by admin | Oct 9, 2019 | Blog
One of the most enduring challenges many of my clients face is getting their clients on board with a public relations program.
It happens to healthcare vendors all the time.
The sales team inks a major deal with a large health system or a long-time hospital customer reports transformative results with your solution.
These exciting developments course through your company and the promotional machinery is set into motion. Press releases and media alerts are drafted. A steady cadence of pitches for bylines, case studies, and interviews are knitted together into a cohesive, multi-pronged strategy that aligns with concurrent plans developed by marketing, social media, web development, sales and internal communications.
Suddenly, a single e-mail or phone call brings the entire endeavor to a screeching halt. Your customer doesn’t do PR with vendors.
I’ve been burned by that stove a couple of times. What follows isn’t a sure-fire recipe for folding an end-user into your client’s PR program. No such recipe exists. However, with a bit of foresight and planning, you can reduce the chances of a hard no.’
1. Do Your Homework. A big part of PR is relationship building. A quick huddle with your client’s PR department and agency is great for setting boundaries about what they will or won’t participate in. It also helps to have a granular understanding of how that client approaches public relations. For example, many organizations have firm policies against promoting the vendors they use in day-to-day operations. This might imperil the chances of a press release, but could open opportunities for other kinds of content, such as speaking engagements, vendor-neutral interviews and carefully curated thought leadership.
2. Set the Table. Successful end user public relations actually start with the sales team and account managers who onboard new clients. Do your contracts include language about PR participation? Most clients would understandably balk at being required to participate in a full-fledged PR campaign, but many contracts have a line or two mandating that a press release be distributed within 60 to 90 days of signing the contract. Sales teams are also great for understanding the best way to approach a client with a public relations strategy.
3. Sell Their Story. Positive media coverage can be used by the health system to promote this new capability among existing patients and the broader community. As an industry, healthcare is unique in the level of fellowship and collaboration it inspires. Healthcare providers have a passion for sharing new ways to meet complex challenges. Creating a client-centered strategy that focuses on the organization’s journey and perspectives could open more doors than a strategy that blatantly promotes the vendor.
4. Be Strategic, Not Tactical. Any client who is participating in your PR efforts should have a voice in the actual strategy and tactics. This thinking goes beyond press release approval. It includes how and when they will be positioned and prepared for media interviews, speaking engagements, or other opportunities. Establishing a regular cadence and open line of communication with your client’s marketing and PR team ensures that you both make the most of your public relations efforts.
5. Start Small. It’s tempting to be aggressive with new client public relations because the opportunities seem endless. But broad programs are easy to reject. Too much time, too many resources. There’s nothing wrong with creating an ambitious program but reveal as much as you need to at the time. Start with small but measurable wins to build up a relationship.
Your company’s clients are a critical and bountiful resource for your PR and marketing program. They offer third-party validation for the efficacy of your solution within the industry. They act as vendor-neutral sources for editors and reporters in the trade and business press. They provide real-world solidity to the larger trends and narratives impacting healthcare in the United States.
Though your clients may understand the value they could bring to your PR strategy, that doesn’t mean they will go along with it. Communication with your clients about PR initiatives not only clears up misunderstandings but also helps establish with your client boundaries and a level of comfort about deliverables being created with their name and reputation affixed to it
by admin | Sep 11, 2019 | Blog
Anyone who has ever worked on a rebrand can agree on one thing. It’s a LOT of work.
A rebrand can easily become an arduous process – from finding the right design inspiration to obtaining strategic direction to developing succinct messaging and finally to crafting the right finishing touches to make it all come together. And that’s not taking into account obtaining executive buy-in.
When you initiate and execute a rebrand, you’re not only changing the entire visual identity of your organization, but you’re reintroducing how prospective employees and customers will find, recognize, and perceive you. But fear not. There is a way to make this process and transition – smooth enough to stay connected with your customers, employees, investors, and prospects.
