How to Enhance Image and Brand through Electronic Media
Greetings!
This past Tuesday I was the keynote lunch speaker at Hodges University in Ft. Myers for the Southwest Chapter of the Public Relations Association. The conference focused on the various applications of electronic media to create a “buzz” about your company or organization. The speakers provided ways to incorporate electronic media, but as most of you know I am always thinking of how various applications affect image and brand.
I delivered to the group my five key points. These points will help provide a foundation from which to ensure the use of electronic media positively enhances image and brand. The following is a brief insight into the key points.
Please give your take on the subject and how have you seen electronic media used effectively and ineffectively.
#1
The “cornerstone” of the master marketing plan…your defined and desired image and brand….does the “buzz” fit?
First take a minute and think about the image and brand of your company or organization. You should be able to do so in three sentences or less. As you analyze any electronic media, determine if the “buzz” it may create is a fit within the master plan.
#2
The back room functions eventually reach the client…are they informed?
Use electronic media to ensure the back room operations and all employees know of the marketing campaigns, press releases, and all efforts. Nothing can take the “bang” of the “buzz” faster than an employee not knowing about the campaign and making a negative comment to the customer or prospect that “they never tell us anything”.
Use video technology to help communicate effectively and efficiently what marketing and public relations is doing to enhance the image and brand of the company or organization. This technology allows key personnel to be seen and heard and shows the passion they have about the success of the company AND the role each employee plays.
#3
How will this electric media benefit my business and my clients? This is the question to answer!
Start with answering the question of how this media will benefit the master plan, then for each point you make, identify three benefits. If you can do this, then move forward; if not, return to the drawing board. Maybe the time is not right for this particular media. Ask the same question of how it will benefit the company and how it will benefit the client.
#4
Can you stand the “heat of the kitchen”? What if the implementation of electric media is successful?
Remember the commercial where the employees gathered around the laptop and watched as their product had just been launched on the web? They longingly looked for a click or a “buy”. At last, the first click, then 15, 50, 100, 1000 and it just kept going, faster and faster. At that point, they all begin to stand up slowly and look at each other. You knew just what they were thinking….”oh my, what have we done?”
And one thing that electronic media can do that a direct mail campaign cannot is have your message sent to others. Your message may be forwarded to someone’s friends, family and entire database!
Make sure that you are ready to take the heat of the kitchen if your launch or campaign is successful.
#5
Can the use of this media create ICE (Interest, Connection, Excitement)?
How many of you have noticed an ice sculpture at a corporate dinner or on a cruise? I had several opportunities to observe many people as they watched in wonder the details of the ice sculptures. The sculptures brought interest and attention to the food, seemed to make the food taste better, and created an atmosphere for people to engage in conversation. Isn’t that what you want your marketing and public relations efforts to do? Of course!
So determine how each electronic media is going to create ICE. The target audience of the campaign should react with interest, it should catch their attention. There should be a connection between your target audience and the product or service you are offering, and they should react with excitement!
Electronic media is here to stay and will continue to change the ways we communicate with our clients, prospects, employees and the public. Use electronic media to your advantage!
Have a great weekend!Nyda
P. S. This was the topic of my show The Magnolia airing each Friday at 9am EST. Visit www.TheMagnolia.TV to watch.