re looking for information about car stereos you’re going to find expert advice at Crutchfield that you’re not likely to find elsewhere, and toy buyers will get more guidance at Fat Brain Toys’ website than they’re likely to find in a big-box store.

    Apart from the mass-merchant giants, the retailers that will succeed will focus on a niche and provide great products and service in that arena.

    As for next year, I predict we’ll see consumers buying more through voice-activated devices, retailers taking advantage of new technology from Apple and Google to provide really compelling augmented reality apps, and artificial intelligence beginning to live up to its hype by enabling retailers to provide really good automated service while also cutting costs.

    Matter

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  • What’s New in the World of Social Media? October Recap

    What’s New in the World of Social Media? October Recap

    Social platforms are constantly updating and changing, just take a look at the news from Facebook this past month. They seem to have stole the show this October with acquisitions, new features and even a way to order food. Learn more about Facebook and the changes to all of our other favorite social media platforms below.

     

    Facebook Debuts Alternative News Feed

    Facebook is officially rolling out an “alternative” news feed, which has a very similar feel to the Explore feed on Instagram. According to Adweek, those who try the Explore alternative (available via Facebook’s drop-down menu) will see a feed made up entirely of content from publishers—both pages followed and not followed by users. The pages will include popular articles, videos, and photos, automatically customized for each person based on how they use the platform.

     

    Instagram’s New Feature: Superzoom

    The name just about says it all. Superzoom allows users to zoom in on a single object within a video and create three-second cuts. When users log in and open their camera, they’ll see Superzoom next to Boomerang as an option under the record button, and tapping that button makes the camera automatically zoom in and record (with suspenseful music!). From there, users can message to their friends through Instagram direct or add to their Story. To learn more about Superzoom and some of the Halloween features that Instagram released in October, check out their blog.

     

    Facebook Acquires Teen-Focused TBH

    Facebook announced its acquisition of positivity-focused polling startup TBH (To Be Honest) and will allow it to operate somewhat independently with its own brand. According to Social Times, TBH has scored 5 million downloads and 2.5 million daily active users in the past nine weeks with its app that lets people anonymously answer kind-hearted multiple-choice questions about friends who then receive the poll results as compliments. This app is primarily used by teenagers who are favoring Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook.

     

    Facebook Resumes on the Way?

    Facebook is currently testing a new resume feature that lets users share their work experience with their friends. This new feature allows users to expand on their work details within their profile. According to The Next Web, at this point, the few users who have this feature indicate that the detailed information will not readily show up on their public profiles. This could mean that Facebook is considering making the hidden resume details available exclusively to job hunters and talent seekers. Is this Facebook’s first move towards adding similar features to LinkedIn?

     

    Snapchat Debuts Context Cards

    This past month, Snapchat rolled out Context cards. Through this new feature, users can discover new places, scope out the hours of operation and book a ride, all from within the app. As Mashable astutely notes, the model Snapchat is chasing resembles WeChat, which is China’s most popular app. WeChat has been labeled as a holy grail in social media with Facebook and other platforms all attempting to follow in their footsteps.

     

    Dinner is Served on Facebook

    Never content with being the most used social network on the face of the Earth, Facebook is always adding new capabilities, and the latest is ordering food. By clicking on ‘Order Food’ in the ‘Explore’ section, users can coordinate pickup or delivery with a handful of delivery services and restaurants, all without ever leaving the platform. Here at Matter we have played around with it a bit, and the functionality is clean and easy to use, but that, of course, is no guarantee of success.

     

    Twitter Will Soon Allow Users to Save Tweets

    According to Adweek, a longstanding request from Twitter users has been the ability to save tweets in one place. Up to this point, Twitter hasn’t allowed users to save tweets in one central location, which led to people finding all sorts of creative ways to go about it, including favoriting tweets so they could find those tweets later, direct messaging articles to their own accounts and so on. Twitter is currently collecting input from from users and marketers through a hashtag, #SaveForLater, on how they best envision this being executed.

     

    LinkedIn Creating Tool to Gauge Talent at Companies

    LinkedIn is aiming to release two new types of talent insights for recruiters in the summer of 2018. The first report, Talent Pool, will help recruiters discover where talent lives, how hard it is to hire for certain skill sets, which schools produce top prospective employees and more. The second report, Company, will track from where a company gains talent (and to where it loses that talent), which skills at a company are growing the fastest, tips for recruiting strategies and more.

