• Facebook’s Latest Lesson in Crisis Communications

    Facebook’s Latest Lesson in Crisis Communications

    Mark Zuckerberg is under fire. And deservedly so.

    He’s also likely tired of apologizing to the world, but that goes with the CEO title and pay grade.

    As Facebook endures day 11 of its latest PR crisis, how sincere and how effective has Zuckerberg been in dealing with the media and has he successfully reassured his shareholders, employees, advertisers and most importantly, the 2.2 billion users worldwide that Facebook can truly ensure data protection and user privacy?  And how did the Facebook PR team handle crisis communications? Can it regain the public’s trust?

    First, a quick look back at what transpired:

    Cambridge Analytica, a data firm with ties to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, accessed information from 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge, and it certainly looks as if they kept that data even after Facebook ordered it to be deleted.

    Five days after the news broke, Zuckerberg had been MIA before taking to – where else? Facebook to initially address the crisis.  His missive promised changes, but contained no apology and was positioned as an “update” on the Cambridge Analytica situation.  “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I’ve been working to understand exactly what happened and how to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

    Five days? In time of crisis, five days equals a lifetime.

    To his credit, he also met with the media – and wisely picked a “friendly” when he spoke with CNN’s Laurie Segall in an exclusive interview broadcast on “Anderson Cooper 360” last Wednesday night.  However, when speaking with Segall, his “I’m really sorry…” apology rang a bit insincere, particularly the degree of personal accountability he seemed willing to acknowledge.

    Zuckerberg did address the data breach issue head-on and noted the policy changes that had been instituted to prevent such an issue from re-occurring.  He also said he’d be willing to testify before Congress.  “The short answer is I’m happy to if it’s the right thing to do,” he told Segall.  Mashable reported that Zuckerberg would indeed testify.

    A day after the Segall interview, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg sat down with CNBC’s Julia Boorstin. It is noteworthy in that both interviews were conducted with live broadcast outlets, putting Zuckerberg and Sandberg on the spot, certainly more so than if they’d picked a web or print outlet.  Sandberg attempted to help deflect some of the heat from her boss and she did a credible job even if she provided few specifics around new steps taken to ensure there isn’t another Cambridge Analytica leak brewing. “This is about trust and earning the trust of the people who use our service is the most important thing we do. And we are very committed to earning it.’

    Rule #1 in crisis communications is to put out the fire. Immediately and permanently. Unfortunately for Facebook, this story continues into week two.

    While it took out full page ads in UK papers apologizing, this Axios poll revaled that Facebook’s favorability rating has nose-dived over the past five months.

    The social media environment worsened too as the #DeleteFacebook movement gained steam and support from highly influential folks including WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

    Mainstream print and broadcast media including Cosmo and CNN asked if it is time to delete the app and the AP reported that Facebook tracks user activity outside the app, but it does so by standing behind a verbose privacy policy that nobody bothers to read.

    Finally, it was this week’s bombshell – the FTC said it is investigating Facebook for its data handling practices – which created yet another news cycle and further punished the company’s stock, which has plummeted nearly 20 percent in a week.

    As more details emerge, the biggest concerns that shareholders have is how is Facebook going to reconcile third-party data access with user privacy?  The two are antithetical.  Providing third-party app developers access to its platform is core to Facebook’s business model.  If that changes – and it should – how will Facebook’s revenues be impacted?

    These are tough and very complicated matters. Media relations and crisis communications however, can be much less complex. Crisis PR 101 has three fundamental tenets and Facebook whiffed on all three:

    1. Act Fast – Zuckerberg simply took too long to get in front of the media.
    2. Be Transparent & Empathetic – Zuckerberg came across as not being fully forthcoming and did not apologize.
    3. Speak in a Single Voice – Zuckerberg, not Sandberg, should have addressed the media.

    What do you think? How well did Facebook’s communications and executive teams perform when the media spotlight intensified? Were they credible? Will that response help or hurt Facebook in the long run?

    Tim Hurley

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  • 15 Years Young: A Look Back and Ahead to the Future of PR, Social and Digital

