How to make working together easier.

When you’re working together, the key to a successful partner relationship between an agency and an in-house marketing client is articulating goals on both sides. What does the in-house marketing director want out of the partnership? What role(s) will the agency fill? And for those on the agency side: what is the expertise that you are offering and how will it fit into the work and process of the in-house marketing department. Ultimately, what common goal is everyone working toward?

3 traits of a successful in-house marketing director (when working with an agency):

1. Treat the agency like a partner. Be available. Share the wins and the losses. Exchange information and best practices. Work united toward a common goal.
2. Let people do their job. It has been said many times – surround yourself with smart people and let them do their jobs. This is very true when working with an agency. You, as the in-house marketing director, know your brand better than anyone. But the agency will have deep knowledge in how to market your brand to the right people, at the right time, and in the right place. Take advantage of this expertise.
3. Be clear, concise and direct. Communication is key to a great in-house/agency working relationship. Having clear goals and being able give good feedback will make the process of creating great work run smoother.

3 traits of a successful agency (when working with an in-house client):

1. Be transparent. Give real world examples with data and KPI results to show that you know how to do this work successfully. Show and tell your successes that relate to your new client’s business to increase their confidence in your expertise.
2. Flatten your organization when it comes to direct contact. Allow clients to be able to communicate directly with different members of your team if they need an opinion on a specific matter. Shielding most of your agency from the client and running everything through gate-keeping account service people prevents deeper brand knowledge and deeper connections.
3. Prepare to collaborate. Including your client in the creative process will not only make the working relationship work better, the client will have the opportunity to “own” the idea with you. Then, you’ll have no better champion for your idea than your client as it moves up the C-Suite approval chain.

Growing your partnership and working together – in-house and agency – requires determination. First, be determined to recognize the value of the people that you are working with. And then, be steadfast in your determination to succeed together.

It’s time to go PTO!

It’s spring break week for most of the team on The Porch. For those of us with school-age kids, it is a time to break away from the daily routine and rigor. The memories of Spring Break 2020 linger, so it makes us more conscious to take a break — whatever that looks like. Staying home, road-trippin’, or flying away. Our kids need it, parents need it, employees need it.

There are many benefits of breaking from routine to go PTO. Here’s our top five:

1. Happy Teams. Breaks are happiness, happy teams create better, more creative solutions
2. Making Memories. Sharing stories is a porch favorite and vacations create the perfect environment to fill our story cup.
3. Improved well-being. According to a Gallup study those who “always make time for regular trips” scored 18 points higher on a well-being survey than the group that does not take a break frequently. The regular trip group had fewer physical complaints, improved quality of sleep, and were in a better mood compared to before vacation.
4. Brain Tune-up. Taking time off can be like getting a tune-up for the brain, improving your mental health and cognition.
5. Work Life Balance. Team members with balanced work-life are more efficient in completing assignments and less susceptible to stress. Helps with burnout, unexpected or unscheduled absences and employee engagement.

Take PTO or vacation if you can

There are so many benefits of taking time to recharge and reconnect. When you take time away from the stresses of the daily grind, it can improve your physical and mental health, motivation, relationships, job performance, and perspective. A vacation can help you feel refreshed and more equipped to handle whatever comes when you return. If you are on break this week, have a wonderful escape, if not, plan and take your next PTO. 

What have I learned from my classes at school?

As my academic journey nears an end, I am reflecting on key learning from classes. I’ve gained valuable lessons that I’m taking with me. The most precious thing I’ve learned from this path is realizing my strengths. My strengths are communication, technology, research, accuracy, and consistency. And I will strive to apply these strengths in my future work life.

Being part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

I am in my final semesters with good academic standing in school. Thus I was given the opportunity to participate in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. The GS10K Small Business is a prestigious program which partners small business owners with students. It’s a win/win for both the student and business owners.

To start, this partnership gives some students their first job experience. Next, it gives small business owners the opportunity to give back to their community – as a mentor, colleague, client or partner. First, the staff of Front Porch Marketing have become my mentors. So they continue to guide and challenge me. Next, they are helping me realize my strengths. And finally, I get to use the tools I am learning in school on the job to become successful beyond my educational journey.

