On the Porch, we believe grace happens.

We preach the importance of being authentic – personally and in branding.

Part of being truly authentic means not pretending that life is sunshine and roses when it isn’t. Last week on the blog, Jacqui (aka The Back Porch Rocker) offered her thoughts on recovering from life’s unexpected storms.

One of her suggestions is another familiar refrain on the Porch – to have and give grace.

In the spirit of authenticity, her post hit me hard. We often encourage our followers to have grace, but I realized that in my forty-something years, I have never, not once, asked for grace – personally or professionally.

That doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced it. There have been times I received grace without having to ask for it. And there have been times I extended it to others. But I can see that there have been times I probably should have asked for grace. There are times I should have extended it to others without them having to ask.

Admittedly, I was born with the “suck it up, buttercup” mentality. I have always considered my ability to keep things together, for myself and for others, one of my great strengths.

That all changed for me a little more than four and a half weeks ago when a personal tragedy shook me to the core.

A “suck it up, buttercup” mentality would not have shown grace – which was desperately needed – to my family, my friends or myself.

Something had to give professionally. I had to take a step back. I had to ask for grace at work.

The entire Front Porch Marketing team responded without hesitation. Our clients and business partners who knew what had happened did the same.

I was extended grace in many, many ways. And I am thankful for it.

So the next time grace is called for, try doing these thing to show grace to a team member, client, partner, or even a boss:

1. Anticipate and delegate needs. If you are aware of a project or deadline, consider how you or others may be helpful to get it completed or postponed. Communicate and/or delegate those needs accordingly.
2. Forgive mistakes. Forgiveness is always important. Mistakes during this time are understandable.
3. Don’t take things personally. During a time of crises, jovial people may become short-tempered or normally talkative people may go radio silent. It is not about you or their feelings toward you. Don’t take it personally. See number two, above – it applies!
4. Provide a “free” zone. Offer a listening ear. Make it known you are a judgment-free. When a team member needs grace, give it freely without questions, expectations, or conditions.

Life has a way of rocking us unexpectedly.

Strive to build work environments that allow every member of your professional tribe to feel safe in asking for grace at work when they need it.

Contemplating a communication strategy to enact in the event of a company crisis is a cringe-inducing exercise for any business leader. But it’s a necessary exercise.

Considering possible catalysts and consequences allows you to craft contingency plans that will help weather a storm … before the clouds appear on the horizon. The more you plan, the more likely damage control becomes if a crisis strikes. Rapid containment helps prevent catastrophic damage to a brand’s reputation and bottom line.

There are core components of any crisis control plan, regardless of industry, company size, or severity of crisis.

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell, inventor

Before a crisis strikes, create a comprehensive crisis communications plan.

What are elements of a crisis communications plan?

Identify a corps crisis team. Your CEO, COO, Communication Coordinator(s) and Legal Counsel will undoubtedly be part of this group. Consider who else may need to collaborate.

Identify and know your stakeholders. Anyone who could be impacted by what occurs with your brand should go on this list. This includes customers and shareholders.

Identify and train spokespeople. Anyone handling communications with the media and/or on social media should be trained on the dos and don’ts. Train these spokespeople to remember you are never “off the record.” Ingrain in them these three C’s of crisis communications:

1. Be Clear. Concisely communicate the information and the plan as they are established.
2. Be Credible. Communicate only facts and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Authenticity and empathy build credibility. Acknowledge and respond to questions and mistakes quickly.
3. Be Cohesive. Stay on message throughout all communication methods and channels. Confusion breeds conflict.

Establish notification and monitoring systems. Consistent social media monitoring will allow you to watch for the early warning signs of a brewing crisis. Having established notification systems will allow you to quickly coordinate a response to avoid catastrophic damage.

Be proactive with your public relations. This includes having a a solid social media presence. Consistent connection with your audience builds a strong brand. The stronger brand you build before a crisis, the more credibility you will have when weathering one.

When a threat or crisis is identified, immediately implement your plan.

Coordinate Central Command. Establish frequent communications with the crisis team.

Control the Narrative. Crucial to conquering any crisis is controlling the narrative surrounding it. Compose a message establishing what you currently know and what you are doing to counteract the damage. Identify the communication channels you will use to provide future updates.

Communicate. Pause scheduled posts on social media but continue monitoring and responding in real time. Remember the Three C’s when engaging with the media and/or on social media. Every touch point is critical.

Collect Information. Most of the time that means going offline, but it is critical that you continue to monitor and respond.