    15 Years Young: A Look Back and Ahead to the Future of PR, Social and Digital

    /></p> <p>My oldest child – Matter – turns 15 this weekend. It’s no April Fool’s prank that our incorporation date is the first of April, 15 years ago. We’re enthusiastically celebrating this milestone as an agency later this year, but it’s appropriate to pause briefly to reflect on our people and the smart, hard and creative work that drove our growth. We’re nearly 150 professionals strong – all of whom support some of the best brands in their respective categories. I’m proud of our path and who we are at 15 years of age.</p> <p>This being shared, I’m joined by our staff in modestly reflecting on where we’ve been – while remaining focused primarily on where we’re headed. And, I’m excited. Not just about the agency in which we work, but also the category where we apply our skills. The ever-evolving communications market is vibrant and filled with opportunity for brand-oriented companies to better establish themselves, and for professionals who want to be creative in their approach.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Don’t hold me to it, but here’s where I think communications is going in the next 15 years:</h2> <p> </p> <ol> <li><strong>Emotional brand marketing</strong> will have a heightened importance. Smart and savvy brand managers will seek ways to further connect their beloved products and services to the hopes, dreams and directions of their audiences – in a personal way that drives further brand loyalty. But, this will need to be carefully balanced with heightening concerns about privacy. As marketers become more digitally savvy about tailoring messaging to hyper-targeted audiences, there will be a greater drive to fully disclose HOW the brand knows what the audience wants, and that the information wasn’t harvested through data the customer didn’t know the brand possessed. This act of balance between privacy and emotional appeal will separate the brands that do well from the ones that fail.</li> <li>We will see <strong>increased attention given to the quality of content</strong>. That goes for still and moving images, and copy in all forms and formats. Is it as good (engaging) as it needs to be? That question will be asked by marketing professionals as they further assess not just the avenues their content travels, but also the content itself. And, agency professionals will be held to a higher standard with expectations even greater than today.</li> <li>I’m certain<strong> customer engagement</strong> will continue to be a priority – and I’m further certain the channels for connecting with customers will be countless. I suspect, however, that some of the current and popular platforms will expire, fade away or just die on the vine – <a href=trend data shows that’s already afoot with younger generations. Acknowledging that all things change over time, staying educated on new technologies – opportunities to interact with customers, really – will continue to be key to a brand’s success.

  • Search marketing will be a BIG – bigger than it is today! – percentage of marketing budget for consumer-facing entities and those who market products and services in technology and B-to-B. It will further drive the creation of content, but it will be the backbone of many programs as opposed to being merely a supporting tactic. We’re working here at Matter to move search to the beginning of the planning discussions, and I expect that’s where it will be across all client accounts shortly.
  • I think a brand’s genuine and organic commitment to charitable work – as a real extension of the business, not a line about CSR in the annual report – will be even more important. The challenges of those less fortunate are being elevated in the public dialogue – driven by a global “do-better” generation – and businesses will need to have real initiatives that demonstrate how they are paying attention and working to solve serious social issues at home and around the world. Companies that ignore this will be left behind by a generation of customers who prioritize helping others.

    • Much has changed in our market since we started our business 15 years ago, and much will change in the 15 years upcoming. I’m looking forward to all of it!

Scott Signore

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  • Customer Success Stories: The Best Tool in Your Marketing Toolkit

    Customer Success Stories: The Best Tool in Your Marketing Toolkit

    The Customer Success Manager, or CSM, is a potent position that’s come to prominence over the past few years in B2B marketing. This emergent role is in direct response to the inherent challenges of the SaaS subscription business model — chiefly customer retention and optimization (e.g., upselling and cross selling). When the growth of your business relies on expanding and optimizing your subscriber base it’s critical to have someone whose number one priority is managing those all-important relationships. As Matter client Influitive points out, it costs 6X more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. Yet, many companies still focus more on landing new clients than cultivating existing ones.

    Traditional wisdom is finally catching up to the reality that your greatest marketing ally is an army of passionate customer advocates. In 2017,  The majority of B2B business leaders agreed that customer marketing and engagement was their #1 priority, with customer references/testimonials well-acknowledged as the most popular, effective strategy.

    Our Creative Team has long recognized that prospects trust peers more than marketers. That’s why, for the better part of a decade, we’ve touted Customer Success Stories (aka video testimonials) as one of the best tools in the modern marketer’s toolkit. Nearly every client who has created their first Customer Success Story video with us remarks how the they precipitated better-than-anticipated ROI and strengthened their relationship with those customers, leading to word-of-mouth referrals and genuinely helpful product feedback. Moreover, your customers not only receive a free content marketing piece, but they see that you respect and value their business in selecting them as a surrogate for your own brand story.  Don’t take our word for it; watch the short testimonial below to hear from Bigtincan’s Director of Marketing about how well our four Customer Success Story videos have performed from a variety of angles:

    “Before Matter, we really didn’t have much of a video presence. Matter has really helped us drive brand awareness and creating relationships with new clients as well has helping move forward relationships with existing clients. We’ve actually had clients reach out and say, ‘Hey, that was really great.’  It ended up being a great promotional piece for Bigtincan as well as our clients.”

    –Stephanie Schalow, Director of Marketing, Bigtincan

    The conclusion is clear in our book — as a CSM, a suite of compelling Customer Success Story videos is a critical component in developing your brand ambassadors and generating revenue. However, we understand these can’t be your only pet project; you have a laundry list of other ideas and initiatives. That’s precisely why we make it easy to get effective, beautiful testimonials at a price point that makes sense. We aim to be, in the words of Bigtincan, “an extension of your own marketing team.”  Everything we do stems from wanting to help drive measurable business impact for your company.