     

    Young Adults Prefer Instagram, Snapchat to Facebook Messenger

    It is not exactly breaking news at this point that young adults prefer Instagram and Snapchat as their social platforms of choice. In light of that, eMarketer lowered its growth projection for Facebook Messenger users through 2021, with Instagram and Snapchat picking up the slack. As always, it’s worth noting that Facebook’s Messenger app is still extremely popular, with more than 125 million people using it in 2016. So, Messenger isn’t going anywhere soon, but as time goes on, Snapchat and Instagram are likely to gradually close the gap. For more social use statistics, check out this article.

     

    Snap Accelerate for Startups

    According to Adweek, there is a new way to advertise on Snapchat, and it goes by the name of Snap Accelerate. The service is designed to make it easier for startups and new organizations to use Snap ads, with the platform adding that “growth-stage mobile startups with digital expertise and performance-based, direct-response mobile marketing strategies” are best-suited. Snapchat will select a small number of companies to partake in the launch of Snap Accelerate, which offers media and creative services rolled into the package. Wall Street analysts haven’t been pleased with Snap’s revenue since the March IPO, so the ghostly app’s head honchos will no doubt be hoping that Accelerate helps to ameliorate this.

     

    TV Chatter Keeps Thriving on Twitter

    Twitter faces a number of different challenges as a company, but the little blue bird maintains a great relationship with TV. A recent analysis from the Video Advertising Bureau has found that at least one-half of trending Twitter topics on a given night were related to TV programs, and that 60% of TV superfans say they share thoughts on their favorite shows via Twitter. All this goes to show that while Twitter may never dominate the social scene, it still has a very firm grip on its niche, with television being a big part of that.

    Matter

  • Media on the Move: Week of November 13

    Media on the Move: Week of November 13

    In the midst of recent media moves, newsrooms are still shrinking, and journalists at both local and national publications are being laid off. One possible solution media are turning to: unionizing. Results have been mixed. Recommended read: Hamilton Nolan, a senior writer at Splinter, penned an op-ed for The New York Times that discusses the union movement in the media.

    The Atlantic: Erik Malinowski joins as a sports editor.

    Condé Nast: This year the publisher announced that it is reorganizing its business. Among employees leaving as a result, two veterans are stepping down: Lisa Hughes, who ran The New Yorker, and Giulio Capua, head of Architectural Digest. Condé also announced the end of Teen Vogue in print (which probably didn’t faze today’s digital natives). Other publications will reduce their frequency: GQ, Glamour, Allure and Architectural Digest will go from 12 issues to 11; Bon Appétit will go from 11 issues to 10; W and Condé Nast Traveler will go from 10 issues to eight.

    The Daily Beast: Taylor Lorenz will join as a tech reporter and move to be based San Francisco. She’ll stay in NYC through the holidays.

    Denverite: This small, all-things-Denver publication laid off three employees: Megan Arellano, Christian Clark and Stephanie Snyder (Stephanie has since joined SideCar PR in Denver). In a tweet addressing the layoffs, Denverite said, “Journalism is a tough industry.”

    Fortune: Tech reporter Barb Darrow left the publication.

    Gothamist, DNAinfo: Owner Joe Ricketts has shut down both publications, following a (short) celebrated victory by their reporters and editors after a vote to unionize.

    The Information: Aaron Tilley joins as tech reporter, leaving Forbes.

    The Los Angeles Times: Newsroom employees are rallying to form a union, calling for improved working conditions, higher pay, more generous benefits and protections for staff members against “unilateral change by parent company, Tronc.”

    NPR: News editor Michael Oreskes stepped down after allegations of harassment.

    Vox: Jane Coaston joins the team as senior politics reporter.

    Washington Post: Josh Dawsey joins as a White House reporter.

    Matter

  • Best Practices for Conducting Professional Video Interviews

    Best Practices for Conducting Professional Video Interviews

    In today’s visual and digital world, a video interview is a key strategy used by companies to get their messages across to their audience. These interviews are used on homepages, landing pages, social media pages, and often played at large scale meetings or events. However, to be most effective in reaching and engaging a target audience, these video interviews need to tell compelling stories. Here are some of our favorite tips to help you get from the research phase to the filming stage as smooth as possible, and conduct a conversation that results in captivating interview content.

