Spring Clean Your Marketing and Communications

We're just over a week into both spring and the Daylight Savings time change. I don't know about you, but more sunshine equals more productivity for me. Though I am the pale, freckled, poster child for skin cancer, I always feel a little bit like Superman in that my powers are directly tied to the sun. I tend to find renewed energy and deeper concentration when winter days give way to spring ones. 

And I love a good spring cleaning! Is that weird? I just can't focus amongst clutter. I need a neat and tidy workspace, car and home to function well. So, this past week, I began the process of ship-shaping those three areas. 

Today, I want to help guide you what spring cleaning your marketing and communications might look like. And maybe dust off those New Year's Resolutions (or goals) too. It's time for a fresh start!

SPRING CLEAN YOUR WORKSPACE

While it's true that there are a unique few who can thrive in chaos and actually know what is located in the heaps and piles on or around their desk, I don't think that's true for the majority of us. I think most of us get stressed out and distracted by those things, and it compromises our brain power, and therefore our work, by not dealing with it. 

ACTION STEP: Over the next week, take the time to do some thorough sorting, sifting, recycling, tossing and sharing. Yes, I know you don't have time. But you need to sacrifice a few hours for the clarity it will bring you after its done. Whether you have a small desk in your guest room, a corner of the dining room table, or the corner office in the high rise, your productivity will increase by eliminating these distractions.

SPRING CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER

While it's true that I don't like physical clutter, I am a serial saver—at least as far as online articles are concerned anyway. I've mentioned before on this blog that I love learning. And it takes no more than a few minutes on social media or reading through emails to have a dozen or so windows opened with things I want to read or go back to later. I'm also bad about downloading resources to my desktop and saving them there with the intention of going back "soon" to read them. Pretty soon my computer desktop is a mess, my email is overflowing, and I can't shut down my computer for days at a time because I need to keep all the tabs open. Anyone relate?

ACTION STEP: Decide how important things things are to you and make a plan to tackle them this week. I did this last Friday. I was sick and didn't have a lot of brain power for creating and problem-solving, so I focused on this project. It took a few hours, but my computer desktop is clean, my email is manageable, and I shut down my computer over the weekend. It's a great feeling! And guess what, I learned a few new things in the process!

If you just don't have the time, or know the piles will only get larger, then give yourself a break and start deleting, knowing that new information will soon come your way. If you do decide to sort it out, then start getting excited about the new information you're about to digest. Grab some coffee, an easy chair, your laptop, and enjoy the process. I found some new resources, learned a few tricks from fellow entrepreneurs, and watched two webinars for upcoming personal projects. I also did a fair amount of deleting. Whichever path you take, deleting or sorting, find the determination to just do it.

SPRING CLEAN YOUR MINDSET

This is admittedly the hardest. The previous two categories require cleaning out "stuff" which I think is a lot easier, or at least it is for me. You can also see the changes much faster. Now we are moving onto the real work. Remember I mentioned those pesky New Year's Resolutions/Goals in the beginning? Here's where we tackle those.

I am a very goal-driven, task-oriented person. And with this being my first full year in business, I had a lot of things I wanted to do. One of those was developing my first online course during the first quarter of 2017. Now if you mosey on over to that section on my website, you'll still find "Coming Soon!" as we head into quarter two. That is just one example, but I assure you, there are others. Now, I did hit one goal, which was to attend more human trafficking events this year. I've actually already made it to two. But for every goal I hit, there is at least one I didn't. Know the feeling?

It's easy to get stuck in the headspace that tells you that you're behind, failing, or never gonna make it happen. But I'm asking you not to. I have to ask this of myself regularly. And because you're working for a cause, it's hard not to feel the pressure of things left undone. Everything is important. But these are the times we have to stop, reflect, and reevaluate.

ACTION STEP: I'm going to give you two weeks for this assignment because it's more difficult, though, actually, it may take the least physical amount of time. In fact, if you get down to business, you might be able to do this homework in about an hour. But I think you need to walk around with the question in your mind, letting it occupy the back of your brain, for a few days or even a week.

Then sit down and reevaluate your marketing and communication priorities for the year. What were your goals back in January? How do they need to shift? Maybe timelines need to be extended. Maybe projects need to be put on hold. Maybe they need to move to next year. Maybe they just need to be scrapped. That's all okay.

First, determine your big priorities for the year. It's quite possible they've changed in the past three months. Then, assess the resolutions or goals you made and figure out which bucket they should fit in. Finally, feel good knowing that you've made some progress. After all, reevaluation is still progress. It's going to help you move forward.