    We also know there are other agencies who are, at first blush at least, capable of creating comparable videos at a similar price point. But what really separates Matter is our refined process. We’ve honed our strategy and execution considerably over the course of 8+ years and 500+ Customer Success Stories, all with an eye for making it more frictionless each time for not just our client, but our client’s client. Here’s a small sampling of the unique services we include in every Customer Success Story to ensure a seamless process:

    Pre Production

    • Independently create the “script,” interview questions, and shot list  (for your approval)
    • Share timely assets, like our own “How to Ensure a Smooth Shoot,” which demonstrate what the process is like and alleviate concerns
    • Plan and arrange logistics, as well as book all travel (unless directed otherwise)

    Production

    • A light crew with a small footprint of video gear means minimal disruption to your customer’s workplace
    • Optimized use of time on-site; we’re in and out in about a ½-day
    • We keep our interviews conversational and friendly, so your client is always comfortable

    Post Production

    • Provide interview transcripts so you always know the best sound bites were included. This is also a tremendous tool for you to have in your quiver
    • We only share V1s we feel could “go live” as we deliver it. That means you only have to review polished pieces, eliminating inefficiencies during feedback
    • Deliver custom, optimized thumbnails to help drive clicks (a random screenshot from the video usually doesn’t cut it)
    • Deliver “cut-down” 30-second and 15-second versions of the premier video to leverage across your social channels

    If you’re a CSM looking to drive serious business impact in your role, it would be our pleasure to work with you on creating Customer Success Story videos. You can be heavily involved or hands off; either way, you can rely on world-class videos that speak to the heart of your prospect’s concerns, impress and flatter your star client and clearly demonstrate your value to your C-suite. When done right, Customer Success Story videos are a signature accomplishment for every B2B marketing team. Let’s spearhead some together today.

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



    Gabe Gerzon

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  • Marketing and Promoting Your Online Auction

    Marketing and Promoting Your Online Auction

    Every good revenue-raising event includes an auction, which usually consists of several high-ticket items featured during a live bid-off, complemented by several other items featured in a silent bidding war. But if you’ve ever organized such an event, you understand the challenges: creating an event that people will attend, setting a ticket price that will at least cover the food and beverage bill, and getting people in attendance to bid and bid often.

    class=

    An online auction can yield better results than an in-person gala, especially when you factor in the physical limitations of traditional galas, such as geography, presence, time, space, and a small target audience. From local nonprofit organizations to private and public schools, groups are turning up their fundraising by taking in-person auctions to an online format.

    Services like Winning Cause, 501 Auctions, and Bidding For Good make it easy to host an online auction.

    But success depends largely on your ability to promote the event. Let me tell you how.

    First, recruit as many volunteers as possible. Look to key stakeholders within your organization to suggest people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Establish specific committees and create different jobs based on the various tasks involved with the auction: item acquisition, promotion and publicity, data entry, building the auction site, etc.

    Next, develop a clear message for your supporters. Your message should state why your group is doing the fundraiser and how any raised funds will be used. You’re likely to get more support for your fundraising if your message is understood.

    Message statements are key; make sure each member of your group and all volunteers understand the primary message and can properly convey it to your audiences. Each participant is an ambassador to your group and should be able to spread the group’s message and goals.

    Promote your message statement any chance you can. This is your occasion to tell the organization’s story. Take advantage of every opportunity available to you. The more you do, the more your fundraiser will benefit.

    Assuming you’ve secured all your catalog items, turn your attention to promotion. This is where the real work begins. Begin publicity about 30 days before the auction kick-off.

    Marketing your event starts when you launch your auction home page. Be sure to launch the home page early enough to generate excitement and support. Most online auction services make it easy to build your auction home page by providing a simple template to include your message, logo, and images to depict your organization’s look and feel.

    Following the home page launch, move to creating enticing teaser previews of your super sexy items. As the auction date nears, pick up the frequency of the outreach.

    This is where the volunteers come in. When recruiting volunteers, look for a diverse set of skills and strengths to pull from; consider these types:

    Contemporary Communicator: Have a social media rock star in the group activate all your social media buttons on the auction page, create enticing write-ups of auction items, and launch Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram campaigns—using all three mediums in tandem to build excitement.

    • Traditionalist: Conduct traditional media relations to gain exposure. This includes preparing press releases announcing the auction, donors, and dates; reaching out to local radio and television stations with prepared public service announcements; and finding community radio/television shows on which auction representatives can appear.
    • Chamber of Commerce Ambassador: Local chambers offer so many touch points to take advantage of: membership-wide e-blasts, select “peek of the week” columns, and chamber social media shout-outs. Contact your local chamber to gather all the chamber-specific opportunities.
    • Paper Pro: Enlist a volunteer to create visual accompaniments—flyers, postcards, print ads. Make sure your message is included in all visuals.
    • Excel aficionado: Enlist a volunteer savvy in Excel to develop your auction database. The database will be used for email and print outreach, and is critical to your success. The document should include physical and electronic addresses.

