What Could the 2010 Census Mean to Your Business?

Just the other day I went to an event for the Asian American Resource Center in Atlanta and I was happily surprised to see representatives of the United States Census Bureau  handing out information on the 2010 Census and letting people know many of the reasons why it’s important to be counted.

Part Three: Effectively Communicating and Marketing Your Brand

By now, many companies are in full swing with their 2010 planning and budgeting.  For those companies that are still plotting their strategies, this final blog of my three-part blog series provides considerations for effective brand communications and marketing.

My first blog (“Defining Your Brand”) discussed why it’s important to start a strategic planning session by looking at your brand first.  My second blog (“Considering Your Business”) discussed the various hard-hitting questions that need to be answered to ensure your communications program is aligned to your business goals.

Now, this blog asks the questions needed to create a communications program that is effective and fully integrated with both your brand identity and business goals.

Can We Please Stop Talking About Millennials?

One of the largest components of planning a successful public relations campaign involves determining who you’re trying to reach and how you’re going to reach them. One demographic that has been driving marketers up the wall is millennials – kids and young adults aged 9-to-29. As a millennial, I’m sick of hearing about millennials.

There have been numerous books penned by non-millennials that throw around stereotypes about how millennials act, their purchasing habits and how they receive communication (Fast Company has a great article, “A Millennial’s Guide to Millennial Guides,” that chronicles a millennial reading some of these books). Apparently, the consensus is that millennials:

Strategic Planning–Part Two: Considering Your Business

With the 2010 planning season upon us, I’m writing a three-part blog that provides top-line tips for how to develop a strategic communications program that is aligned with your brand and your business goals.

In my first blog (Defining Your Brand), I discussed why it’s important to start a strategic planning session by looking at your brand first.  Knowing your brand – who you are, who you care about and what you do – is the foundation for strategic planning.  If you don’t understand your brand, you will have a hard time developing an effective communications program that creates meaningful results for the benefit of your brand.

Fall is Here! Time for Football…and Strategic Planning! Part One: Defining Your Brand

Fall not only marks the start of cooler weather and football, but also the planning and budgeting season.  Companies of all sizes use September, October and November to create their strategic communications plans for the following year and beyond.  There are multiple ways to conduct a planning session that will yield a plan that is strategic, easily executed and on budget.  But no matter how you go about developing your MarCom plan and budget, it’s always important to consider your brand and your business goals.

Matt on WNYC

Matt weighed in on worker compensation on WNYC’s “The Takeaway” on Friday, August 14. Click here to hear Matt speak with Finance Expert Alvin Hall.

The Bravado Brand Attitude

Despite some recent economic good news, most businesses are still suffering through this Great Recession. However, I’ve noticed that aggressive companies are continuing to keep the pedal down on their marketing and branding.   A clear example of this is Chick-fil-A, the quick-service food company known for their cow promotions and incredibly delicious chicken sandwiches (confession:  I must have one at least once a week).

Not too long ago, I attended a Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) event at Chick-fil-A headquarters  in Atlanta where I heard the head of their PR department speak about what they are doing to grow market share in this uncertain economy.  Unlike many of their competitors, Chick-fil-A is sticking to its special PR programs that have become synonymous with the brand over the years.  Case in point:  Just a few weeks ago, I was able to participate in Cow Appreciation Day. I went to the Chick-fil-A website, printed out a cow “uniform” and headed to my local Chick-fil-A to get a free lunch.  How did I learn about this cool opportunity?  Through an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Excerpt from AMF Green Marketing Panel

On July 28, Matt Spaulding, our president,  served as a panelist for the Atlanta Marketer’s Forum Green Panel alongside Sarah Dearman, public relations program manager for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and LindaMcCulloch, president of Design That Matters.

After an evening of discussing green marketing and communication strategies, the panelists were asked if they had any green words of wisdom. Matt’s answer is below!

Do you have any green words of wisdom to share?

Seven Simple Tips for Green Communications

I’ve recently written two thought pieces that I’ve coined as “Green Papers.”  The first paper provides some thinking about why and how organizations can implement a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program into their business.  The second paper provides some ideas and strategies about how companies can effectively communicate their CSR program to drive greater brand value.

Both Green Papers are loaded with examples of companies that have benefited from developing and communicating their CSR programs.  In addition, both papers contain some interesting business statistics, metrics and consumer trends related to green business and marketing communications.

Below is an excerpt of the tips I provide in one of the Green Papers.  I hope you’ll find these useful.  I welcome your thoughts and feedback on these tips.  I’d also like to see what additional tips you might have, and/or how these tips could be enhanced.

Of course, feel free to check out or download the entire version of both Green Papers by visiting our website, www.spauldingcommunications.com.

Re-Thinking Compensation and Business Models

You may have seen a recent Associated Press article (full disclosure: I’m quoted in it) about small businesses that are re-thinking compensation for employees during these economic times (Available here).

Compensation Considerations

In the article, I mention that Spaulding Communications will not be able to provide raises this year (as of July), and it seems unlikely that we’ll be able to provide raises before the year is over.  The reason:  even though we are profitable, adding a larger fixed expense in these uncertain economic times is not fiscally prudent.  As we’ve all seen, recent reports about the economic recovery are mixed at best, and most economic experts are nowhere close to saying we’re on the upswing.  Moreover, some in Congress are now talking about a second stimulus package!