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” ~ President John F. Kennedy

After the dust settles, comb through what worked and what didn’t. Change the plan accordingly, and continue to update it on an ongoing basis.

As the leader of your brand, it is up to you to determine the vision for your business, you are also the business leader. You are mission-control to successfully making that vision materialize. Be responsible for recognizing – and deciding how best to overcome – the barriers to your brand’s success.

One of the most powerful (and responsible) things you can do as a business leader is to get out of your own way.

The business leader and/or business owner holds a tremendous amount of power. You can be your brand’s greatest asset and its biggest backer. Critical to your mission, however, is not to become a barrier yourself.

During a conversation with a business owner and CEO of a $50M+ company, the CEO relayed that his largest client could not implement the programs offered to them because the necessary departments were not communicating with each other.

To overcome this hurdle, the CEO stepped in to facilitate meetings and interactions between his client’s departments. However, he was not getting paid for that time and taking on that role took him away from his own responsibilities.

When asked to provide my advice to this dilemma, my answer was simple: Don’t attend the meetings. If he did not attend the meetings, others would be forced to take on rightful ownership of their responsibilities, freeing the CEO to focus on his own responsibilities.

Here are four things to consider as a business leader in order to get (or stay!) out of your own way:

1. Build boundaries and bridges. Don’t put yourself in situations to be the point person when it is not your role. If you consistently play a role not meant for you lines become blurry and you increase your risk of burnout. You also risk not having the time and/or resources you need to be successful. Build a good team – in-house and/or through outsourcing. Then take a step back and let them fulfill their own roles.
2. Do it, delegate it or delete it. Does your to-do list continue to have the same thing on it week after week? Yes? Figure out why. If it is something that requires YOUR attention, do it. If it needs to get done but someone can or should complete it, delegate it. Maybe circumstances make completing a task unrealistic, undesirable or unnecessary – then, delete it. Procrastination is a barrier to productivity and to creativity.
3. Find your joy. Focus on the good contributions. Perhaps you work with a client who is abrasive. Understanding that he or she has a difficult job can help you avoid taking things personally. Look at the good things you are doing in your own role and the positive things the company is doing. If you focus only on the negative or get upset over the same things on a weekly basis, you prevent yourself from seeing the positives of your own – and others’ – contributions.
4. Celebrate success and forget failure. Failure is a necessary part of the process. Expect it. Embrace it. Learn from it. As a leader, failure should be empowering. Don’t let it get you down. Stop and acknowledge when you overcome it.
   

If you can get out of your own way, you may be your brand’s greatest asset. We have built a strong team and could be a powerful ally. Give us a call.

Digital marketing continues to win this marketing season as digital marketing spending continues to rise. This is not new. In 2016, eMarketer.com projected digital spend would exceed television by as much as 36% by 2020. 

According to WebStrategies, the following are earning their spots on marketing budget rosters:

• Email marketing – Email marketing continues to be the best player to generate ROI.
• Social media marketing – A solid first-round pick. In that category, Facebook continues to hold the top spot and Instagram comes in 2nd.
• Search and display marketing – Search and display marketing still earns the largest share of digital marketing budgets. In 2018, 78% of those surveyed indicated a plan to increase their Google Ads budget. Online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) takes the second share.
• Live events – This is another competitor making a comeback. Two thirds of marketers plan to increase spending on live events in 2019. This is not a surprise as the digital world faces fierce competition and privacy challenges.
• Video Marketing – The MVP for growth in digital marketing budgets goes to online video. Investment in this category is expected to more than double 2016 numbers by 2021.

With the rise of Facebook Live, live events and video are teaming up (think megachurches with pastors appearing on screens, political candidates announcing intentions via live video and the use of video as part of the in-home sales trend in the beauty and cosmetic categories).

Regardless of your industry, here are 4 tips for video marketing:

1. Mind your audience. Take care to advertise to your target, not yourself.
2. Don’t complain just for the sake of complaining. You can sell your brand without negativity.
3. Keep it short and simple. The clock starts running as soon as your audience clicks on your link. Don’t fumble around. Have a solid plan and stick to it.
4. Be clear in your play-calling. You are the quarterback for your brand. Run or pass, assist your audience by clearly telling them what you want them to do and how they can do it.

To score with any marketing campaign begin with the end in mind to increase your opportunity for success. There are still significant advantages to veteran players such as traditional media (now referred to as “offline”) in terms of building awareness, extending reach and driving your brand message.