How to know when it’s time to rebrand
- You’ve gone through a merger, acquisition, and/or divestiture
- You’ve recently repositioned your business i.e: new sales strategy, etc.
- Changing markets. Have you exited a former market? If so, your brand identity may no longer make sense for your current target audience.
- Does your brand have a negative reputation? Is your NetPromoter score indicating client dissatisfaction? Have your win/loss studies found clients think your company’s message or position is disjointed?
- Is there market confusion? Does another company have a similar name or brand identity? If so, it’s time to consider differentiating your offering.
- Have there been recent changes to your executive leadership team? With new leadership may come new direction, and thus, a need for a new brand.
- Is your logo/brand identity outdated or stale amongst your competition?
If you’ve answered YES to one or more of the questions above, it’s time to consider moving forward with a rebrand.
We need a Rebrand. Now What?
Audit. And audit once again.
Before you get too far over your skis, it’s helpful to conduct a thorough brand audit. This will improve the odds of success and ensure you’re operating from a place of “knowing” rather than “assuming” when it comes to the many, many aspects of your rebrand.
Through the execution of surveys, customer interviews, a brand sentiment analysis, and comparisons of NetPromoter Scores, you will gain a clearer understanding of how your organization is performing. Understanding where you are today will then enable a more informed decision-making process to get you where you want to be.
Build for change.
The struggle is real when it comes to building for change. During one particular rebrand I worked on, the healthcare technology company spent millions of dollars rebranding their organization to give themselves a “fresh look” without taking one major consideration into play.
Healthcare and technology are two of the fastest growing and ever-evolving markets in the United States economy. Suffice it to say, things change. Quickly.
After only six months of phase one roll out, they quickly realized their business model was changing due to a planned acquisition and the new branding no longer fit the expanded offering of the organization. They had inadvertently pigeonholed themselves into a brand they outgrew at a rapid pace.
My client had to invest even more time, resources and funding to ensure the second phase of their rebrand delivered a result that was not rigid or fixed. The most successful rebrands are built to withstand the test of time, allowing for the ebb and flow that is guaranteed when you’re operating in a consistently changing landscape.
A Get real.
The best brands keep it real. Honesty goes a long way just think about the credibility McDonald’s earned years ago when they decided to reveal the ingredients in their burgers and French fries. Brands who stand for something also gain traction among clients and prospects.
Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear brand with a cult-like following, saw a jump in their annual revenue to the tune of $600 million after going public with their ecological sustainability initiative.
Whatever your “real” is, be that. Let’s get away from stale websites chock full of stock images, basic color palettes, and over-used marketing buzzwords. I think we’ve all read about innovative technology, tangible results, and dedicated account management.
Instead, use your brand as a springboard to add colorful depth to your offerings. Change the conversation. Create meaningful relationships. And carve out such a unique position for your brand that it becomes more effortless to rally your employees, customers, and investors behind that voice.
“A brand is no longer what you say about yourself. It’s really what a friend tells a friend.” Tina Sharkey, co-founder of Brandless
by admin | Sep 11, 2019 | News
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., September 11, 2019 Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing agency, has promoted Marcia Rhodes to the position of Vice President, the agency announced today. The promotion is the latest in a steady progression of responsibility for Rhodes, who originally joined the agency in 2013 as Regional Managing Director before being promoted to National Managing Director. In each position, Rhodes held many integral roles in client relations, operations and human resources.
As one of only two Vice Presidents in an agency that leans toward a flat hierarchy, Rhodes will continue to lead many of the agency’s client accounts, conduct media training and continue to build out the operational and human resources infrastructure that has made the agency a textbook example of the 21st century workplace flexible, nimble and tech-enabled, with strongly collaborative teams located throughout the country. Rhodes will also spearhead new recruitment programs to support the agency’s rapid expansion into digital marketing, analytics and event management.