NEXT STEPS

Okay, so you've cleaned your physical space, your digital space and your mental space—or you will very soon. It should feel amazing! It should give you clarity. It should bring a big smile to your face. You've just done some really powerful things.

By tackling these three categories, you've just set yourself up for success in your marketing and communications for the rest of the year. You'll be better prepared, focused and productive. 

We all get so hyped up come January. We're ready to take on the world! But life happens, work happens and we quickly realize that we didn't have a lot of control anyway. It's easy to get discouraged. That's why this spring cleaning is essential.

A New Year takes a little getting used to. So, when you take the time to stop, reflect, and reevaluate your current efforts, you can make the shifts necessary to lift the fog, get out of the funk, and tackle that To Do list.

Oh, and once you've done your homework, don't think you're off the hook! The next step is to set a date on your calendar three months from now. The year will be half over, and it'll be time for a good summer cleaning!

Have you done anything else to spring clean your marketing and communications? If so, please tell me!

Need some help with your reevaluation? Contact me for a Communications Strategy Session. I'd love to get you on, or back on, the right track.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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How to Successfully Launch an Event or Campaign: Lessons From Hamilton

On Saturday, I had the absolute privilege to see Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway! After trying to get tickets for over a year and a half, it had a lot to live up to, and it absolutely did!

It was an amazing show, and it also has some important lessons to teach us about event and campaign launches.

"WAIT FOR IT"

Build buzz. Lin Manuel-Miranda actually started talking about this show back in 2008, when it was still mostly just an idea in his head. He had one song written, but he knew the show had big potential.

Lesson: If you're excited about your product or launch, talk about it and get other people excited too. Start with your circle of insiders and biggest fans. And especially if you're trying to sell something, these early conversations will help you decide not only if there is a market, but the value of it as well.

"I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT"

That one song? He sang it at the White House. He was invited there to perform, but instead of singing one of the songs from In the Heights, his hit show at the time, he decided to test out this new material. What better place to talk about a Founding Father? President Obama's reaction to the concept? "Uh, good luck with that." Ha! But then he belted out the title song, "Alexander Hamilton," and people were ready to line up for tickets—years before it would open.

Lesson: Look for unique opportunities to talk about your product or event, even far in advance. This will allow you to build anticipation. And don't forget to include the influencers in your life. Let them help you get the word out as needed. It will add credibility, and help get you in front of new audiences.

"NON-STOP"

From the time Hamilton opened Off-Broadway in early 2015, I heard about it everywhere! On TV, from friends, on social media. It moved to Broadway just a couple of months later, and immediately sold out for months at a time—as it still does. And almost two years later, people are still talking about it. Not only do they have an email list and soundtrack, but they have additional merchandise at the theater and online, and they also released a Mix-Tape last year with celebrities singing some of the popular songs. This gives fans who've already gone something else to remember it by, and people who haven't yet been, and chance to feel included while patiently waiting for tickets and the traveling tour.

Lesson: Whether your event or product has a defined timeframe or an open one, you've gotta hit the marketing hard. Use every available avenue to talk to your fans, potential fans, and their friends. Word-of-mouth still has the strongest return on investment, but there are multiple options for reaching your target audience, and it will likely take a combination of all of them to get the job done. Be creative and consistent. 

"RIGHT HAND MAN"

In the emails I received about the show and in the program, there were always ads by relevant services and destinations. In the emails, it was usually about other Broadway shows and ticketing partners. In the program, there were several ads about American Revolution museums, vacations in the Caribbean where Hamilton grew up, or other Broadway shows.

Lesson: When it's right for your event, product or organization, consider building partnerships. These can be short- or long-term. Maybe the services or products are complimentary, maybe the person is speaking at your event, or maybe they just love what you're up to. Just like influencers, partnerships have the ability to put you in front of new audiences and expend your reach. Just remember, it needs to make sense for both parties and be valuable to your audience.

"ONE LAST TIME"

I was finally able to buy a ticket last June, so I had nine months to wait before actually attending the show. Because it was so far in advance, the tickets weren't even ready at the time of purchase. So, a couple of months later, I received an email that my tickets were ready. I still had a few months to go, but I got excited all over again! And a few days prior to the show, I received another email with helpful information about getting to the theater, some Q&A and a digital "Hamilton Tour of NYC."

Lesson: It's not over till it's over. Just because you have initial buy-in, don't dismiss the opportunity to talk to your audience, delight them all over again, or get in on the countdown. And always be helpful. By anticipating people's wants and needs, you'll be the hero.