It is important to find the right balance between online vs. offline spending. That ratio will vary from brand to brand. Let us be your marketing coach and manager. We can help you find that balance and manage that content.

In 2019, social media marketing is an essential tool for developing a connection with your audience. In some ways, social media marketing is similar to online dating. You are courting your audience with social media, and a connection won’t develop by being overly promotional with your posts.

Successful social media marketing requires an investment of significant time (and resources). Your investment can pay dividends, but it requires planning. Developing strategies with clearly-identified goals and target audiences is key. But avoiding common faux pas is equally as important.

Seven of the (many!) dos and don’ts for social media marketing

1. Be social. You have to put yourself out there, so don’t be nonexistent on social media. You can’t influence anyone if you have no profile.
2. Be interesting. Know Your Audience. You want to pique and maintain viewers’ interest, so post varied content they will find interesting and valuable. Don’t make it all about you by only posting promotional content.
3. Be genuine. If your brand is all about fun, your audience expects a certain playfulness to your social media. Don’t send mixed messages by being inconsistent in your marketing.
4. Be available. Social media marketing is a 24/7 customer service opportunity, so engage often and consistently. Don’t ignore posted questions or concerns.
5. Be a good listener. Always pay attention -and respond gratefully- to consumer feedback. Don’t ignore the negative feedback, because you can’t develop relationships by ignoring (or deleting) criticisms.
6. Be Aware. Use hashtags and handles to attract interest, but don’t appear desperate by using too many. Keep it effective and efficient.

Be smart. Check your content for spelling, grammar and phrasing, and correct mistakes as soon as they’re caught. Don’t be insensitive in your phrasing or messaging.

We cannot say it enough – strategy is critical.

Content is key. Consistency is key.

Social media management is customer service and poor customer service will hurt your brand’s reputation.

Unlike in dating, it is a good idea to outsource social media duties. Those of us with the experience and knowledge can create and implement social media marketing strategies that follow all the rules.

Give us a call to help influence your audience to swipe right on your brand’s social media marketing!

Frequently, we ask a potential client what their marketing budget is in an effort to better understand what resources we will use to meet branding and marketing goals.

And regularly, we hear, “What should our marketing budget be?”

We are already two weeks into Q1, so let’s talk about your marketing budget. Total marketing budgets are on the rise (yay!) and are at 7 – 12% of total gross revenue. If one of your resolutions this year is to grow your small to mid-size business, let’s rock.

Here are four things to remember when formulating your marketing budget:

1. Small businesses should budget 7 – 8% of gross revenues for marketing in order to compete against larger companies.

2. Track your marketing budget and results monthly – at a minimum. If you consistently track your results you will be better able to adjust your marketing spending over time to spend smarter, not harder.

3. Increase the budget for new product launches. Keep track of what you make on the product and tweak as needed to cover the marketing costs and increase profit from sales.

4. One size does not fit all. While the latest Forrester Research report projects that digital marketing spending will make up 44% of all ad spend, this number can vary depending on a variety of factors including industry, growth plans and local market.

As you create your marketing budget this year, don’t start with the tactics. Develop a defined marketing budget to support a marketing plan with measurable goals and a sound strategy.

As planning for 2019 kicks into high gear, now is a good time to take a look at what’s “en vogue” in the marketing world. Is your marketing plan ready to strike a pose?

Some things are classics, and your go-to, wear everyday piece is CONTENT. Quality, engaging content is the cornerstone of any successful marketing plan. Beyond that, the following trends are simply accessories to be mixed in when they fit a brand’s individual style. Much like the latest  fashion fads, not every trend is the right stylistic fit for every brand.

With that caveat out of the way, here are five things walking the marketing runway:

Marketing Automation

ROI has been realized in 75% of companies in just one year of marketing automation use. Companies using marketing automation have reported a substantial 34% increase to their sales revenue, regardless of company size or industry.  In addition, 91% of users say it is “very important” to their overall marketing success. It’s all the rage – which puts marketing automation at the very top of the 2019 trendsetters’ list.

Chatbots

Chatbots can quickly recognize and respond to data … in real time. This gives both consumers and brands a virtual assistant to do anything handling customer queries to ordering a pizza! This saves time, money and human effort. We need look no further than the hugely popular Alexa to understand why the use of chatbots is taking over automated web communications.