    There are so many moving parts to promoting a successful auction, but if you’re ill-equipped, all the donated items and their value can quickly go out the window.

    Remember, you are working with people who are volunteering their free time to help support your organization. Make sure your volunteers are committed to completing the work required to have a successful event. If your organization is not staffed with capable volunteers and does not have the resources to hire a full-time marketing manager, then consider hiring a marketing professional.

    Professionals—whether an outside consultant or a firm—bring specialized expertise and experience to the arena and are likely to be in touch with the latest industry trends and techniques.

    There are many advantages to hiring a paid consultant or firm:

    • Flexibility: Will work more or less hours as tasked
    • Objectivity: Will look at issues without attachment and bring valuable perspective from the outside looking in
    • Productive from the word go; no learning curve, no training
    • Trusted resource that can quickly assess which tools and tactics to use, which opportunities to seize, and what offers to walk away from

    Added benefits to hiring outside marketing, public relations, or creative professionals include avoiding all the HR headaches (no training, orientation, vacation/sick coverage, payroll) and overhead costs (typically a consultant or firm already has all the equipment, software, and tools needed to get the job done).

    Consultants can be ideal when an organization has a one-off marketing project like an online auction fundraiser that needs to be executed quickly and efficiently, on a tight timeline.

    Matter

  • Is Your “Sorry, We’re Closed” Sign a Lost Marketing Opportunity?

    Is Your “Sorry, We’re Closed” Sign a Lost Marketing Opportunity?

    I hate those “Sorry, We’re Closed” signs on the doors of businesses—especially on the door of my favorite Portsmouth, NH, ice cream shop. But it isn’t the fact that it’s closed that bothers me so greatly; it’s the lost marketing opportunity to communicate with its customers.

    At Matter, we conduct what I like to call “touch point analysis” for our clients. The analysis takes a really deep look at every single way the business comes into contact (planned or otherwise) with its stakeholders and explores how each interaction impacts the brand.

    All companies know they should pay attention to the biggies: website, marketing collateral, voice mail systems, etc. But, as in life, it is often the little things that, over time, influence the perception of a company’s brand. Are you using your invoices as a chance to share a meaningful bit of news? How about your e-mail signature? Do you have core messages developed that all staff members use when speaking with customers? Are you effectively leveraging physical spaces? Is your social media campaign on-brand, or is it just gobs of content?

    When you have a chance to “hang a sign in a window”—whether literally or proverbially—please ask yourself these questions:

    1. Who will be “touched” by this communication opportunity, and what do they really want to know? In the case of the ice cream store, potential customers seeking an icy treat want to know when you are open (not when you are closed). They might also want to know what you have inside your store—but alas, they cannot peer through darkened windows.
    2. What do you want them to do with your company? If I own this shop, I want them to come back to buy ice cream, and I want them to know my ice cream is worth the second trip.
    3. What impression will this communication make, and is it consistent with your company brand? This shop has a lovely bright environment, friendly staff, and award-winning, quality ice cream… and it offers a new funky flavor each week that is worth repeat visits. The brand is fun, top-quality, and surprising. 

    So when this shop is closed, instead of the cheap, plastic, red, “Sorry, We’re Closed” sign on the door, how about:

    We can’t believe we missed you! Please come back at 11:00 a.m. any day, and we will be open to serve you the best ice cream in the Seacoast. We feature a new surprise flavor every week!

    Then use other window space near the door sign to feature an article, photo, or recent award that proves your value—even a propped up blackboard will do. 

    Matter

  • Q+A with Forbes Contributor Richard Kestenbaum

    Q+A with Forbes Contributor Richard Kestenbaum

    Forbes retail columnist: “Retail is not collapsing – retail is growing”

    Q&A with expert contributor explores the future of commerce, what it’s like to be on the receiving end of PR pitches

     We recently caught up with Forbes contributor Richard Kestenbaum, who covers retail, fashion, consumer behavior and consumer products. Kestenbaum doubles as a co-founder and partner at Triangle Capital, where he’s been doing mergers and acquisitions, and capital raises, for consumer-facing companies for more than 35 years. He is based in NY.

