Tag: Blog

Increasing brand awareness in a B2B environment? This is how you achieve it

Increasing brand awareness within a B2B environment is one of the objectives that is mentioned in most marketing and PR plans. As brand awareness brings many benefits, having this as an objective is not to be frowned upon. Companies with significant brand awareness are taken more seriously and face more opportunities than companies that have little awareness. Brand awareness ensures a certain position where other companies and businesses keep a close eye on you regarding trends and ideas. Also, potential customers and partners will be more likely to prefer doing business with you and you will attract high-quality applicants. Let us tell you how to achieve greater brand awareness within the B2B market.

Define your target audience
The first step to increasing brand awareness is creating visibility among your target audience. You have probably thought about who belongs to your target audience, but are you aware of the difficulties your target audience faces? Do you know which – business or non-business – goals they pursue or which (professional) media they find most interesting? It is important to delve into these matters. As a result, one will obtain a clear picture of the target audience and how to reach them effectively. If you are in need of help regarding this matter, then a buyer persona workshop might be interesting for you. Next, it is important to clarify what you want to transmit to your target audience. What do you stand for as a company? How does your product or service help your target audience?

Stand out!
The next step is to draw attention to yourself in such a manner that your target audience will not be able to ignore you. Keeping the current content overload in mind, one has to be creative in order to stand out. Luckily, there are several possibilities. Build a memorable campaign, share a unique vision or a controversial opinion, do innovative research or respond to current events. Even better, do all of the above. In any case, always keep your target audience in mind to produce valuable content that attracts and retains their attention.

The power of repetition
Standing out is easier said than done. An interview or thought-provoking opinion piece will draw extra attention, but it takes more than that to increase brand awareness. Prevent silence around your brand and make sure you are continuously visible. This way you create so-called memory structures. This means that the target audience links your brand to a certain value, need or situation. This requires patience and a long-term strategy. One does not remember everything that has come to his or her attention just once. To ensure that people remember your brand name and associate it with certain values, it has to come to their attention repeatedly. Preferably each time in a way that triggers the target audience.

What is next?
Undoubtedly you will want to know if all the effort is paying off. There are several ways to find out, for example by making sure that you can measure your total reach and the media value. Additionally, you can explore the Share of Voice or Share of Search on a particular subject. Do you prefer to measure qualitative results rather than quantitative results? Then consider measurement tools to determine the number of times you have achieved publications in tier one media or the number of times your core message has appeared in the media.

Getting started
In short: define your target audience, formulate a clear core message and create a plan that draws the attention of your target audience for a longer period of time. Are you struggling with finding the right core message? Are you not sure about how to reach your target audience effectively? Do not worry! We are more than willing to help. Turn to Marlin for our free PR consultation on how PR can contribute to your brand awareness. Or contact us at info@marcommit.nl.

By Pien Aldenzee, Marcommit

Times and attitudes are changing. Communication too!

Research has shown that, both in B2B or B2C, communication plays an important part when it comes to making a purchase decision. Nowadays, if you plan to purchase something, you’ll first go to the internet to look for information about the products or the types of solutions on offer. Based on your research, you’ll probably list potential brands. For a supplier, it is important to provide sufficient relevant information enabling its products or services to get on that shortlist. Further through the decision process, good communication is the way to influence the client. It is meaningful to use various communication strategies and various types of content, all the way through the buyer’s journey. This journey will probably start by looking for general information to get a first impression. After this, in the decision phase, more technical information will be sought but mostly a prospective buyer will want to know how other customers were helped with the products or services on offer.

An organisation needs to make all this information available through various channels and various types of media. The more diverse the channels used, the more chances the provider will have to be noticed and thus end up on the shortlist. In terms of channels, we can think of trade press (press relations), your own website, your own magazine, social media… What it comes down to, is to set up a valid plan and distribute suitable content through the right channels.