Biggest key learning from classes: communication

Front Porch Marketing is a digital marketing firm that operates 100% virtually. Communication is key to the success of our company. Formally addressing people in email and text messages is an important business process. Prompt and clear responses keep projects moving and clients happy.

Beyond communication, I am learning time management, organization, accuracy and consistency. Often, organization and time management are crucial to success in a virtual environment. First, as a full-time student and part-time intern, I have to organize my files and time efficiently. Then I am able to meet my deadlines. I use these skills daily at Front Porch.

Finally, we also alternate writing on the FPM website blog. So this is my first blog post written for Front Porch Marketing!

What have I learned?

Technology is leading future work. For marketing, you need a desktop, cell phone, internet, and online meeting forums like Zoom and Microsoft Collaborate. And I use various software for this job including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. In addition, Mailchimp, Pipedrive, Word Press and Adobe Illustrator have become part of my weekly duties.

• I researched YouTube to learn how to implement and launch Pipedrive CRM. Pipedrive is a customer relationship management tool. It is a cloud-based software program designed to manage and track sales prospects, progress, and win/loss revenue. 
• I used Microsoft Excel to transfer data from Pipedrive into a report for updating clients contact information. I also retrieve other client information such as email addresses and physical locations from the Excel spreadsheets I build.
• At Front Porch Marketing, I keep Mailchimp updated for clients, monitoring and updating contact lists. Mailchimp is an email marketing software program.
• I use Microsoft Word to create and duplicate client files, letters, and reports. Here real world work reinforces key learning from classes almost every day.
• I can connect with others on Zoom and Microsoft Collaborate, which are virtual meeting platforms. We share information in real time for better communication.

Nearing the end of my classes: the final dance

After suffering through all the reading writing and arithmetic, this semester’s courses seem hand-picked. Lessons learned apply to the marketing field, and to today’s trends and current events. I am currently studying cyber security and the importance of securing devices. I am also taking PC Help Desk Support classes. Listening and writing skills are required. First, we learn to develop problem-solving techniques. Then, we relay what we learned to a customer or co-workers.

And most relevant of all, I am in the middle of Introduction to Digital Media. Many fields including marketing, movies, newsletters, and web design include digital media. We have completed projects that involved setting up and learning Word Press, creating our own website and adding a weekly blog.

As my journey continues, I have been blessed to have the best people at Front Porch Marketing to guide me to the finish line. Therefore I want to thank you all – you rock!

Working as public relations professionals, we have found that there are four key best practices for PR success to incorporate into your process.

1st Best Practice for PR: Generate Enduring Ideas

One of the most important best practices for PR is to always be generating ideas. First, this includes story angles, data-driven research, strategies, op-ed pieces, profiles and annual editorial reporting. Then, the consistency of coverage depends on innovative thinking. The client will not always have a newsworthy agenda to publicize.

It’s a Public Relations professional’s job to energize conversations that will keep the media interested. The goal is to keep clients in the news. Constantly have a pulse on what is trending in news and where the client can fit into a news cycle. 

2nd: Practice Proactive and Responsive Communication

Proactive communication is undoubtedly the key metric to illustrating your commitment to the client, and a best practice for PR. Once a pitch is active, keep the client informed of the progress. This will not only galvanize the process but also create a dialogue about what is working and when a strategy pivot needs to take place.  

As simple as it sounds, responding to an email and/or phone call immediately engenders a trust and sense of wellbeing with clients. And, it reenforces to them that they are always a priority. Make sure that queries are answered immediately, even if it is confirming that you have received the correspondence and will get back to them when you have an answer. And responsive and proactive becomes very important for PR success in crisis communication.

3rd: Demonstrate Transparency

Clients expect its PR team to have expertise when navigating the media and to pitch a story that will result in positive news attention. Clients also rely on their PR teams’ knowledge to let them know a story idea is not gaining the anticipated coverage. Conveying this is necessary even if the idea that is not working was the clients.

We are counselors, and clients deserve the benefits of our seasoned point of view that has been established in experience and best practice judgement.