Video Marketing

The growth of video will continue. Facebook Live was rolled out in April 2016, and in just two years, the average number of broadcasts doubled, earning more than 150 billion reactions. Video ads are still going strong as well. In August 2018, 65% of ad impressions on Instagram were the result of video content. If those stats aren’t enough to convince you that the video marketing craze will continue, consider this: When customers watch a video on a website, Google pushes that site up in its search results … ideal for any brand.

Native Advertising

Native advertising is on the rise over the use of banner ads, because it doesn’t disrupt the user experience. This increases consumers’ willingness to share it, which generates more sales leads.

Inbound Marketing

Because it’s simple, versatile and 61% cheaper than traditional marketing, inbound marketing remains a cost-effective method of connecting with your audience. Keeping inbound marketing hip is:

• Blogging. Statistically, blogging is three times more effective than traditional marketing in its ability to generate sales leads. It also allows you to include a variety of content that isn’t strictly direct product advertisement.
• Social Media. While AI and Chatbots create a life-like assistant, a strong social media presence creates an opportunity for consumers to engage with real people – making your brand appear more relatable. It also makes it quick and easy to provide exclusive offers or coupon codes to generate customers. To allow for a more seamless experience for consumers, you can also expect to see the continued integration of services into third-party apps by social media companies.
• Email-marketing. Companies that choose e-mail marketing can double their number of generated leads over those that do not. Adding automation can then double that amount. With numbers like those, e-mail marketing continues to be the top model of effective inbound marketing.

Here on the Porch we would love to design a marketing plan for you to premiere in 2019 (perfectly coordinated to your brand’s individual style, of course).

To be influential, one must hold the power to determine, guide and/or impact the decisions and perceptions of others. When applied to marketing, the goal is advocacy. “Influencer marketing is getting others to share your story, generate interest and make your case.” ~ Ardath Albee

Influencer marketing is a marketing strategy focused on capitalizing on the power of people (influencers or brand ambassadors) to advocate for your brand.

“Never mistake the power of influence.” ~ Jim Rohn

By utilizing influencer marketing, your benefits are solid. You gain access to a pre-established, receptive audience which already has a built-in level of trust with the brand ambassador. This helps build credibility. You also get additional help creating content. This content meets your target’s needs. Know your content and message are getting out in the right way, to the right people at the right time.

Is influencer marketing right for you? That depends on what you’re trying to influence (see what we did there, friends?). Know your business and marketing goals, audience, strategies, tactics and measurement. These help determine if influencer marketing is worth the considerable amount of time it can take.

Mapping out an influencer marketing strategy up front can help you minimize the time it will cost you and maximize your results.

Four Keys to a Successful Influencer Marketing Plan

1. Know Your Audience. Make sure you are spreading your message to the (targeted) audience you need to see it, and in the places they are most likely to see it.
2. Know Your Goals. Make sure you have set, measurable objectives. Otherwise, it will be impossible to measure your success.
3. Know Your Ambassadors. The most powerful tool influencers bring to the table is the foundation of trust their audience has in them. This allows the influencer to authentically advocate your brand to your target. It is critical we don’t confuse influence with popularity. TIME does not grant their annual 25 Most Influential People on the Internet influential status based upon the number of followers they have on social media. Instead, they “evaluated contenders by looking at their global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news.”
4. Know Your Space. Influencer marketing is not limited to social media platforms. The places where the people in your audience are hanging online (if they aren’t on your site) are key to know as those places are influencers. Depending on your audience, you may have better results through specific bloggers’ websites over Instagram (or vice versa).

YOU are your brand’s biggest ambassador. However, when done successfully, having others advocate for you is powerful. Influencer marketing can help you in cultivating the growth you want for your brand.

Continuing in the pattern of marketing and travel metaphors, let’s look at the itinerary for your marketing efforts: your brand.

Is your brand getting you to where you want to go? If its not, maybe its time for a brand audit.

“Businesses don’t own their own brand, they are custodians of it.” – Small Business Marketing Expert Dee Blick.

A brand audit looks at:

• Current brand identity – This includes your logo, tagline, key messages, style guidebook, features/benefits, and color palette.
• Digital/social presence – Is your website easy to navigate? If your company has an ecommerce component, is it easy to purchase items from your site? Is your site optimized for SEO and is it mobile responsive?
• Electronic marketing – This includes your company blog, email marketing, and e-newsletters. (Email marketing gets a bad reputation these days but remains one of the most effective ways to reach your customer and increase your business.)

And the list goes on. Everything is a touchpoint: your collateral, your website, the way the receptionist answers the phone.