What should not be forgotten is that communication and marketing, in general, are a long-term investment. To write a few blogs, send a few tweets and then hope that you’ll be found by everybody, is utopic. A planned approach is needed, in a form close to an industrial process, and a consistent implementation of that plan.

Target groups

A company has to be positioned as inclusive in order for every potential customer to feel that she/he is in the right place and will be addressed in the right way, as nobody likes being excluded.

Quite often, when we speak about ‘inclusive’ we envisage groups that are difficult to reach, from non-dominant cultural backgrounds. It is obvious that the business world is attaching increasing importance to diversity both in external and internal communication. It is also clear that diversity and inclusion is receiving more and more attention but sometimes in more positive ways than others.

The ‘why’ of inclusive communication lies in bringing together all these diverse players where government, enterprises and media sometimes seem to stand on one side and clients and end-users stand on the other side. Today, inclusive communication and marketing are looking for mechanisms and ways to bring these groups closer together and therefore make sure their way forward is consistent, efficient and relevant.

A lot has been said and written about diversity in our society. If you ask someone what he/she thinks about the word ‘diversity’, the first answer will generally be ethnic diversity, because diversity is too often looked upon in a simplistic way. Ethnic diversity has been part of our history for a long time. But inclusive communication is of course not only about ethnicity. Gender diversity will probably come in second place although, in recent years, the attention for gender has increased dramatically.

Today, gender norms and gender identity, but also the consequences this may have for various people in our society are of great importance. In the term LGBTQIA +, ‘transgender’ is used as an umbrella for a series of different meanings. In our societies, it is impossible to know how many people identify themselves as LGBTQIA+. Therefore we speak about a ‘hidden group’. In some countries, they are even more hidden than in others although their voices are still getting louder. And again, in some countries, the law has already been adapted to these increasingly louder voices. You may not have noticed, but since 2014 on Facebook there is a choice between 50 different gender identities. And if you scroll through your Linkedin connections, you’ll see that, between brackets, she/her, he/his was added by cisgender persons… This should shine a different light on the term gender.

At the end of the day, companies should be able to do what they need to: generate a great turnover. Therefore, inclusive communication should seriously be considered as it offers real added value. The more people that a brand, products or services can reach in a relevant way, the better off a company will be. If today, a company doesn’t think about inclusive communication, it will miss an important part of its target audiences and that part is only getting bigger. As the world evolves to become more global, diverse and connected, clients expect their suppliers to evolve with them. For a company, inclusiveness is the tool ‘by excellence’ to prepare for a super diverse future.

Not everyone is an early adopter

A study by Accenture shows that especially millennials tend to prefer brands for which diversity is of paramount importance. In the research ‘What Women Want’ by Kantar Group, it appears that several well-known brands are not really addressing women in the right way. They don’t understand the women’s real priorities and seem to be quite far from this target public. Today, a company or organisation that has something to sell or to say, has to be aware that society has changed and will keep changing. The opportunities are there and inclusive communications is a way to bring them within reach. It is the only way forward for government, enterprises and various other sectors.

Inclusive communication is an approach that attempts to reach as many people as possible and to engage with them – also for internal audiences. The result is positive communication, free from stereotypes. In many countries, there is still a lot of work to be done in that respect. Organisations that decide to develop this expertise and apply it to their own marketing and communication strategy, will do pioneer’s work and end up and being rewarded in terms of market share, especially in those markets where the attention of highly diverse target groups is enormously valuable. Benefits of this approach will also be felt internally, raising visibility for the company among potential recruits, and in relation to other external stakeholders, such as investors. Companies that are implementing inclusive communication are not afraid of change, and to grow one should not be afraid to implement change.

Being 100% inclusive won’t be easy. New debates arise, identity elements that were never considered before can all of a sudden be questioned. A well-oiled organisation has to be able to respond to these challenges and this is just the beginning. Companies don’t necessarily need to hire an in-house specialist, this knowledge can successfully be found externally. With the right consultancy, the sky is the limit!