    Tips for Question Development

    The first part of the interview process is to develop the questions. You should never walk into an interview unprepared and you need to be ready for anything that can come your way. Follow these tips when working on question development:

    1. Thoroughly research your subjects. Find out as much as you can about your subject(s) from Google and LinkedIn, so you can demonstrate you’ve done your homework and develop rapport more easily and quickly on-site. 
    2. Order matters. Begin the interview with “softball” questions and questions about the subject can answer about themselves to warm them up. You don’t want to jump right in with the hardball questions.
    3. Keep the story front and center when creating your interview questions. Allow for the spontaneity that produces unexpected gold while making sure you get the storytelling scaffolding you’ll need to bridge everything together. You should either be setting your subject up to tell an interesting, emotional story with your question, or setting them up for a clear and succinct answer you know the answer to in advance.
    4. Ask questions that begin with “Tell me about…,” and “Paint a picture of…” Use words like how, why, where and what to avoid simple answers and to get the subject speaking in story.
    5. Don’t neglect the problem of the story. You don’t have a story if you don’t have conflict, so make sure you’re asking plenty of questions like, “What was the frustration with the old way?” or “What were these issues costing you?” Sometimes people are reticent to go into this, as they don’t want to seem incapable, so phrase those questions delicately.
    6. The shorter and simpler your interview questions are, the better. Instead of asking long winded questions, ask follow up questions such as: “What do you mean by that?” “What did you learn from that?” “Why is that important?” “Why?”…  “Why?” … “Why?” (until you get to the underlying point).
    7. Your questions are not an instruction manual. You shouldn’t hesitate to drop them (at least temporarily) to go off-script.
    8. Your demeanor/attitude is just as important as your questions. If you’re not invested, energetic, personable and courteous you shouldn’t expect your interviewee to be either. Even if you’re not in the best mood, you can’t let it affect your interviewing. As the interviewer, you’re more of a coach and cheerleader than anything else. Help them find a relaxed comfort, or even a sense of pleasure, in talking to you.
    9. Always close by asking if they have anything to add that you didn’t ask about. Often some of the best material comes from these open-ended moments.

    Tips for the Pre-Interview Spiel

    As you and your interviewee settle in and the crew is finalizing camera positioning and lighting, we like to deliver a short “pre-interview spiel” that goes over critical context and background to help ensure a smooth and productive conversation. At Matter, we keep it very conversational ensure the talent is relaxed and excited. Here are a few points we find it helpful to include: 

    1. Tell the talent to look directly at you throughout the interview, never at the cameras. Consistent eye contact is one of the best ways to come across as confident in the final video. 
    2. Explain how the interviewer’s voice will not be heard in the final video so the talent will need to provide context when answering a question. 
    3. Assure the talent not to worry about any mistakes and that the video will be edited with the goal to make them appear as credible and confident as possible. 
    4. Encourage the talent to be energetic as it translates positively on camera. What can feel a bit silly or exaggerated in person often feels appropriate for the heightened reality of the final video. 
    5. Ask if there are any questions or clarification needed before beginning, and always provide them with a glass of water to avoid dry mouth.

    Tips for Common Interview Challenges

    Even if you are well prepared, the interviewee is prepped, and the cameras are rolling, things can still go wrong along the way. Here are a few tips on dealing with common interview challenges:

    1. If they’re psyching themselves out or getting nervous remind them to relax and tell them they’re doing great. 
    2. If they’re not giving you enough energy to be compelling, try to kindly cajole them out of their shell a bit. If you are excited and interested, then they will be as well.
    3. If they’re rambling, ask if they could be more succinct. This can help them reframe how they approach their answers and is usually an easy ask. 
    4. If they’re speaking too formally and not to the intended audience, ask them to imagine you as whomever is relevant (a prospective client or employee, for example) and use words like “you” and “yourself” rather than “they” and “them.” This is more compelling because it engages the audience more directly. 
    5. If you know the interviewee flubbed on an important point, for example they cleared their throat or slurred their words, make sure to ask them to repeat their answer.

    Ready to start creating with our award-winning video producers? Fill out the form below to schedule a free strategy call with our team.