“Marcia leads by example in everything she does, whether it’s working tirelessly to amplify our clients’ national and trade media coverage; onboarding new Amendola hires with her typical warmth and thoroughness; or making sure that our remote teams have the most up-to-date tools and processes they need for client success. Additionally, she is a highly respected mentor to numerous Amendola employees,” said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola.
She added, “Marcia has taken on the well-deserved role of Vice President with her usual commitment to excellence. I can’t overstate how much she has helped to shape Amendola’s ideal culture to become the agency it is today; one that is known for high-performance, harmony and intellectual curiosity.”
Rhodes is a recognized public relations and marketing communications leader who has honed her skills over more than two decades. She has served in PR executive leadership roles in companies that, in addition to six years at Amendola, include WorldatWork, Six Sigma Academy, and Accenture, where she worked for 11 years.
Not only is Rhodes skilled in securing broad media coverage and coveted awards and speaking slots for Amendola clients, her own insights have been featured in publications that include the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun-Times, San Jose Mercury News, Columbus Dispatch, The Houston Chronicle, The Arizona Republic, Phoenix Business Journal and several trade publications.
“This is such an exciting time for Amendola; our agency is growing as we continue to add the most innovative companies in healthcare to our client portfolio. It is a joy to recruit the best PR and marketing talent and set them up for success with what I believe is the most flexible, supportive and dynamic agency in the industry,” said Rhodes.
Amendola has a policy of promoting from within whenever possible. To nurture future leaders in the agency, employees are encouraged to regularly learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. Amendola also has a strong culture of mentoring and teamwork that further contributes to professional development. Each employee is assigned a “champion” or mentor, and teamwide collaboration is a feature of every client account.
Rhodes earned a M.A. in International Communications from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of the Philippines. She has been honored by the League of American Communications Professionals (for web site development and a client testimonial video) and by the International Association of Business Communicators (for newsletter writing).
by admin | Jul 30, 2019 | News
Healthcare and Health IT full service agency Amendola Communications shares insights on preventing and mitigating a crisis, ending a publicity dry spell and proving that PR and marketing work
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 30, 2019 PR and marketing aren’t for the faint of heart. If we’re not trying to talk a reporter into writing about our company, we’re pleading with them not to write something that was spilled in an interview. One minute we’re confidently explaining how marketing will enable sales, only to find ourselves tongue-tied when asked exactly how to measure those efforts.
Fear not, PR and marketing pros: you can do this! Amendola, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing agency, offers one of the most informative blogs available for taking on our profession’s most persistent problems. Check out some of our top posts this summer that give insight on crisis management, getting more pitches accepted, and yes measuring all of our stellar results.
How to break a pitching losing streak
You don’t have to be a crack marketer to get that a product based on a market want is more likely to succeed than one that isn’t. On the public relations side, however, there’s a tendency to pitch stories we want a journalist to cover instead of the other way around. No wonder then our pitches go unanswered or directed to e-Siberia: the reporter’s junk inbox. So how do we devise pitches that uncannily match a journalist’s interests and beat? In this informative post, Amendola’s managing director shares his tips for pitches that do exactly that. Read the full post here.
Nix media interview nervousness
We’ve seen it happen time and again. Someone who seems perfectly at ease whenever we encounter them becomes a different person altogether in a media interview. Suddenly, their confidence is replaced with an uncontrollable urge to ramble on and on in a fruitless search of a point any point. Unfortunately, that’s one of your few spokespeople. What to do? Start by watching this very short video from one of Amendola’s media training gurus. Even applying just a few of her tips can make a quick difference. Check out the video post here.
Create a better crisis response plan
You’ve spent considerable time putting together a crisis management plan that, hopefully, covers all the bases. But something important feels like it’s missing something that could derail even the best laid plan if you can’t remember it. Here’s what it is: more of a focus on what to do before and after the crisis. One of the most important prior to a crisis having enough goodwill on hand to survive it. Read all of the essential components here.