By Catherine d’Adesky, Key Communications

5 Ways to Turn Your Customers into Brand Ambassadors

We live in a review culture. People want to hear about new products and services from those who have used them rather than who is selling it to them. That’s why current, happy customers are an organization’s best tool in securing future ones and enhancing their reputation. Having a wealth of customer testimonials help to build a consistent, validated brand image. Read on for five tips for how you can turn your customers into brand ambassadors:

Ink the Deal

When writing up customer contracts, put the potential for media and marketing opportunities on the table immediately and aim high. Don’t stop for asking for a logo on your website; go for full participation in media and marketing efforts – quotes, testimonials, case studies, blog posts and Q&As. Even if the customer doesn’t agree to everything, you’re opening up a conversation. When customers ask what’s in it for them, remind them that it’s free promotion: they’ll be seen as smart business leaders, thought leaders and innovators.

Motivate Your Sales Team

Educate your salesforce, who are closest with customers and prospects, on what makes a customer-use case pitch-worthy. Through that process, reinforce the idea that it’s worth their time on this initiative as the customer stories speak volumes to prospects—and makes their jobs easier as salespeople.

Don’t Forget the C-Suite

It’s equally important to get the C-Suite on board with your efforts to reinforce the message that every customer is important. If executives foster a culture that celebrates customer success, that attitude will trickle down.

Create a Customer Advisory Board

When you treat your customers like partners, they trust you and want to see you succeed. A Customer Advisory Board is a good avenue to build those relationships. Customers want to feel that their voices are heard, especially by the companies they’ve invested time and money in. They will feel valued if you treat them like thought leaders and experts. Customer Advisory Boards gives customers an opportunity to speak freely about how they feel about your product or service, feedback that can be used to refine what you’re selling.

Conduct a Customer Survey

If customers are reluctant to speak out, so be it, but that shouldn’t prevent you from creating compelling data or storylines. Opt for an anonymous or blind customer survey to gather data on the value of your product or service and get responses from customers who are normally tight-lipped. If the responses are interesting, it can be a jumping-off point for a media campaign, blog and social media posts.

While skilful reputation management has always been key to the success of a brand, never before has the atmosphere of review culture been more pervasive. Work with your team on how customer stories can map to your brand’s unique objectives.

By Maura FitzGerald, V2 Communications

Podcasts are really taking off in B2B marketing

Put on your headphones

The facts
Podcasts are really taking off in B2B marketing: The results of the past five years are clear: Since 2016, the number of users has more than doubled. While 14% of Germans said they listened to podcasts regularly in 2016, the share was already more than 33% in 2020. If more than a third of Germans (similar figures apply to Europe) and more than half of Americans have podcast fever, then it can no longer be a temporary trend. It is a boom – a podcast boom.

The thematic areas
Podcasts are listened to on almost all topics. In 2020, of course, COVID-19 topics were the absolute front-runners with 83%. The midfield was occupied by news, comedy and sport & leisure. But also on supposedly drier topics such as health & medicine and technology & digital, around 39 percent and around 33 percent of Germans, respectively, were regularly updated.

Podcast in content marketing
This diverse mix of topics is the reason why podcasting can be classified as an ideal tool in content and online marketing. In addition, the Germans’ love of podcasts has not waned even in seemingly dry subject areas such as technology & digital, health & medicine or education. Below we have compiled the seven most important advantages of podcasts as a B2B marketing tool:

1. Podcasts strengthen expert positioning
Since the enthusiasm for podcasts does not diminish even with the supposedly dry topics, podcasting is also worthwhile for companies from the B2B sector. Because these companies often take a pioneering role in the tech or software sector. Podcasts can thus significantly advance the expert positioning of a company. One of the best-known podcasts that exploit the possibilities of content and online marketing to the maximum is the podcast OMR with Philipp Westermeyer (in German). Twice a week, CEOs of well-known companies, successful founders and media makers are invited to reveal their digital success mechanisms in an interview. Westermeyer has the formula for a successful podcast: No more boring car rides or sports sessions. Just subscribe to the OMR podcast and be part of it.