4th: Zero In on Your Target Audience

When using an earned media approach, do not weaken a message by pitching too widely. Target the news audience by researching and then building a media list that covers a client’s business model. Position your client above competitors by taking their expertise directly to a targeted audience. And, customize the content so that news outlets are compelled to open an email and react to the call to action.

Combine These 4 Best Practices for PR

Use these tips to build a PR process and structure that will prove successful for clients. Build their business and your professional reputation with repeated consistency and counsel.

How do you get hired in marketing? Finding a job can be tough especially in marketing where competition is high. When you don’t know what companies are looking for it can make this process significantly more difficult. To make your life easier we’re going to go over some of the main attributes companies are looking for.

Interpersonal Skills

When you’re in the workplace how do you handle conflicts? Do you get along well with others? Interpersonal skills are your ability to have diplomacy and act professionally in the workplace. According to LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Weiner, the biggest skill gap in the U.S workforce is interpersonal skills. What can you do to solve this? Have good manners, show compassion, and be mindful of your body language.

Being Flexible

The world of marketing is always moving. New trends become the norm and old trends completely go away. It’s your job to stay agile and be able to adapt to these changes quickly. In other words, you need to consistently stay relevant to what’s happening. If you need to learn new skills then learn them.

Social Media Expertise

In the 21st century almost everything has a digital footprint. Especially companies. According to SCORE in 2018, 77 percent of the small business in the U.S use social media to facilitate sales, marketing, and customer service. The main platforms you should focus on are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and if you can pull it off, TikTok. Understanding the platforms and how each of them contribute to business is important if you to stand out amongst your competition.

Ability to Analyze Data

Data is everywhere. In order to be a valuable asset to your marketing team you must be comfortable with going into large amounts of data. Then be able to pull solutions from this data and visualize it with charts and graphs. How does it apply to the problem at hand? What are the trends? I recommend taking an excel class or get very familiar with using Microsoft Excel.

Writing Skills

Writing is incredibly important to marketing. If you cant convey what needs to be said in a polite and efficient manner you’re going to have a difficult time in the workplace. You’ll be writing social media posts, blogs, or tweaking websites, so it’s important that you grow as writer. This means double checking your work for grammar mistakes and checking to see if what you’ve written flows well.

Proven Results To Get Hired in Marketing

When companies are looking over your resume, you want to make sure you have highlighted some of your accomplishments. They need to know that you have a great track record of success. Try to highlight key metrics that you have impacted. This helps you stand out amongst your competition.

Conclusion

We know it’s hard out there. Learning how to set yourself apart from others can be challenging and stressful when trying to get hired. We hope this information helps you prepare and gets you ready for your future interview!

How to communicate corporate social responsibility for your brand

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business’ commitment to philanthropic endeavors and environmentally friendly practices. It is essential for businesses in 2022. Why? Sure, today’s successful businesses are “responsible” organizations committed to profits. But in today’s world they are also responsible for other higher callings. Their consumers now demand it.

Gen Z is all in with brands who demonstrate corporate social responsibility. First, younger generations thirst for buying these products. Next, they want to work for these companies. So CSR gives businesses an opportunity to engage with not only their consumers and their employees, but with the communities in which they live and work in a meaningful way.

Yes, deeper client and customer connections will follow.

CSR efforts benefit the economy, society and environment. They demonstrate how the organization uses its resources in broadly beneficial and ethical ways. Showing that your company or brand is a responsible partner, employer and neighbor will be key to business success going forward.

How does a brand communicate CSR activities?

Talk about your company’s corporate social responsibility with a CSR report. A CSR report highlights your organization’s achievements. It builds social responsibility into your brand’s identity. This report makes the organization accountable to its stakeholders. And it shows progress year over year. Then highlight how your company has saved energy or fuel, renewed land, or reduced their carbon footprint. Finally, showcase better employees work environments with safety initiatives. Also implement DE & I programs that promote equity in hiring and promoting employees.

Your CSR report’s content can then be repurposed all year long as social media assets. Highlight individual specific goals your company has met with this effort. Statistics and data can be turned into compelling visuals and narratives that speak to your customers, your client partners, your employees and your community. Communicate your social responsibility efforts in these ways:

• Email Marketing – create an eblast once a month or quarterly to key stakeholders
• Social Media – create content and consistently communicate, once a week or month
• Internal Communication – utilize existing intranet or internal emails to communicate CSR activities

What size business needs to show Corporate Social Responsibility?

