managing director rasky baerlein strategic...
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Reaching Your Most Important Audience
for Corporate Sustainability
Communications
Jim Cabot
Managing Director
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Reaching Your Most Important Audience for Corporate Sustainability Communications
EBC Sustainability Program Series Part Three: Communicating Achievements – Sustainability Reporting
Friday, February 7, 2014
Rasky Baerlein Overview From Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, our clients depend on us for smart, insightful counsel marked by years of experience. Since its founding in 1997, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications (RBSC) has become one of the largest independent public relations and public affairs firms.
We develop and execute integrated communications programs that achieve meaningful results—whether providing executive-level counsel, enhancing brand identity, managing a crisis or securing legislation.
With offices in Boston and Washington D.C., we offer an extensive range of both local and national strategic communications services. Our broad understanding of the economic, social and political dynamics in the markets we serve help us to anticipate challenges and build effective communications campaigns for our clients.
Our Energy and Environment Practice Expertise and Results
Rasky Baerlein’s Cleantech and Emerging Technology Practice is a national and regional leader in providing emerging technology companies with comprehensive strategic communications services.
Led by Jim Cabot, the team works with a range of organizations from developers of emerging technologies, industry consultants, telecommunications and fiber providers, cutting-edge medical technology companies, and innovative start-ups. We have a proven track record of helping clients evaluate their overall business objectives and integrate those objectives into multifaceted communication strategies that achieve tangible business results.
You’ve done all the hard work
Operational integration
Reporting
Employee engagement
Supply chain management
Human resources integration
Customer engagement
If you build it, will they know?
Brand building is a continuous campaign
Start with business objectives
Define your audiences
Do your research
Build your strategy
Implement
Assess
Improve
Building Blocks
• Research and audits
• Goal-setting
• Strategy
• Influencer mapping
• Branding and message development
• Training
• Leverage materials
• Roll-out calendar
• Active media monitoring
• Subject matter expert (SME) pitching
• Trade pitching/byline opportunities
• Engage key influencers from analysts to key stakeholders to mainstream media
• Full integration of social and digital media platforms into campaign
• Consistent check-points
• Regularly review and refine strategy and tactics
• Measure and provide regular analysis via coverage reports and performance metrics
Build the Foundation
Implement & Execute
Assess & Adjust
Goal Setting & Audience ID
• Business objectives
• Audience & stakeholder mapping
• Audits
Assessment of current media profile, competitors and industry (peers and broader industry)
Social Media Audit
• Leadership Interviews
• Formal Research: Surveys & Focus Groups
Research and Audit
• Message development
• Core positioning statement and talking points
• Supporting materials
Fact sheets
Websites
Brochures
Videos
• Prepare spokespeople :
Personal communication styles
Authentic, engaging presentation skills
Interaction with media (including on-camera)
Storytelling with prospects and customers
Messaging and Training
Design the Strategy
• Media relations
• Social media/self generated content
• Direct engagement
• Cause marketing
• Do your resources match your plan?
Media Relations
• Identify known events and press opportunities including new products, major milestones, anniversaries, etc.
• Monitor trends in identified markets and create “storyjacking” pitches to capitalize on resonant coverage in the space.
• Pitch company spokespeople as industry leaders and subject matter experts.
• Pitch byline and contributed content to trade outlets.
• Pursue opportunities for contributed digital content.
Social / Digital Media
• Monitor online presence and ensure that digital content and social network channels (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn) are fully leveraged to optimize SEO.
• Create digitally-driven content and contribute to and generate conversation around relevant issues.
• Through traditional and digital outreach, identify and engage relevant communities and stakeholders as ambassadors.
• Once identified, create opportunities for them to endorse and validate client’s solutions within key vertical markets.
• Webinars
Direct Engagement
• One on one meetings
• Roundtables
• Event attendance
Cause Marketing Worked with Covanta, our energy-from-waste client, to develop a broad coalition to
encourage fisherman to recycle nets at ports throughout the country to be used for energy
Roll Out Plan
• Roll out calendar
• Steady flow of activities
• WIP
• Weekly calls or meetings
Measurement & Reporting
• Measure results and performance against initial benchmarks and adjust tactics as needed.
Gauge the effectiveness of your communications strategy through regular coverage reports and analysis.
Quantifiable results will be based on the number of media hits and the impression rates of each media placement secured.
Categorize tonality
Measure social media impact
Audience/stakeholder research
Sustainability Communications Payoff
• Employee engagement
• Regulatory goodwill
• Customer retention
• Brand enhancement
• Increased sales
• Risk mitigation
Thank you!
Jim Cabot
Managing Director
Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications
www.rasky.com
@raskybaerlein @greentechpr @jcabot
www.facebook.com/RaskyBaerlein