2. Podcasts are time enhancers
“No more boring car rides…” is an extremely important aspect of podcasts: the casualness of the medium. Podcasts serve as a medium in a fast-moving age that can be consumed whenever, it doesn’t matter whether you’re on the go or sitting at home. Podcasts are therefore ideal as a sideline medium, as a time enhancer for monotonous activities such as cleaning, driving or endurance sports, they promise “never be bored again”.

3. Podcasts are unobtrusive
One reason for its great popularity is certainly the fact that the medium is extremely unobtrusive and customer-friendly. The target group does not have to go through the hassle of registering (DSGVO sends its regards). No, all they have to do is subscribe to the appropriate podcast of their choice on a podcast platform such as Google, Spotify or Apple or download the latest podcasts via a podcast app.

4. Podcasts address very precise target groups
Another advantage of podcasts is that they are very pointedly tailored to the respective target group. In the past, the goal was to reach as many people as possible, but today it is more important to reach people who are really interested in the topic. Podcasting is ideal for this because a podcast on a niche topic such as online marketing or digitalisation of medical technology is only subscribed to by those who are really into the topic and understand it. This also has a further advantage for employer branding. Often, the attractiveness of a company as an employer is also shown in the podcast, which can turn listeners into potential employees.

5. Podcasts promote branding and brand loyalty
Podcasts are authentic and promote emotions. Be it the likeable voice of the host, the catchy intro music or certain other sounds or format characteristics characterise every podcast and make it unmistakable and unique. It is precisely these repetitive elements that trigger a sense of familiarity among listeners, which in turn influences branding and brand loyalty.

6. Podcasts are content treasure chests
Since podcasts usually do not deal with current topics, they can be archived very well and reused at different times, for example on certain anniversaries or as a focus of customer events. Podcast content can also be used as a secondary source via social media or on a company’s own website and thus provides considerably more visibility.

7. Podcasts are not (yet) mainstream
Podcasts were considered the marketing tool of the hour, especially in the B2B sector, in 2020. But still, podcasts are not mainstream in niche industries and companies can use them to positively differentiate themselves from the competition. The technical production and cost effort are limited, especially in comparison with video formats. In the USA, where the share of regular podcast listeners is over 50%, the production costs can already be financed with advertising. In Germany, that doesn’t work yet. So now is exactly the right time to position yourself in the B2B sector with a podcast. If you have any questions about format development and technical implementation, we will be happy to help you.

By Gloria Huppert, Media Relations Specialist, Fortis PR

Top 10 tactics for an engaging B2B news release

Per a 2020 Muck Rack report, most journalists receive at least one pitch daily, yet publish under five stories a week, with a quarter or less of their stories originating from PR pitches. Factor into this the idea that writers face intense deadlines and that top-tier outlets often receive 100s of pitches a week, and it’s likely that you only have seconds, not minutes, before a journalist gets distracted and forgets your pitch.

Adding to the challenge, PR pitching is time-sensitive, so while you’re trying to issue an announcement, the value of your news may be quickly dropping for reporters and your company alike. But all is not lost, and it is possible to gain a journalist’s attention.

To help you smartly craft and deliver your news, here are some essential considerations that can determine the success of a news release:

1. Select an appropriate subject

A B2B news release can tackle many topics, such as a new product/service launch or partnership, winning a new client or an award, a new executive hire, public appearances, philanthropy projects and original research. Once you’ve selected a topic, be sure that the release is succinct, clear and straight to the point.

2. Target the right audience

Lack of personalization or bad timing are top reasons journalists reject otherwise relevant pitches. To avoid this, make sure your pitch aligns with the beat and types of stories covered by the reporter you’re sending it to. It also helps to give a specific reason why you’re bringing that news to a certain outlet (e.g., it aligns with a trending topic or an upcoming issue).