    Gabe Gerzon

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  • The Latest + Greatest from Creative Services: October 2017

    The Latest + Greatest from Creative Services: October 2017

    In-between the candy and the costumes of October, we have worked with a range of clients on some not-so-spooky video and design projects for you to check out.

    Have an idea you’d like to work with us on? Contact us today!

     

    Video Production

     

    Celebrating 100 Years in Business

    Haley’s Metal Shop

    width=Founded in 1917, Haley’s Metal Shop is a trusted, 5th generation family business serving the greater Portland, ME community with premier residential and commercial HVAC services. To celebrate their 100-Year Anniversary, we created this video to honor this rare milestone.
    Watch the Video!

     

    The Future of Your Business is Data Centric

    Hitachi Vantara

    width= This video began as an event kickoff for Hitachi Data Services’ “Next2017” conference, but – thanks to a well-timed rebranding – blossomed into a bold mission statement to coincide with the launch of their new brand: Hitachi Vantara.
    See it Here!

     

    Helping Rent the Runway Navigate Market Challenges

    RSM US

    width= With complicated business and technology challenges at every corner, Rent the Runway relies on RSM to help make critical business decisions. Working together, they have built a cohesive team to help drive the technology and business success of Rent the Runway.
    Check it Out!

     

     

    Graphic + Web Design

     

    Instruction Card

    La Brea Bakery

    width= The Matter team was tasked with creating a “How To” Instruction Card for baking off par-baked breads by creating a layout that shows the different shading of bread. The team printed the card with a premium soft touch coating to elevate the look and feel.
    See the Card!

     

    Mobile Ecommerce Ebook

    ZMAGS

    width= Zmags tasked the Creative team with creating a custom Ebook explaining the importance of mobile content and how it can leverage their platform. The team used a clean layout with their branded color palette, “+” sign pattern and mobile tech mockups and photography.
    See the Full Ebook!

     

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



     

    Matter

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  • Matter Employee Spotlight: Wes Green, Search Marketing Strategist

    Matter Employee Spotlight: Wes Green, Search Marketing Strategist

    /></p> <p>As a veteran search marketer, Wes brings a decade of search engine marketing (SEM) skills and agency experience to Matter. He specializes in creating highly focused, efficient, and effective search strategies for clients of all categories and industries. We recently caught up with Wes to hear more about his passions, the future of search, and advice for new SEM professionals.</p> <p><b>Name:</b><span style= Wes Green
    Title: Search Marketing Strategist
    Years at Matter: 1

    What fuels your passion outside of work?

    Classic “awww” answer: my giant 110 pound puppy, Dutch. I think I work hard just to give that spoiled mutt a better life, I swear (small price to pay for unconditional love). I’m also really close with my family and friends; they inspire and motivate me every day to grow and succeed in work and in life.  


    What is your favorite part of working in PR?

    Being surrounded by truly smart and creative people elevates me in my career and in my personal life. A collaborative and light-hearted atmosphere is where I thrive, and that’s exactly what a PR agency like Matter is built on.

    What do you think SEM will look like in 5 years?

    I think the lines between SEM and Social are blurring daily. You need to have a background in SEM optimization, keyword research, and analytics to be successful in Paid Social, and you need to understand audiences, content creation and conversational tones to have a successful Paid SEM account. These two medias are becoming so complementary to each other that it’s hard to tell what is what. I think 5 years from now, the new “boilerplate” techniques will be a more holistic approach. We will be reaching an audience in every aspect of their life – complete emersion into our messaging, subconsciously advertising using a person’s daily routine.

    What is your key piece of advice for those that are new to the business?

    First, always ask questions and keep an open mind. While you are learning/training ask as many questions as it takes for you to fully understand what you are doing, even if you think you “sound dumb” or are “being annoying.” Your managers and peers are your greatest assets; use them and then pay it forward, when it’s your turn to teach. Second, don’t “pigeonhole” yourself with just one technique or service. “I only need to know Google Search to do my job, why do I need to learn paid social or SEO?” You don’t NEED to learn new medias to do your current job, but if you want to advance in your career, remember that those who can do more rise higher. Digital marketing is such a fluid type of business that you will be doing yourself a huge favor if you can answer “yeah I can do that” to an unusual client request, and mean it.

    Matter

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