"BLOW US ALL AWAY"

Like I said, I waited a year and a half to sit in those seats. By the time I did, I knew the music, watched a documentary, and been consuming all kinds of info on A.Ham and the American Revolution. So, not only was I well prepped, but I had very high hopes. However, I knew they wouldn't let me down—and they didn't.

Lesson: You can have an amazing launch, but if what you're actually marketing doesn't deliver, you'll lose the confidence of your audience, and they'll be less likely to follow you down this road a second time. Make sure your product or event has a solid foundation to stand on.

"YOU'LL BE BACK"

On my way out the door, it was all I could do not to purchase every piece of merchandise I saw! I managed to restrain myself, but I did snag another picture of the marquee on my way out, just to make sure I had a really good one for Instagram.

Lesson: After your launch, be sure to follow through. That could mean a survey, or a thank you, or asking people to take some sort of next step. But don't let the experience end with the purchase. Use the purchase to extend the experience.

What are your best practices for a launch?

Do you have an event or product launch coming up? If so, I can help you with just the writing portion, or I can be a little more hands-on and involved. Just let me know how I can help!

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Marketing Strategy Made Simple

It's week six of the "Foundations" series! Wow, I can believe we're already at the end of the first series on this blog! I will undoubtedly have other topics to include here over time, but I feel like we've covered the absolute basics that you need to begin, or get back on track with, your marketing and communications. With these things as your foundation, you're in a really good place to start building, creating, and planning.

Speaking of planning, today's tip is all about strategy. I think a lot of small, cause-focused organizations get confused or tripped up on their marketing and communications because they don't have a strategy in place.

IT'S HARD TO BEGIN IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO END.

The good news is that you don't need a dedicated, full-time marketing employee to create a strategy. You will, however, need advanced time and thought. It's a matter of putting in the work ahead of time knowing that it will reward you later.

HAVING A STRATEGY SIMPLY GIVES YOU DIRECTION.

Here's an example. Like you, I wear a lot of hats. And one of those is new business owner. The last few months have been FILLED with decisions, and at times, that was overwhelming to say the least. I'd been writing blog ideas in Evernote when they came to me, but it was just a list of bullet points in no particular order.

Then came the creation of this website, and with that, the writing of it. So, I put off writing the first blog post because I already knew it would have an introductory focus. Past that, I was too in the weeds to consider anything else. But I also knew I wanted to have several blog posts up when the site went live. Again, other things seemed to take priority. Because, you know, there are ALWAYS immediate needs fighting for control of your time.

Soon after, I reached a decision point. I really needed to start adding other blog posts because the site was about to go live, but hadn't made any progress on what the topics would be. But I thought that I had a great list to choose from, and I'd just pick a few important topics to roll with as needed.

And then, ladies and gentlemen, I remembered that I was a marketer . . . 

Um, hello!

That was completely the wrong approach, and I would do us both a disservice if I just winged it. So, I stopped, took a deep breath, moved to a quiet location, and started putting together my content calendar. This action gave the blog and social media a strategy.

Yes, it took time I didn't think I had. No, it wasn't easy, even for someone who's more used to marketing than you may be. Yes, it was totally worth it.

By taking the time to start creating my content calendar for my blog and social media, I feel more prepared each week to tackle what's ahead. I know how every piece builds on each other, or what I'm pointing you to in order to better help you shape and share your message. And I understand that when I have a strategy in place, I'm best utilizing both my time and yours. 

IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY GIVES EVERY DAY FOCUS AND PURPOSE.

I know that most days, many of us feel like Indiana Jones being chased by that big boulder. We think that if we stop, even for a minute, we're going to get squashed. Some days, yes, that may be more true than others. But if we keep letting those immediate needs dictate our time, we'll never move into a more productive cycle. And that does ourselves, our cause, and our supporters a disservice.

It also means that our marketing and communications efforts will always be reactive, never really going anywhere. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but it could mean stagnation (or loss) of sales or support, and that most certainly is a big deal to you.

I know people who have crazy detailed strategies for their marketing and communications. They have marketing plans and content calendars and detailed budgets and all the things. I want to be them when I grow up. And I'm working on it. But I'm still getting my legs under me as a new business owner, and it's going to take me a while to get there. If you think that's what you have to have too, and you find that discouraging, take heart. Start simply. Think about this month, or even just this week.

Set aside some time to put your strategy in place. If you can find an hour, make that a really productive hour focused on the very short-term. If you have a half day, think further out. If by some miracle you can find an entire day, think six months or a year out. But make this time intentional. Remove distractions. And after it's done, reap the benefits. I promise, you'll see them.