3. Create a headline with a newsworthy hook

 A great headline can succinctly state what your announcement means for an industry or topic that readers care about. Creating such a headline can help you break through the noise alongside the competition or even larger brands.

4. Put the most crucial summary info upfront

Many readers don’t get past the first paragraph before deciding whether to keep reading, so writers should place the most vital info about the release first followed by pertinent details below.

5. Keep your pitch short, meaningful and succinct

Short email pitches are often useful when sending out news releases. Most journalists feel that pitches over three paragraphs in length are too long. With that in mind, it’s best to communicate everything you need to in as few paragraphs as possible or in under 200 words.

6. Utilize value-added quotes

News release real estate is limited, so quotes must add value in unique ways and often perform many roles. Some methods for creating value-added quotes include explaining why the news is groundbreaking, summarizing a challenge and how it’s being resolved, using a powerful analogy, using humour to express a strong opinion or connecting the news with an industry’s macro-level issues.

7. Include imagery

 Intriguing imagery can greatly boost the value of content. Instead of stock art, it’s often better to use an action shot of your subject or an original image that is appropriate, interesting and informative. Something in high resolution (300+ dpi if a jpg) is preferable and usually necessary for print.

8. Think about using video

 A video may accomplish more than text or imagery. If you’re making your own, try to keep the runtime under four minutes. To show professionalism, ensure a high resolution, at least HD, and make sure shots are not shaky. To attract and retain viewers, write an effective storyboard and script, and end with a call to action. You can host it on Vimeo or YouTube, so people are comfortable opening it.

9. Ensure the “About” section is well written

Boilerplates at the end of news releases provide basic company info that journalists often need. Avoid salesy language and clearly explain key elements like products and services, customers, company location and size, missions and accolades. You may also want to add a call to action linking to your website and keywords for SEO.

10. Time your news effectively

 Issuing a news release at the right time helps avoid being lost among the clutter. It can be best to avoid Mondays, Friday afternoons or the weekends when journalists may not be working.  Also, consider issuing your news just before or after the stock market opens. Time zones are another factor to consider. Ideal times may differ for different industries, so learn the important times and dates of your vertical.

Most journalists’ inboxes are overflowing, so it’s vital to ensure every piece of a news release is crafted exceptionally. This could be the difference that makes your news heard.

By Robert Brownlie, Bob Gold & Associates

About the Author

Robert Brownlie is an integral part of the team at Bob Gold & Associates (BG&A) located in Los Angeles, California. Robert leads numerous technology accounts, including NiceLabel and Opengear. Prior to joining BG&A, Robert’s professional experiences include editing and creating technical documents, proposals and marketing materials for healthcare IT and civil engineers. Before entering the compelling world of public relations and business-to-business communication, Robert tutored English grammar at Long Beach City College and attended California State University Long Beach, where he graduated with a degree in English and Technical Communications. His background enables him to effectively write and pitch content for clients and contribute to results-driven marketing and communications strategies.

4 ways to make social work (harder) for your business

If this year has shown us anything, it’s that the digital landscape is well equipped to handle adversity. In fact, studies have shown that the pandemic has actually boosted the digital economy.

From an individual perspective, we’ve used social media more this year than ever before, whether that was WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or LinkedIn. And not just for the usual stuff like keeping in touch with friends or watching dog videos (guilty). But for consuming news.

When it comes to business, the same is true. Which means organisations are or should be optimising the way they use social channels to get the maximum benefit, and connect and engage with their target audiences. It doesn’t need to be complicated or require a complete change in strategy. Instead, it’s about making social media work harder for your business.

Here’s how:

1. Stop thinking B2B

Gone are the days of separating B2B and B2C social media. B2B used to look to B2C for creativity and electrifying ideas. Now, B2B social media has firmly taken the creative reins and is delivering inspired, original and successful campaigns, without drawing on help from its consumer cousin. Which is how it should be because businesses understand that creativity is vital to creating thumb-stopping content that stands out from competitors.