    /></p> <p><strong>How do you decide what to write about for your column? What are your favorite retail and consumer trends to write about?</strong></p> <p>I don’t have a specific process. If I find something interesting, then I’ll decide to write about it. I speak with approximately six to 10 CEOs each day. When you do that, patterns begin to emerge and you take note of these individuals touching on similar things and occurrences. These types of situations are informative to me and assist in my comprehension of what actions companies need to take in order to develop their true value in the mergers and acquisitions business. Additionally, I go to conferences and receive reports that help me see what people are doing and what they’re thinking, and these function as illustrations that ultimately serve to confirm my presumptions. They’re demonstrative of the aforementioned trends and really aid in putting the whole thing together. So, when I see a pattern, I will jot it down on my calendar, “is this a trend and is this worth writing about?” If it keeps coming back to me, then the answer is “yes.”</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Are there particular conferences, reports or publications that you really pay attention to?</strong></p> <p>I read WWD every day. I don’t necessarily see trends there, but it helps me with the news, and the news reflects the trends that are already out there. I also walk stores and browse online. But mostly, I speak to CEOs and ask them what they’re doing, what they worry about and where they see their business going.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>What about analyst reports? Do you follow Forrester or RSR Research?</strong></p> <p>The reports that I’ve covered are reports that people like you have sent me, that are prepared by their clients. There are a number of these, and most don’t get me excited. Every now and again they do, and they also serve to reveal patterns. The reports that are the most interesting are the ones that center around real consumer data concerning behavior that’s informative and give insight into what consumers will do next that’s not immediately apparent.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>What’s not informative? </strong></p> <p>Sometimes people write reports just for the sake of writing reports and they’re not informative. For example, I have received reports where there have been real studies done on whether consumers are motivated by discounts. You know, call me stupid, but I don’t think I need a report to tell me that consumers are motivated by discounts. I was given another report that showed that email marketing is effective. That’s not news, and it isn’t a trend. Reports such as those are a waste of both money and time.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>All PR people are peddling their experts. What kind of expertise gets your attention? What PR/interview mistakes do these “experts” make?</strong></p> <p>I get more pitches for experts than I need, so, unfortunately, I can’t engage with all of these people. What isn’t useful to me, and what I never want to find myself using, is pre-canned quotes. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like if the quote is canned – what value am I adding as a blogger? Perhaps I haven’t been doing this long enough, but it seems like I ought to be getting quotes that are original or break new ground. If a quote is mass-mailed to writers and is usable to me, then I feel as if I’m doing something wrong.</p> <p>Another mistake that PR people tend to make is that they write me about doing another story about something I have already written. It always reminds me of when you shop on the web and you buy something like an airline ticket, and then for the next week they’re trying to sell you the same airline ticket. I don’t want to write about something that I’ve recently written about.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>How many pitches do you receive in a day/week, and how many of them are any good?</strong></p> <p>I don’t write that much. I’ll write three or four times a month, and if I am getting five to 10 a day, there’s are only a small percentage that I can really use. I don’t have room in my head to go through the virtues or weaknesses of each of those pitches. I’ll evaluate them quickly and am always generally looking for a reason to say yes or no.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Are the pitches generally too long?</strong></p> <p>No. We’re all familiar with going through emails and finding the essence of it.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>As PR people, we run into a lot of contributors who wear two hats in business and journalism. That business acumen certainly serves them – and their readers – well, and it’s understandable that they’re using their writing to build their own brand awareness. However, we’re seeing a lot of blurred lines between pay-for-play coverage with these analysts and consultants, and earned media. You seem to straddle your two ventures quite well, upholding traditional journalistic ethics. How do you separate the two? </strong></p> <p>Yes, people have offered me money, travel, and other crazy things. But if you are an investment banker doing M&A, you’re in a business that is fraught with conflict every day. If you have a client, your job is to serve that client’s interests. It is very easy to do things that are not in their best interests without your client ever knowing. But if you want to have a successful career and sleep well at night, you must always protect the interests of your client. So, from the onset of my own career, I realized that you have to understand what the goal is and keep your eye on it, and not let yourself get distracted by conflicts that will, in the long run, undermine your own objectives and the way you want to live your life. I don’t find that particularly difficult to do in journalism because it’s very much within my control. I don’t take things for what I write and I’m not interested in writing puff pieces. All my compensation for my writing comes from Forbes. I am interested in writing articles that I believe are simultaneously interesting and will help us develop and enhance our reputation as thought leaders. Nothing is worth more to me than that, nothing has more value to me than my reputation and I’m not going to let myself get distracted by any other kind of offer.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>As an investment banker, how do you weigh PR and media coverage when you’re looking at a company’s potential? Are PR and marketing important areas to invest in, particularly as companies seek new funding or look to be acquired?</strong></p> <p>We don’t typically do public deals, so PR and our clients’ interests are typically in conflict. If we’re engaged to sell a company and we call up a journalist and get information published about the fact that our clients are for sale, then potential buyers will come out of the woodwork and they’ll call us. But that would be against what’s best for our client. Not in terms of maximizing value, but it puts pressure on our client to sell their company and that would be wrong for us to do. It compromises their position and it jeopardizes their key employees, all of which diminishes the value of their business. So we would never do that. It’s an example of the type of conflict that you encounter when you’re in banking, and experiences like that make it relatively clear how to handle the conflicts that exist in journalism. The key is to never act against the central objectives of what it is that you’re trying to accomplish. So, PR and media coverage aren’t particularly relevant to what we do because most of our clients are private and the deals we do are not announced until they’re completed. Often [when the deal is public], we can be quoted as bankers, and say that we represented the company and give a nice review of the company in the quote, etc. We enjoy that. That’s our completed work, and, in this business, having people cognizant of your work generates more work and we love that. However, I will also make it clear that I would never write on my blog about anyone that we represent or anyone that we are actively pursuing to represent. That is a conflict and I wouldn’t do it.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Let’s talk a little about your vision for the retail and ecommerce industry. What do you make of large brick-and-mortar closures and Amazon’s momentum? What do brands need to do to survive?</strong></p> <p>It’s so deep. That’s generally what I spend most of my time exploring. Virtually all the things I have written cover that topic in one form or another and there are so many nuances to it. First, it is important to remember that retail is not collapsing – retail is growing. What is changing is who is doing the selling of products to consumers. That is driven by the combination of what consumers want, amplified by changes in technology. Those are enormous shifts and, as I said before, some of the barriers to entry have fallen down and the legacy retailers and brands are under attack. We are seeing the shift of where the power has traditionally been ? the legacy brands and retailers ? to the newcomers, and that’s highly unusual in any industry and a massive change from what the industry has been for decades.</p> <p>You asked me, “What do brands need to survive?” The answer to that is the same as it always has been, which is: “Give consumers what they want.” The challenge is that if you’re a large organization, you are oriented to deliver products in a certain way, and it is very hard for you to deliver products in any other way. Making those changes has proven, thus far, to be almost impossible for large retailers and brands. And when they do make changes, people tend to view them as inauthentic and that hurts the brand even more.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>What are your predictions for the future of the industry?</strong></p> <p>I don’t know about 2018, but there are two sectors in retail that are doing very well which I think people should be really worried about. The first is off-price and the other is beauty. I think off-price is threatened by challenges that the big off-pricers are not dealing with. Namely, competition and technology that will become a big threat over the next several years. Second, I believe that the valuations in the beauty business are subject to being disrupted by change in the industry that we cannot now foresee. It’s hard for me to believe that the valuations that we’re seeing in the beauty business will keep on going. I’m not saying that these changes will happen in 2018, in fact I don’t think they will, but they are going to happen.</p> </div> <div class=