A CSR report may be easier for larger businesses to execute. But, small to midsize businesses can do it too. These businesses are exercising the same values albeit in smaller, yet still remarkable ways. And that is worth talking about. CSR activities can separate your business from the competition in a truly meaningful way. So consider incorporating this important effort into your business.

Inquiring minds want to know!

TikTok is in the top six social media networks for 2022. Does that mean that your brand should have a presence? Maybe. Maybe not. To find out if your brand should be on TikTok, take a deep look at the components of your brand: your mission, your audience, your goals, your assets before you just jump right in. Having a plan for any endeavor translates into better success. This includes your brand being on TikTok – no matter how shiny it seems to you this moment.

The social media landscape is continuously evolving.

Social media can be scary to some people and some brands, but exciting for others. And, being aware of new channels and finding the next one for your brand is what a smart marketing leader does. Examine your brand before deciding.

Let us help you answer the TikTok question by asking a few questions.

Brands on TikTok?

1. Who is your target audience?
2. What are your marketing goals?
3. What are your marketing strategies?
4. How much potential does TikTok have for lead generation or driving potential website traffic among your target?
5. Do you have additional resources to support another social media network consistently?
6. Do your internal personnel have the bandwidth or do you have the budget to add incremental dollars to your agency partner’s fees to manage it for you?

There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to your brand on TikTok.

There are many brands who choose to be on TikTok because it is advantageous for them to do so in some way. But there are also many brands for whom TikTok is not a good marketing channel fit, and their needs are better met by other social media channels more appropriate to their audience, their product, and their goals.

Don’t get shiny object syndrome. Focus on the big picture that fuels the growth of your brand. If TikTok will be a part of that, it will be. You’ll make it happen, but maybe not this year. And that’s ok. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Plan for your future success first, on this and every possible marketing channel, and you can make the most of the social media channels that are right for you.

3 Lessons I Learned Working for Amazon

For as long as I can remember life has always been fast-paced. Going to school was always about keeping up and trying to stay ahead 24/7. Sports were always about learning while on the go. Even life, in general, was always about how little time we had to accomplish the tasks at hand, and once again I was able to experience this lifestyle working for Amazon, a company that only knows one speed, fast pace.

One of the biggest adjustments coming into the job of working for Amazon was how much responsibility you get right off the bat. With little time to adjust, I was thrown into my job and expected to keep up like the rest of our company. Just like life, I was expected to take the little I knew and find a way to succeed.

How to Adjust to a Fast-Paced Environment

Luckily I’ve had some great lessons about how to adjust to fast-paced environments, and I used these to help me succeed.

1. Stay as organized as possible. It is so easy to become overwhelmed with all the components of your job. It is important to find a system that helps you excel when you organize for the day. Take the time to keep all your ducks in a row, it helps you so much in the long run. Also, don’t be afraid to take extra time to get this right, slow and steady wins the race even in a fast-paced environment.
2. Be as flexible and adaptable as possible. This one I cannot stress enough, because it is easy to just stick to the things you know. Whether that is knowledge or process, it is easy to not want to adapt to new things and change. At Amazon, there were so many processes, in the beginning, I refused to learn because I didn’t want to change my method. When I finally decided to give them a try my entire workday changed for the better. Sometimes a little change can be beneficial, so embrace it!
3. Use all the tools given to you. This practice backpacks on being flexible and adaptable, and is so important. One of the first things I failed to do when I started at Amazon was use all of the different tools that were provided to me. Doing this made my work more difficult and made my day seem like it was so slow. When I decided to utilize my tools I was finally keeping pace and enjoying the process at work.

Working for Amazon Forced Me Out of My Comfort Zone

Amazon was truly an eye-opening experience for me as it forced me out of my comfort zone. It made me realize that working doesn’t have to be this thing you can’t stand every day. Instead by using different tactics and finding ways to work more efficiently, I was able to conquer my days and feel like I won. I think the biggest takeaway from working at Amazon was that when you decide to get past the working part and truly apply yourself, any job can be enjoyable.