2. Think mobile first

Both long and short form post copy have a place on social media. It’s all about presenting it to your audience in the right way. Like capturing your audience’s attention right up front to entice them to read the full post and respond to the call to action.

TIP: Did you know when viewing post activity on LinkedIn only the first 140 characters are available? LinkedIn will cut off your post with “See More” after this character count. Square and portrait social tiles also ensure domination when viewing the news feed via mobile.

3. Tap into new features

LinkedIn has dropped a number of new features this year. From LinkedIn Polls, Stories, Pages Posts, Events and Notify Employees. Mix up how you share your content on social media to get more visibility and drive results – all tailored to the audience you’re targeting.

4. Data doesn’t lie

Social media provides tons of metrics. When planning your social strategy, learn from what works, and what doesn’t, and make the changes. Beyond the numbers, tap into the quality of your data to understand follower demographics.

Moving ahead
Of course, social success should form part of your wider strategy which includes having the right content, talking to your audiences at the right time, and, of course, giving them something of value. That said, these four points are a great way to start the process of making your social media platforms work harder for your business.

If you’d like to find out more about this or how we can help, get in touch with the Whiteoaks Social Media team.

By Harriet Bolt, Social Media Manager

7 Reasons Why Video Will be Crucial to PR in 2021

Today’s PR agencies have an ambitious task at hand: break through the noise of a hyper-digital, multi-screen world. Not only this but maintain people’s interest in an industry where exciting news, research, and partnerships emerge daily.

How can PR pros elevate their strategy in a way that goes beyond the printed word? What determines a quick scroll from a captivated moment?

The answer lies in video.

Engaging, digestible, and creating new opportunities for coverage, video’s powerful form is quickly becoming the way to amplify your corporate PR strategy in 2021.

Here are 7 powerful reasons to prove it:

1. Video is Taking Over Digital Media

Video has never been more accessible, be it through our smartphones, laptops, webcams, or professional cameras. It’s this convenience that has created a major rise in video content and its demand. In fact, Cisco estimates video is expected to make up 82% of internet traffic by 2022.

Likewise, more platforms are prioritizing video as it becomes the most consumed and shared form of content. LinkedIn, a staple platform for most B2B executives, launched its live feature while Facebook announced its algorithm will prioritize videos to promote more meaningful interactions.

2.  It’s How News is Being Consumed

With the decline of print and digital newsrooms, news video consumption across social media and video platforms like YouTube has seen a drastic increase globally. This information is vital to PR agencies who must be on top of the latest trends in news consumption; extending their distribution strategy to video-oriented platforms will only maximize coverage visibility.

3. Video is a Magnet for Engagement

At the core of PR is an appreciation for meaningful connections. PR execs work hard to create attractive written material, but without video, they will be missing out on a huge opportunity for engagement.

On social media alone, video gets shared 12 times more than text and images combined. Forbes also reported that 59% of senior executives prefer to watch a video over text; that said, video could determine if a future client reaches out to your agency or a senior reporter responds to a critical pitch.

4. It is Humanizing

Many companies lack “a face” alongside their releases or stories, making it difficult for media and future partners to feel a genuine connection.

That’s where video comes in. Creating a video campaign is a fantastic way to go beyond the press release, and turbo-charge your key messages. More than anything, video spotlights executives and gives a human touch to their industry knowledge. Content like this is also strategic as it creates traction, helping to support placements and thought leadership articles across key industry trades.

That humanizing effect goes beyond thought leadership. Video helps make important conversations on social issues, company culture and other topics not just shareable, but memorable; studies have shown that viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading text, making video a powerful tool for tackling difficult topics, developing authenticity, and creating lasting change.

5. Video is an Effective Way to Repurpose Written Content

The ongoing pandemic has driven a demand for PR services that can help businesses work through a crisis or broaden their thought leadership during a time when digital media engagement is at an unprecedented high.