Make sure your marketing and PR measures up
If you can’t measure it, it didn’t happen, according to a frequently repeated maxim in our profession. Trouble is, when you try to figure out how to measure your own campaigns, you often wonder if you’re doing it right. There seem to be so many different opinions out there on the topic, and so much confusing lexicon. Until this blog post from an Amendola expert on PR and marketing metrics. We should all keep this terrific list on hand that details the top metrics that prove the impact of marketing and PR. Access the full list here.
What’s in a blog? In the Amendola blog, quite a bit! We cover all aspects of public relations and marketing, tackling difficult subjects with tried and tested strategies. A go-to source for communications professionals, the blog publishes on a weekly basis and features subject matter experts in every aspect of publicizing and marketing healthcare and health IT companies.
Media Contact:
Marcia Rhodes, Amendola Communications / mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com
![[Your Business Name] Powered by Communication](https://acmarketingpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Your-Business-Name-–-Powered-by-Communication-1080x675.png)
by admin | Jul 24, 2019 | Blog
We’ve always heard that communication is key, but in today’s world it’s not only key it can make or break a business.
Nearly every minute of every workday we are communicating whether it’s internally with coworkers or trying to close the next big deal with a business prospect. We now have more communication vehicles than one could imagine. It’s becoming rare that people pick up a phone, much less engage in face-to-face meetings. Rather, most businesses rely on email, social media, media outlets, mobile apps, chat boxes, and texts.
Communication by the Numbers
According to one report, the costs of poor communication has hit $37 billion annually with large organizations (over 100,000 employees) reporting losses in productivity of $62.4 million per year. For a company with fewer than 100 employees, studies show a loss of $420,000 annually due to miscommunications.
Think what your company could achieve with $420,000 more a year.
While communication has always been a challenge for businesses, these astonishing statistics show just how much more an employee is overloaded in today’s workplace.
- Every day, 205.6 billion emails are sent; only one-third are opened [1]
- Americans spend 26 minutes a day texting and send 5.3 more texts than phone calls they make [2]
- 46% of employees leave a meeting not sure of what they are supposed to do next [2]
- 57% of projects fail due to breakdown in communications [3]
- 11 hours a week are wasted on poor email communications [3]
To make matters worse, studies have shown that different generations have different communication preferences. If you’re a millennial, you may be thinking IKR “send me a text, forget emails.” (That’s “I know, right?” for those of you who don’t speak text.) If you’re a baby boomer, you may just want to talk via phone or face-to-face.
So, how can you use the tools and methods available to you to better communication to co-workers and future partners or clients?
How to Succeed at Business Communications
Today everyone is bombarded with messages from social media, emails, and texts. To get the next deal or partnership for your company, it’s important to make every message count. How can you make sure your message is heard above the noise?
To succeed in today’s art of Business Communication, follow these simple steps:
- Actively listen and pay attention. Ignore the next email that just came in or the text that just appeared on your phone.
- Be empathetic and understanding. Everyone is managing multiple tasks and fires each day. Be aware that people aren’t starting their days from the same place every day.
- Assume good intent. Clients and prospects are busy just like you. Most people are focused on getting work done and doing what’s best. A brief response or delayed response does not mean that person is angry or ignoring you they are likely buried in priorities.
- Don’t make assumptions. You know what they say when you assume. With much communication happening in writing, it is easy to misread a comma or a text message gone bad.
- Be self-aware. Know your own emotions and if you have a reaction that you feel strongly about, double check where you are mentally and what you have going on around you before you respond.
- Ask questions. Work under the guidance that there are no dumb questions. If you don’t know what the person is communicating or you are confused, ask for clarification. Asking questions will ensure that you and the other person/s are on the same page.
In summary, communication takes practice. No one will ever get it right all the time. We leave you with these pearls of wisdom.
[1] https://www.bluesource.co.uk/knowledge-hub/20-astonishing-stats-business-communications/
[2] https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/280301
[3] http://blog.twoodo.com/1088/snackable-stats-about-company-communication-and-collaboration-today/
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