Last week marked the 13th annual trip to the Capitol for the Duluth Days. The event is an opportunity for citizens and businesses from northeastern Minnesota to join their colleagues, friends and representatives in lobbying on behalf of projects that could have an enormous impact on our region.
Why is this important? Well, if you read the news at all, you are well aware the state is facing challenging times and balancing the budget means many cuts and compromises between legislators. As citizens, showing up to the Capitol to discuss projects that are important to invigorating Duluth’s economy brings a breath of fresh air to legislators who are used to seeing professional lobbyists on a regular basis. It also shows them that we care; we care about their decisions, we care about our state, and we care about our community.
As a local business, this is a great opportunity to show our support for clients, friends and the community. Do you think the business community in Duluth is as involved in efforts like this as they should be? In what other ways should they offer support?
With the new age of media, companies have the chance to go well beyond traditional print ads, billboards and television commercials to get their message out.
Social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook) gives companies the chance to more directly reach their customers and engage them with timely offers and relevant information.
Businesses should be on the lookout for these social media opportunities and understand how they might play a role, along with traditional media.
For example, the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey team will be ushering in a new generation of hockey in Duluth on December 30, 2010. The state-of-the-art Duluth Entertainment Convention Center will be completed and the University of North Dakota will be coming to town for the US Hockey Hall of Fame game against the Bulldogs.
This facility will allow for an additional 1,500 seats, 15 luxury boxes, an NHL regulation sheet of ice, and a four-panel video board to showcase game highlights. This means a plethora of new ways for advertisers to step out of the traditional norms of advertising.
Businesses can go beyond the traditional program ad and interact with Bulldog fans right on their mobile devices, driving traffic to their stores and generating buzz for their business. Well beyond hanging a banner in the arena, businesses can take advantage of the UMD Athletics’ Facebook and Twitter channels to interact with fans online and direct traffic to their websites.
Opportunities like these are growing exponentially. Take time to learn about them and how they could fit with your business.
Public relations (PR for short) is a familiar phrase. When most people think of PR, they think it means sending a press release to the media. This blog is about setting the record straight.
Sure, PR involves writing news releases and pitching stories to media. It also involves planning press conferences that are newsworthy enough for media to show up and report on. But there’s a whole lot more to it.
“Public relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.”
Whereas marketing is about selling and focused on potential customers, public relations is about developing mutually beneficial relationships with all of the audiences your organization depends on to be successful. Sure, customers are one of these audiences, but others include your employees, legislators, regulators, and the list goes on.
Developing a public relations plan is a great place to start. It allows you to get on paper your overall goals for public relations, your key audiences, objectives for those audiences (which should be measurable, time specific and attainable), the strategies for achieving those objectives, and then the tactics you’ll need to implement.
A well-done PR plan that’s properly implemented can bring incredible results to your business. If you’ve successfully implemented a PR plan, we’d love to hear about it! If you want to learn more about public relations planning, please contact me.
I went for a walk with WestmorelandFlint’s newest graphic designer and recent UMD School of Fine Arts graduate, Jacob Boie, to get a little insight on why he chose to come to here and some of his favorite things to do.
I noticed the poster during my first interview at WestmorelandFlint.
“Be the person you want to work with.” The poster then highlights a few key phrases, including:
Solve problems.
Bring solutions.
Be yourself.
Win together.
Aim high.
Two interviews later, I walked through the ad agency’s front door as a member of the team. And, it feels good. A warmer welcome could not have been extended. Several times throughout my first day I had this thought: “These people are treating me the way they would want to be treated on their first day at a new job.”
The folks at WestmorelandFlint readily extended their hands and introduced themselves. They patiently offered instruction and were quick to ask the new girl what she was doing for lunch. Collectively, they took what could have been an uncomfortable first day at work and turned it into a pleasant experience that left me excited about my future here.
WestmorelandFlint’s mission statement claims the company values its employees as much as it does its clients. It doesn’t take one long to realize how much clients are valued here. In every conversation their satisfaction and the growth of their business is the focus. It is equally refreshing to see the value placed on the unique perspective and input of individual staff members. New ideas are encouraged, leading to open, respectful communication.
When I was doing my research on this company, I asked around the community and heard statements such as “WestmorelandFlint is a powerhouse of talent,” and “It is a great place to work.” And, quite frankly, I thought that perhaps it was all too good to be true. Maybe not.
OK, perhaps it’s the “honeymoon” period. I’m realistic and practical enough to know there will be significant challenges and just plain old bad days here just like there are anywhere else. But more importantly, I believe that the people at WestmorelandFlint really do endeavor to live by the motto on their poster – “Be the person you want to work with.”
As for me, I’m delighted and honored to be the person who gets to work with them.
When Kevin Holubar took his dog out to do his business on Christmas Eve, he could never have predicted what happened next. Nor could he have predicted the whirlwind, worldwide story that would ensue.
The short story about Kevin’s dog is this: Ham, the bulldog, took off on Christmas Eve and was lost for 11 days in Duluth. It was an 11-day stretch that was one of the coldest on record. He miraculously showed up on a good Samaritan’s porch, who had heard all about Ham on the news, and returned him to his owner.