With fast turnarounds required to appease both clients and an ever-increasing online audience, agencies will find that repurposing their written material through video is an efficient strategy to produce a diverse portfolio of highly in-demand video content like vlogs, event recaps, interviews, webinars and more.

6. It Improves SEO

A website is 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google if it includes video, making it a crucial addition to PR agency websites and initiatives. Research also shows that a web page with video will cause people to stay 2.6 times longer on average. 

7. Virtual Events Will Continue, Even After 2021

While the future of in-person events is uncertain, 71% of marketers agree that virtual events won’t be fading out anytime soon. Virtual conferences are in fact more budget-friendly and immediately accessible to businesses. And with the steady advancements to both event tech and event experience, virtual event conferencing will remain a key networking opportunity for PR folks attending or producing an event.

Using these 7 reasons can help PR pros navigate the increasingly digital and complex world of public relations. As agencies head out of a largely remote year of communications and into yet another, it’s important to keep in mind that video will only continue to thrive as the most impactful, personable, and memorable form of content in the online ecosystem. Likewise, adding video to your 2021 PR strategy will not only create more coverage, but distinguish experiences that can lead to long-term partnerships, clients, and followers.

About Anabela Savulescu

Anabela is an Account Coordinator at Bob Gold & Associates and a graduate from University of California, Santa Cruz, where she majored in literature. She has a passion for storytelling and bringing life to content across an ever-changing media landscape.

A step beyond: what’s next for crisis comms

If there’s one thing that this year has highlighted to business, it’s the value of crisis communications and the importance of having the right strategy in place to deal with said crisis.

But before we start using words like “unprecedented” and “new normal”, it may help to take a step back and ask ourselves what a crisis is — the first step in dealing with one. Simply stated, a crisis is a significant event that results in high levels of scrutiny which has the potential to affect an organisation’s normal operations.

Looking at 2020, the defining feature when it comes to the crisis is that the pandemic has affected all organisations; it’s a global challenge. Yes, it has impacted businesses differently in terms of customer service, logistics, supply chain, etc., but overall, everyone has been affected.

That said, the basic principles of crisis comms still apply and haven’t changed. What may change, and certainly should change, is the way we approach planning given the benefit of hindsight and experience from the year so far.

A case in point is scenario planning; a successful crisis comms plan includes preparing for a host of potential crises e.g. an executive scandal, data breach or natural disaster. Now, however, and moving forward, we’ll be including managing the impact of a global pandemic.

Because one key piece of advice we offer our clients is that you shouldn’t do crisis comms planning during a crisis. It can lead to hasty (and poor) decision making and a less than favourable outcome for the business and its stakeholders.

Our current situation might be an anomaly, but it has demonstrated how important the core principles are:

• Plan for tomorrow
• Respond rapidly
• Work with local authorities
• Position your management front and centre
• Be open and honest
• Demonstrate concern and convey integrity
• Speak with one voice

It has also highlighted the importance of accuracy. During a crisis, it is crucial for businesses to only communicate what they know to be true. Speculation is never advised. Earlier on in the pandemic this came into sharp focus with many brands falling short after making bold statements about impact, job losses, etc. when they simply didn’t have the information available to back that up.

Brands that fared well include those that admitted what they didn’t know but balanced that with making it clear what their plans were to deal with the crisis.

Moving beyond 2020, it’s natural that the crisis comms landscape will continue to evolve, shaped by external factors — much like it’s changed from the 1990s (when it was primarily media relations focused) to now where multiple audiences are important and the use of social media makes it simultaneously more challenging yet easier to monitor what is being communicated.

While COVID has certainly taught us a lot, it’s the adherence to the basic principles and being prepared that will help organisations through. It’s about being proactive, understanding the situation and having the tools at your disposal (like the right message communicated to the right audiences) to ensure you’re addressing the crisis and demonstrating that you have a handle on things, even when there is information that you don’t yet know.