Getting marketing and sales on the same page is critical to your brand’s success.

This month, we were honored to attend a client’s 2022 sales kick off meeting in Orlando to see this practice of harmonizing marketing and sales in action. Being with our client in this setting reminded us that cross-functional teams are one of the keys to maximize growth for business success. Smart business leaders and collaborative relationships fuel us, so we wanted to share our top tips for helping marketing and sales work together for greater results.

Sales teams typically focus on talking directly to the customer. The sales process might take a very long time, but the sales team will discover useful information like solving a particular problem, or what pain points a potential customer runs into. These insights can be valuable, especially to the marketing team.

The marketing team approaches the customer in a somewhat different way – focusing on the brand. Increasing awareness of the brand and these brand conversations typically take the form of websites, content marketing, social media and email marketing and advertising.

Often sales and marketing groups seem to have different goals: but in reality their goal is the same – grow the business. They just approach it in different ways. When you harmonize marketing and sales strategies you reap the benefits of shared data on targets and prospects, shared communication, shared processes, and working together to solve challenges that arise.

Four ways to start bringing your sales, marketing and even finance teams together.

1. Discuss with sales what marketing strategies and tools moved the needle in the previous year. Was it messaging, tactics and delivery? Something else? What did potential customers and clients respond to?
2. Planning is key. Make sure that marketing is supporting sales strategies. The marketing team should review annual sales plans and have a meaningful discussion on how they can support the sales efforts.
3. Agree on goals. Not just numbers and target customers, but the terminology. Are you speaking the same language? Using the same metrics and processes?
4. Make sure the finance team is not developing forecasts in a silo. Communicate with them. Just because they can access the CRM does not mean they can create real projections.

Marketing is only as successful as sales; and sales is only as successful as marketing. Harmonize marketing and sales to work together to success. Working together is more important in 2022 than ever before. It is by working together in harmony, that the greater good can be achieved.

As an account manager, I love the beginning of a new year.

In account management, a new year means a fresh start, not just personally but professionally! It’s an opportunity to put the struggles of 2021 in the rearview mirror and focus on what you want to accomplish in the year ahead. Maybe you’re committed to getting healthy or decluttering. Or, did you a pick a word that you want to embody in 2022? Like “Present”. Or maybe “Accountable”. Perhaps, “Grateful”.   

The start of a new year at work means a chance to re-energize yourself and get better at doing your job. If you work in the agency world managing accounts like me, maybe you want to focus on a few core skills that will make 2022 your best year yet as a successful account manager.  

Recommitting to excellence.

Where do you start? Well, we know the traits of a successful account manager are many. But I think we can all agree that no matter your career level or personal management style, there are skills that every effective account manager should possess.  So what are they?

1. Excellent Communicator. And Excellent Communication. Plus, Excellent Communicating. Saying it once isn’t enough. First, we are responsible for balancing the needs of clients with the resources of agency partners. Next, we communicate in every aspect of our job whether it’s through writing creative briefs, submitting change orders, or managing timelines and budgets. And most importantly, we understand our clients’ needs by actively listening and asking the right questions. Clear and consistent communication is invaluable in every aspect of our job.  
2. Organized. If you’re in this field, chances are high that you love a to-do list. I know I do! You’re always equipped with your favorite note-taking tools. You jot down important pieces of information all day long. You will undoubtedly glean insights others miss, with your excellent notes. In addition, you’re simultaneously juggling multiple clients. And your projects move forward while you make sure you keep everything on-brand, on-time, and on-budget. Whatever method of organization you prefer, exercising organizational skills is critical.  
3. Resourceful Problem Solver. It goes without saying that marketing is fast-paced and change is inevitable. So you’re not afraid to address problems head on. And you don’t leave any stone unturned to resolve a situation. Better yet, you’re always thinking ahead and proactively working with your clients to head off any roadblocks before they even occur.  

Get started on your account management reset!

Whether you choose to focus on all of the skills above or one or two, chances are if you stay committed and focused the possibilities are endless for a successful 2022 as an account manager. What are you waiting for? Get out there and ‘Rock Your Relationships.’