Archive for the ‘Strategic Communication’ Category

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Tips for Reps & Vendors for Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

I work at a communications agency. If I had a nickel for every time a media rep or potential vendor called to sell his/her product or service to one of our team members, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t have to work. 

And because part of my everyday routine involves speaking to these reps and vendors, I thought I might spend some time explaining the best way to get past me—the gatekeeper—in order to get to the person with whom you’d like to speak. 

1) If this is your first time calling our agency, PLEASE do your research before calling. The great information super-highway has plenty of information about my company (and many others for that matter), and it also has information about our team members’ responsibilities and areas of expertise. Chances are you can determine who it is you want to speak to before you even dial our number. I’ll make it even easier in this blog post. Click here for a link to our team members’ information. 

2) People are busy. You are probably busy, and as it happens, so are many of the people you are trying to reach. After you are informed that the person you’d like to speak with is unavailable, it is not in your best interest to try to sell me on your product or service for the next 20 minutes. The person who is unavailable to take your call is still the right person with whom to speak. Simply ask to leave a voicemail, or better yet, ask for their e-mail address, and then proceed to directly communicate with the correct person. 

3) Harking back to the point I made in #2, people often become busy. While we understand that the product or service you’re calling to speak with us about is wonderful in its own right, chances are it may not be our most immediate priority. Calling back once an hour (or even once a day) is not appropriate. In fact, it is downright annoying, especially for the person who answers the phone. Please be patient with us and we will get back to you as soon as it is convenient. 

4) If you happened to have missed a call and it was from our phone number, please do not call back and ask me to track down the one person who made that call. If he or she did not leave a message, there is a good chance that he or she dialed the wrong number, realized it, and promptly hung up. 

5) Please do not call just to ask how long one of our team members will be in a meeting. Unfortunately, I often do not know the answer to this question, so one or both of us usually ends up frustrated/annoyed at my response. If you have an urgent matter, please leave a voicemail or send an e-mail to the person who needs to respond quickly. We understand urgency and deadlines, and we are happy to respond to your request as soon as we are available. 

As I wrap up this blog post, the thought just hit me that these tips probably apply to anyone who sells in their line of work. And that encompasses most people. So please enjoy my tips for effectively getting to the correct contact. If it makes a difference for just one reader, then I’ll feel like I’ve done my job.

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Team Conan vs. Team Leno—But who are the real losers here?

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

In light of the recent news about the agreement between Conan and NBC, I feel the need to get my opinion off my chest regarding this whole debacle. 

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know about the recent drama between Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, and perhaps more importantly, NBC and its audience. This issue has polarized our nation to the point that many of my friends on Facebook now have pictures of Conan O’Brien as their default picture to show their support for him. (It’s actually kind of interesting… maybe a little sad… that this is how I now determine which side of an issue someone is on. I digress.) 

Regardless of which host you prefer, the fact that Leno has been selected to host the show has little to do with the real issue here. There are two “biggest losers” in this situation—one loses because it was not consulted before a decision was made, and the other loses because it did not do the consulting before a decision was made. 

Would it have been so hard, especially in this day and age, to check in with your viewers to determine who they’d like to see host the Tonight Show? In all seriousness, NBC hasn’t had the strongest audience share for some time, so it seems a little negligent to not even check in with those few who do still tune into your network. 

This brings up an important issue among people who are in the advertising, marketing and public relations professions. Your audience is still critical to the success of your campaign, and you’d be remiss to not test ideas with them before making ultimate decisions about the direction of your campaign. 

Doing a little research, even informal research, may seem like an easy step to skip at the beginning of a campaign, but I assure you, the best campaigns are borne of a study of your audience, your messaging and your delivery of those messages. Utilizing a research organization or communications agency makes a lot of sense (and cents) when you consider the money you save in the long-run not having to readjust campaigns that aren’t producing results.  (Ahem, NBC…)

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Strategic Communication Planning as Businesses Enter 2010

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

resized-tear-off-calendar-nc[1]Someone asked me last week to define public relations and its value proposition in the current economy.  This was in the context of the myriad choices available to prospective clients who no longer can invest in all or even many of the communication options available to them. 