And if you need some assistance, I'd love to help. I get all kinds of giddy about helping people think through and create strategies. Nerdy, I know, but hey, we all have our gifts!

Additionally, I've created a sample content calendar that you can use for your planning. I'll talk more in-depth about a marketing plan soon!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Get Organized

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Know Your Audience

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Know Your Audience

Not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting for a nonprofit's benefit dinner. We were brainstorming various ways to communicate the message for the evening, and make the big "ask" for donations. This was THE annual benefit dinner, so obviously, a lot of pressure was riding on how well this evening went.

There were a lot of smart people in the room. A lot of great ideas. And a whole lot of perspectives. 

So, how were we going to decide which idea to act on? 

I decided to ask a couple of questions that changed the conversation:

1. Who will be in the room?

2. How do they need to hear the information?

Turns out that this audience was actually a little different than the three previous years. This was the first benefit dinner in which a lot of new people would be in attendance. Previous years had included a lot of friends, family, and personal connections. This year, there were new partners, more sponsors, friends of friends, and a few others who were newly interested in this organization and their cause. So, they weren't as close to the issue as those who had come in the past. 

This meant they needed to be spoken to not as insiders, but as those who were just learning about the organization and its cause—because that's exactly who they were. 

And given the answer to the first question, how did they need to hear the information?

We actually decided to do this in a few different ways based on learning styles, attention spans, and wanting to spread information out over several hours to be less overwhelming. First, we had an interactive exhibit which brought the issues to life as people entered the doors. Second, we decided to include not only video testimonies, but also have the people in the videos there to meet attendees. Third, the founder and his son gave a compelling "ask," which included some background on how they started the organization as a family, and how it's grown. And finally, as they exited, those in attendance were given a keepsake and a handout with next steps.

All of these things wouldn't have been necessary if the audience had been filled with people who were already familiar with the organization and their mission. 

KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE DETERMINES HOW YOU COMMUNICATE YOUR MESSAGE.

But, of course, before you get to your "how," you have to know your "who."

One of the most popular ways to know your audience is to develop a persona. That is, give your "who" a name. There are some marketers who get super detailed about their persona. They delve into every facet of this "person's" life—their spouse's name, the type of pet they own, what they wear on a Tuesday, their birthplace, etc. It sounds a little like coming up with an alias, which I kinda dig. Often, this are fictional personas that represent large groups of people. However, mine isn't that complicated. Maybe that's because I have two personas . . . which can likely lead a number of jokes about having multiple personalities.

But way back in blog post numero uno, I gave some background on why I started SIGNIFY, and who I started it for—my friends. So, because I speak to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, I have two actual, real-life friends that represent each of those areas. Much of what I've been talking about on the blog has come from conversations with them, or people like them that I've met or helped along the way. That makes my audience persona(s) easy. I write and create content that I think they'd find helpful and useful.

WHEN YOU IDENTIFY OR CREATE A PERSON TO REPRESENT YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU CAN SPEAK TO ONE WHILE SPEAKING TO ALL—AND ACTUALLY BE HEARD.

You have a great message. I know that, and you know that. But do you understand who your audience is, and how they need to hear it?

The chief complaint I've heard about this process sounds something like this, "But our organization (or product, etc) appeals to everyone. Why should we narrow that down?"

In theory, it's a great question. You don't want to feel like you're eliminating anyone that could support or advance your cause. 

But it's actually quite short-sighted. There really isn't one thing that appeals to everyone. Not everyone shops at the same stores, eats at the same restaurants, buys the same phones, wears the same closes, donates to the same causes . . . you get the point. That's why we have variety. Otherwise, we'd only have a couple of options for each of those things, and we'd never be overwhelmed on Amazon again.

You can't speak to everyone. You need a message that's tailored to someone. When they read your website, or open your emails, or see you on social media, they need to feel a kinship with you. They need to relate to what you have to say. Giving them that kind of connection is what turns them into fans, or buyers, or donors.

WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR AUDIENCE IN A WAY THAT COMMUNICATES YOU UNDERSTAND THEM, BOTH IN WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT, YOU CREATE A RELATIONSHIP. AND RELATIONSHIPS TURN FOLLOWERS INTO FANS.

This is a process that grows and gets shaped over time. And the good news is that if something isn't effective, you can always try again!

I've created a resource for you to continue working through your "who" and "how."

Let me know how it goes!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Get Organized

• Strategy Made Simple

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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