    Matter

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  • The Latest + Greatest from Creative Services: 3.22.18

    The Latest + Greatest from Creative Services: 3.22.18

    Along with working on the many projects below, The Matter Creative Team was named a finalist in PR Daily’s Video and Visual Awards in three categories this past month.

    Want to check out the winning projects? See below!

     

    Video Production

     

    LEADING A CHANGE IN CLINICAL TRIALS

    Greenphire

    width=Greenphire is a company that’s setting the standard for payment workflow automation in clinical trials globally. Entering their 10th year, they created a company overview video that announces their mission, vision and values to their employees in an exciting and memorable way.
    Watch the Video!

     

    GUESS SUCCESS STORY

    Bigtincan

    width=Hear from the GUESS team about how implementing Bigtincan enabled them to keep their store associates on the sales floor more, continuing to make the customer experience at GUESS world class.
    See the Video!

     

    DATA RESEARCH TEAM

    Sonatype

    width=The Data Research Team at Sonatype uses proprietary machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze more than 25-million components from millions of open source projects in real-time. This explainer video shows how they do the heavy lifting so developers don’t have to.
    Check it Out!

     

    Graphic/Web Design

     

    BRAND STANDARDS

    Newcastle Systems

    width=Over the past several weeks the design team worked with Newcastle Systems on a suite of projects including a branding audit, moodboard, logo updates and a display ad. As part of this package, we wrapped things up with this brand standards document with guidelines for when working with the re-brand.
    Check it out!

     

    SOCIAL STAMP TEMPLATE

    Clearsurance

    width=Clearsurance wanted a social media stamp template built in PowerPoint that would be easy for the client to update in the future. The text is fully editable and images can be dragged and dropped into place with ease.
    See it here!

     

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



     

     

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  • Blurring Lines Demand a New Approach to Healthcare PR and Marketing

    Blurring Lines Demand a New Approach to Healthcare PR and Marketing

    This piece originally appeared on the HITMC blog:

    The many predictions made at HITMC17 regarding increasingly blurred lines in healthcare seem to be coming to fruition. National headlines have been dominated for the last several months by stories regarding mega-mergers (CVS & Aetna, Cigna & Express Scripts) and speculation around technology giants like Amazon, Apple and Uber pushing into healthcare, not to mention JP Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway throwing their multi-billion dollar hats into the ring. But what does it all mean? At a macro level the answer remains to be seen, but at an organizational level it means that the stakeholders organizations have traditionally communicated to may be changing. This is, or at least should be, inspiring more and more brands to update communications strategies, reevaluate audiences and adjust value propositions.