Ask yourself, “Does this resonate with our current customer? Does it resonate with new customers we want to pursue? Are these efforts in alignment with one another?”

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A few years ago, Front Porch did a brand audit for The Remac Group, the parent company of four shoe and women’s apparel brands: J. Renee, Kay Unger, Phoebe and L’Amour Des Pieds. We looked at all four labels from top-to-bottom, looking for cohesion, consistency and alignment with business goals.

Want to know the results? Give us a call and we love to share more.

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Even if you know you need to overhaul your brand, it would still benefit your company to conduct an audit. After all, if you don’t know where you’ve been, how do you know where you’re going?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about business leadership.  What makes a good leader today?

As luck would have it, I recently watched The Founder, starring the underrated actor Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonalds.  Turns out, stealing the McDonalds brothers’ intellectual property and last name aside, Ray Kroc had some pretty good ideas about leadership that ultimately led to the success of the company and can still be applied today.

Side note: yes, I know McDonalds is not doing great right now and other restaurant chains are, ahem, eating their lunch. But, at the time, Ray Kroch was able to capitalize on a few key ideas to great success.

A Good Leader Takes a Step Back

The McDonald brothers, the original founders of McDonald’s, spent years perfecting their “Speedee Service System,” the assembly-line style fast food kitchen we all know today. They cut down on costs by eliminating wait staff and paired down their menu to the top-selling items – burgers, sodas, shakes, and fries.

Their first foray into franchising was a disaster. It was difficult for the brothers to control quality standards because 1) they were in California and franchisees were far away in a different city or state and 2) they hardly ever ventured outside of their original location.

So, you can imagine their consternation when Ray Kroc, who they trusted to create and supervise their second attempt at franchising, started suggesting new menu items, sponsorship opportunities, and that the brothers should expand the franchise even more. Who was this yahoo to tell them how to tinker with their creation?

It is a difficult thing to go from working in your business to working on your business, to giving up some control and letting others take on the day-to-day details and hands-on work. It’s a risk – what if a staff person comes back with less-than-stellar work? You have spent all this time growing your business and now you’re just supposed to what, give up the reins?

In a word, yes. In three more words, a little bit. What the movie makes painfully clear is that the McDonalds brothers were never going to grow their business to the fast food behemoth it is today by themselves. They needed right leadership, and the right people, to grow and they needed to let those people take the lead.

Finding the Right People Is Worth It

Initially, Ray sold McDonald’s franchises to a few friends from his country club. This was not a great success. They changed menu items without consulting him first. Burgers were overcooked. Locations were messy. And what was worse, they did not care. Their livelihood did not depend on these restaurants and so they let standards slide.

Ray then decides to fish for the right franchisees in different waters. He found them in VFW halls, American Legions, Shriners Clubs, churches, and synagogues. He sold franchises to regular, working-class people who were willing to work hard and had some skin in the game.

The lesson in all of this: finding the right people is tough. But, hiring the wrong people can be a costly mistake. Is it time to expand your talent search?

Leaders Work on Growing Their People

Let’s be clear: Ray Kroc was not a nice guy. But, he knew good talent and ideas when he saw them.

Ray didn’t immediately squash new ideas from his staff, he tested them out first. He took chances on people who might otherwise be overlooked, because he liked their work ethic. His original Director of Operations, Fred Turner, started out on the line of one his restaurants. Ray initially took interest in him because he literally liked the way Fred flipped burgers.

Ultimately, good leaders grow people. And by growing their people, they grow their business.

A Strong Brand is Worth a Lot ($2.7 million in fact)

Ray Kroc understood the value of a strong brand. He knew that even more than burgers and fries, McDonalds was selling the chance to spend time with your family, a sense of community, a slice of Americana. He also knew he could copy the Speedee Service System all the wanted, but no one was going to go to a restaurant named after him. Kroc’s doesn’t quite have the same ring as McDonald’s.

This is the point in the movie where things take a dramatic turn and we see Ray basically bullying the McDonald brothers into selling their very name to Ray for $2.7 million.

While I don’t advocate bullying, I do suggest looking at your brand and identifying what makes you stand out from the pack. In a world of increasingly commodified goods and services, what is special about your company?

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Its an old saying, but its true: what got you here won’t get you there. The things that make a business owner successful at first –a great product or service, hard work, attention-to-detail – are not enough by themselves to take a business to the next level.

To level up, business leaders must step back from the day-to-day, find and grow the right people, and cultivate their brand.  What steps are you taking to get to the next level of your business?