By James Kelliher, CEO, Whiteoaks International

Digital Trade Fairs – the new normal in 2021?

What have we learnt in this crazy year 2020? Video conferences are the norm, and so is social distancing with colleagues. Work in the communications industry is largely the same, but what it’s missing is personal communication. Customers are physically absent from the shops, at meetings and events. And of course personal exchanges at trade fairs is missing. A trade fair was always something exciting — setting up on time, getting customer invitations out, securing press atttendees. And now? Everything is different. Companies that were regulars at trade shows are now doing virtual events instead.

Help, everything digital!?

Practice has shown in 2020 that trade fair organisers were sometimes technically and conceptually overburdened to reproduce a presence fair 1:1 digitally. Starting with the fact that only a few trade fair visitors take the trouble to take a tour of several stands online. Often the hurdles are too high, for example when logging in or during the registration procedure. If the trade fair server is overloaded, nothing works and the patience of visitors and exhibitors is put to a hard test. As a result, potential customers have often only made a few selected appointments. Virtually, only a few visitors saw the whole exhibition, unlike a physical event. Both trade fair organisers and exhibitors draw their conclusions from this experience and will continue to develop further.

As an agency, we have advised our clients to take a digital trade fair presence seriously. The rejection of the stand builder alone is not enough. A simple Q&A with a spokesperson from your company during a digital trade fair is not enough. A trade fair appearance in digital format should not be underestimated. Here too, companies are in competition with each other, and there are always companies that make the perfect appearance.

In order to provide our customers with the best service, we develop comprehensive consulting packages. Our core competence, working with media representatives, takes place digitally. Media and advertising planning in advance is largely unaffected, whether a trade fair takes place in in-person or digitally. What was really exciting for all of us was the planning of the actual trade fair appearance. What does a digital room look like, how many rooms are needed and which employees are available? In close consultation and agreement with the customers, we worked out the customers’ trade fair programme together and supported them in a technical and communicative capacity.

In order to be noticed in the digital space, the package included the regular use of all necessary social media channels such as LinkedIn, Xing, Instagram and YouTube. In the run-up to the trade fair, we advertised in trade magazines, the same channels we would use for a physical fair. We also placed PR articles in the trade journals.

Lead generation with content

Anyone who goes to a trade fair as an exhibitor or takes part in it virtually must have something to report. As an agency, we offer advice in finding the right topics and in creating professionally prepared content. In contrast to real trade fairs, German trade fair visitors do not first and foremost seek personal contact, but are looking for really good content. They prefer to use the time they spend on your stand to consume your content rather than chatting with you. For this reason: the content must be prepared in such a way that it attracts visitors to the virtual stand and thus becomes the best tool for your lead generation.

The target group

You also need to know your target group really well. So well that you can assess how they will react to the digital appearance of your company. “All business is local”, and this experience was reflected in the Intergeo digital 2020. The international audience was much less afraid to log into an event live and with pictures via video.

Summary and outlook

At present, we see no way back to normality before the corona pandemic. Video conferences and home offices are now part of everyday life and it is impossible to imagine life without them. Physical fairs have been in crisis for quite some time now, and in 2019 there was already a hail of cancellations of fairs in Germany. The pandemic has greatly accelerated this process. We think that decisions must be made on an industry-specific basis. There are industries where a trade fair fulfils its purpose, such as an order fair in the fashion or sporting goods sector. In many other sectors, negotiations take place throughout the year and there is no need for a personal meeting at a trade fair. Transferring a trade fair concept 1:1 into a digital space will not work for everyone. Smaller and more flexible formats will be required in the future. Companies should not wait and see what the market offers them, but should take action themselves. Why not offer a roadshow or an in-house exhibition virtually. As an agency we are called upon here to proactively develop concepts for our customers.

By Petra Winklbauer & Liane Lahl, Fortis PR