We know about the comparisons to advertising.  We also know that social media has introduced a whole new element into the conversation.  And, at least some of us suspect that the traditional notion of proactive media relations, at least on the local and general market level, may not have the force or relevance it once did. 

But STRATEGIC communication … the development of messages, the identification of audiences and the channels of delivery … remain key cornerstones to any even potentially successful communication effort.  This is my definition and this is the scope of services we offer clients BEFORE we ever talk about the tactics. 

Way too many organizations still engage in communication on a tactical or reactive basis.  They respond to a sales pitch from a media outlet (advertising), or they respond to a negative situation that suddenly confronts them in the news. They haven’t set a platform or expectation among their constituents in advance, by pushing out information favorable to their business, brand or institution. They haven’t decided on a strategic basis for what they want to say, to whom they want to say it, and by what means they want to communicate.  In essence, they’re trying to drain the swamp while the alligators are either circling or snapping at their heels. 

These days there are no “magic bullets” or miracle cures for coming from behind or fixing something that’s broken.  The belief that anyone can make bad stuff good or turn a negative into a positive is wishful at best and self deceiving at worst. 

As business and organization leaders tear December from the calendar and look 2010 in the eye, they’d be well advised to consider getting out in front of things from a communication standpoint so that they won’t have to solve problems AFTER they crop up.  It’s called strategic communication planning, and it’s a really smart thing to do when resources are tight and competition is fierce.

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Team Member Spotlight: Lynne Frederick

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Lynne Frederick

Lynne Frederick

Every so often, Massey Communications will add a Team Member Spotlight to our blog. These Q & A-format posts will give our readers a chance to learn a little more about our team members, their passions, their interests and their areas of expertise. We hope you enjoy this brief look into the lives of Massey Communications’ Team Members.

Team Member Spotlight: Lynne Frederick

What is your role at Massey Communications?      

My title is President & CEO, but my role involves developing, coaching, motivating and planning for the agency. As president, I strive to ensure the execution of our strategic plans and policies.

What are the areas of expertise you bring to the team?

Through my past experience in working for companies like Xerox, GE, Ford and Sears, I gained expertise in strategic planning, business planning, marketing, development and client services. Business to consumer marketing was my primary focus at GE, but I also have experience with business to business marketing. In addition, I’ve done my share in the advertising segment from media planning and buying to writing spots and even managing production. I am thrilled to share my expertise in, direct marketing, marketing strategy & development, research and internet marketing with the team at Massey Communications.

What is the most exciting part of being President at Massey Communications?

The most exciting part would be having the ability to provide greater value to our clients and develop new paths for our team members and the agency that will bring us into the future. We are guiding the agency into a world of services outside traditional PR and beginning to focus on new areas for us, such as branding and marketing strategy.  

What do you consider the most important accomplishment of the agency?

The agency is evolving and our proactive movement and commitment to social media is a great accomplishment. We have a strong connection with social media tools such as Twitter and look to utilizing that source to provide extra value to our clients.

What do you see for the future of Massey Communications?

I see our agency moving towards more diversified and innovative strategies, as well as stronger customer service. We are beginning to focus on being more proactive and providing added value to our clients.

What do you see for the future of marketing, advertising and public relations?

Every organization must sell or market in order to stay in business and prosper, and consumers need to know about these businesses. So marketing, advertising and public relations will forever be an important element of a successful business plan. However, as consumer needs, wants and lifestyles change, so will the approaches and tactics of marketing.

If you could describe Massey Communications in one word, what would it be and why? 

Massey Communications is evolving. PR will always continue to exist, but it is existing differently. It is exciting to see our agency evolve along with the marketplace.            

When you’re not working, what activities/hobbies occupy your time?         

I love reading, playing tennis, watching the Red Sox and traveling to England and Europe, where I have previously lived.

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