    No piece of the healthcare continuum is immune to impending changes. As we shift further toward value-based care and traditional models continue to be challenged, everyone is looking to move care away from acute settings. Simultaneously, urgent care centers and retail medicine are becoming increasingly accessible, providing patients (consumers) with more choices than ever before when it comes to accessing care. Not to mention that the pieces seem to be finally falling into place for telehealth and concierge medicine.

    It is no longer enough to be “in network” or just one of a few options in a given geography. If you’ve spent any time in a new urgent care center recently, you will know what I am talking about. These places look increasingly like spas and are highly focused on customer (patient) experience and service – not traditionally healthcare’s strong suit. This means Open-Table-esque apps for scheduling and monitoring wait times, zero paperwork and an overall enjoyable experience for patients. Once they add ride-sharing into the experience, a perk some providers are already looking to leverage, accessing affordable healthcare via apps and automation becomes every consumer’s reality. If this isn’t enough to inspire change, just imagine the day when every CVS is also a retail clinic. This is the kind of market competition that should motivate communications professionals to revisit their brand differentiators, value propositions and overarching strategy.

    Health technology vendors are also being directly impacted by the shifting ecosystem. With traditionally consumer focused vendors like Apple making their way into the industry, outdated user experiences within health IT will no longer be acceptable. After more than a decade of having cumbersome technologies pushed on them, healthcare providers are now demanding intuitive user experiences and functionality like that which they experience on their smartphone in their personal lives. There is no reason that a doctor should experience a digital downgrade the moment they enter the hospital and log onto their EHR.

    In addition to the inherent demand for intuitive and interoperable technology, provider organizations are also increasingly looking to differentiate themselves through their vendor partnerships. While the technical nuts and bolts still matter, today’s hospitals and health networks don’t want to hear about your software; they just want to know if you can solve their problem and help them provide better care, attract more patients or reduce physician/clinician burnout and turnover. It took some time, but healthcare finally seems to be figuring out what consumer tech knew a long time ago – the technology is only as powerful as a person’s ability (willingness) to use it and affect meaningful change.

    Innovation and a new generation of decision makers seem to finally be delivering on the transformative power of technology in healthcare. The market is also being “challenged” by outsiders, which is bringing new competition and forcing legacy organizations to reimagine their structure and role within the overall system. It is up to us as communication professionals to interpret and evolve with these changes. This can be challenging, as healthcare PR and marketing have traditionally benefited from a level of expertise and a somewhat specific approach. That said, now is not the time for a “because we’ve always done it that way” approach. We should increasingly look to consumer brands and other industries outside of healthcare to borrow and learn from their communications strategies and programs. Tactically, this may mean targeting non-traditional media, using different social channels or up leveling messaging to appeal to an average consumer. The most important thing is to never stop evaluating and evolving your program, because at the current rate of change what worked today might not work tomorrow.

    Having spent the majority of my career in healthcare, like many of the readers of this blog, I am the first to acknowledge the perpetual, virtually annualized, conversations about tipping points and shifting sands in healthcare, or whatever nomenclature you prefer. That said, I think Dylan’s lyrics have never been truer – “the times they are a changin.” The question we have to ask ourselves is whether or not we, as marketing and PR pros, are ready for the change.

     

    Ryan Lilly

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  • Your Questions About Drone Videography Answered

    It’s 2019, and drone videography isn’t the “next big thing” anymore- it’s certainly here to stay. With that said, everyone wants aerial views of their business or property but without the added stress of figuring out how to fly a drone without crashing. Is it possible to achieve these results without breaking your marketing budget? The answer is yes. Ever since the inception of FAA Part 107 (better known as the 2016 commercial drone regulations), we’ve captured companies and employees alike from a bird’s eye view for a wide array of uses. As long as your office resides outside of the 5 statue mile radius (or ‘No Fly Zone’) from a major airport, we can help you get that aerial video footage. And if you are within this range, helicopter tours are certainly an option.

    Before diving in, it needs to be mentioned that we cannot predict the weather. While the drone will work in cold temperatures and winds up to 20 MPH, it’s certainly not going to make your location look its best. In New England, we’ve noticed clients want their properties filmed during the late summer/early fall, when the foliage is at its peak. We’d recommend you take shots during a preferred time of year, and then keep the assets in your back pocket.

    Now that mother nature has been spoken for, here are three ways to utilize drone photo/video capabilities.

    Establishing Shots 

    In almost any marketing or company video, the first few seconds establish where we are. Unless the setting is downtown in a major metropolitan area, this shot is usually an exterior of a building. It is much more energizing to see a flyover of a building, farm, or shop than the basic low angle “tilt down” move that many videographers are guilty of taking. A flyover of a college campus on a spring day says a lot more about the school than a shot of the sign and logo out front.

    Construction/Renovation Processes 

    Something that’s just as amazing to the eye as the shiny new addition to your company’s campus, is the process it took to get there. Drone technology is getting to the point now where you can create a pre-determined path, and fly it multiple times. These flights can happen days, weeks, or months apart and distinctly capture the same flight path over and over. How cool would it be to see an aerial orbit of the construction process that showcases all phases in just a single loop? Now you can.

    Tracking Text, Stats, or Subjects

    Depending on your audience, white pages of percentages and stats are an easy way for people to tune out. Instead, try recording some smooth flyover shots where you can employ motion graphics and animation to track titles, statistics, or any other on-screen graphic. Anything above the horizon line is a blank canvas for larger amounts of text, and anything below is good for icons and shapes. This technique also works well if you’re flying directly over your subject, with the camera pointing straight down. A street, field, or body of water is typically homogenous enough to use for these things. Each environment has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, so use your best judgement.

    Finally, like anything else, drone shots are great in moderation. Part of what makes them look so unique is that they’re juxtaposed with closer shots, and the contrast is what the audience likes to see. Use them, but don’t abuse them.

    Ready to work with our award-winning creative team?

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



     

    Colter Beote

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  • Startup Guide: How to Crush Your First Media Interview

    Startup Guide: How to Crush Your First Media Interview

    As a startup founder, you’ve poured blood, sweat, tears and capital into your company. You’ve invested in the right talent, built a differentiated product or service, acquired customers and maybe raised some funding, and it’s time to launch your startup into the public eye.

    Media coverage is one of the most cost-effective ways to generate brand awareness for your startup at launch. The right journalists can help validate your idea, build authority for you and your company, and attract the attention of new customers and investors.

    But getting visibility for your work isn’t easy. The number of U.S. startups has grown for the third year in a row, with 310 out of every 100,000 adults becoming new entrepreneurs in a given month, according to the 2017 Kauffman Index of Startup Activity.

    It’s a crowded market. So, when you do land a coveted media interview, you want to crush it.

    How should you prepare? What questions should you anticipate, and how do you maintain the relationship? Here’s your crash course.

    How Should You Prepare?

    When preparing for a media interview, always start with your messaging. Know your mission and vision statements, and be able to articulate what you do in brief, plain language.

    Working with the media for a living, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to avoid jargon (see our “Startup Guide: How to Talk About Your Tech”). And if you can’t explain what you do in 10 to 30 seconds, go back to the press when you can.

    Once you have your elevator pitch down, turn to key messages. Every media interview is a chance to drive core messaging about your company, industry and view for the future. Identify two or three key points, and relevant stories to support them.

    Remember, plan a media interview. Never wing it.

    There are other simple dos and don’ts to be aware of before meeting with a journalist. The right PR firm can advise you of any reporter-specific prep, but generally:

    Dos

    • Turn off your cell phone or email
    • Speak slowly and clearly
    • Be concise and repeat key messages
    • Encourage a two-way conversation

    Don’ts

    • Don’t be late (five minutes early is best)
    • Don’t say “no comment” or go “off the record”
    • Don’t lie or mislead
    • Don’t talk negatively about competitors

    As a final step, create an internal FAQ to prepare for questions a journalist may ask. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

     

    What Questions Should You Anticipate?

    With both journalists and investors in our network, we see striking similarities between pitch decks and what startups present to the media. Media want to know about the problem you solve, your company and team, the market, and evidence of your traction:

    • What does your company do? (did we mention brief, plain language?)
    • Who are your competitors, and how are you different?
    • When was the company founded?
    • Where is your office(s), and how many employees do you have?
    • Can you name specific customers or partners?
    • How do you price your product or service?
    • Have you raised any funding, and can you disclose the amount or investors?
    • What are next steps for your company?

    Inherent in all of of this are statistics. The more numbers you can reveal, the better, including total revenue or revenue growth, funding, headcount, number of customers, etc.

    Add to the list tough questions about your brand. Are you in an exceptionally crowded space where a journalist will question your differentiation? Are there security and privacy issues surrounding your product or service? Anticipate and address these questions head on, and you’ll fare well with media.

     

    How Do You Maintain the Relationship?

    When all goes well, your first media interview is only the beginning. Send the journalist a thank you with links to relevant resources, and keep him or her apprised of future news.

    Of course, not everything is news. For more on that, check out, “What Really Counts As News” from Matter account manager and fellow startup advocate, Vanessa Boynton.

    When it comes to PR, the most important relationships you can develop are with media contacts. Think about them with just as much care as you would your customers.

    Need a PR firm that lives and breathes media relations? Give us a call.

    McKenzie Mayer’s ‘Startup Guide’ is an ongoing series on the Matter blog. Designed for those building a business or just building their brand, each post is a crash course in startup communications. Ready to get started?

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