In my role as the sales and promotions coordinator for UMD Athletics, I am always looking for ways to promote the athletic department and help the community. Well folks, this was one of those opportunities. There was intense media buzz, locally, nationally and worldwide, about this dog that had survived. Since Ham happened to be a bulldog, I knew this was an opportunity to do a promotion with the UMD Bulldogs.
I called Kevin, who lives in the Twin Cities (he was visiting family in Duluth for Christmas), and asked if he’d be interested in Ham being the honorary mascot for an upcoming men’s hockey game. He immediately said “Yes.” Kevin appreciated all the support and attention the Duluth area had given his dog and thought this would be a great way to say “thanks.” Wanting him to be properly outfitted, I called Duluth-based dogbooties.com and asked if they’d be willing to make Ham a jersey. Again, a resounding “Yes.”
The stage was set and Ham and his owner made their way to Duluth despite some snowy weather on Saturday, January 23. After both hockey teams were introduced, it was time for Ham to shine. He was introduced to the crowd and as he walked out to drop the ceremonial puck the crowd went wild! From the frozen ditches of Duluth to center ice at a men’s hockey game, Ham had truly been on an incredible journey.
Ham’s honorary Bulldog status garnered more attention for the team, got the fans engaged, and gave Kevin a chance to thank the community.
I encourage you to look for ways that your business can capitalize on public relations opportunities. If you already have, we’d love to hear your story.
Much like there are buzzwords in the business world—“heads up,” “let’s circle back,” “at the end of the day”—there are also buzz words used in advertising.
How often have you been watching TV and come across a commercial selling some random product “for a limited time only,” or the special promotion is preceded by, “but wait, there’s more!”
If you had a nickel in your pocket for every time you came across a print ad that proclaims that the company can help you with “all your [fill in the company’s product or service] needs,” how much money would you have?
As someone who works in the marketing communications field, these phrases make me cringe. We hear these types of phrases so often that they no longer carry any real value. When someone hears that the “time is now” to replace their tires, it doesn’t even register as a phrase with a sense of urgency; they’re just empty words relegated to the part of the brain that mothers use to tune out a room of screaming children.
My personal list of played-out phrases includes the following, in no particular order:
- “We offer the best deals in town”
- “Now more than ever”
- “Stretch your dollar”
- “Get more bang for your buck”
- “We go the extra mile”
- “Time is money”
- “Your one-stop shop”
- “We’re slashing prices!”
I propose a moratorium on these and the scores of others that are out there that have been beaten to death and have nothing left to offer in the marketing world. Who’s with me?!
So…how do we stop these buzzwords? The key to avoiding these buzzwords is to take a step back and ask some questions. What does it mean in the context of your business to be a “one-stop shop?” What products/services do you offer that allow you to make that claim? What does it mean to your customers—what is important to them and how do your products/services make their lives easier? The answers to these and other similar questions are what truly differentiates your business from the competition. Couple these differentiators with unique copy and messages that speak to your target audience and, presto, the buzzwords disappear and are replaced with substantive statements that will pique your target audience’s interest and compel them to learn more about your business.
What are some overused phrases that you can think of?
Recently, some colleagues from WestmorelandFlint had a book club meeting to review a recent TED video presentation from Alexis Ohanian of Reddit. The presentation is a short, very simple explanation of how the Internet levels the playing field for everyone – including businesses. As he says it, “Your link is no different than my link.”
With that quote in mind, our discussion revolved around the challenges we see in educating clients and prospects about the benefits of social media. In particular, getting people to think big, outside of they’re comfort zone and beyond what they have envisioned.
Does this mean you’ll have to give up control? Yes. Does it mean you have to think outside the box? Yes. Does it mean not focusing on features and benefits? Definitely!
But the beauty of a good social media program is that you can open up your company and/or it’s products to markets and customers you’ve never dreamed of reaching, because you didn’t have the budget. The keys to success are to appeal to emotions, be transparent and authentic, integrate it with other communications tactics and don’t get in the way!
What is your take-away from this video? Please share your comments.
Co-hosted by U.S. Senator Byron L. Dorgan and the Red River Valley Research Corridor. Fargo, ND, February 19, 2009
This year’s summit will focus on developing and strengthening the Red River Valley’s burgeoning life sciences industry. Presenters including entrepreneurs, financiers, researchers, and scientists from the region and around the nation will discuss and explore actions the region can and is taking to foster strong, sustainable growth in the life sciences sector.
The Red River Valley Research Corridor and U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan work in cooperation with leading economic, science and technology-based organizations in North Dakota and the Great Plains region to organize action summits.
Action summits are high-impact conferences that have a razor-like focus on specific research and technology development opportunities in the region. The summits are intended to:
Facilitate learning, networking and collaboration in the region.
Connect with key partners in business and government from outside the region in a highly focused and purposeful manner.
Showcase science and technology-based capabilities and initiatives in the Corridor.
Engage key players inside and outside the region to put a focus on what do we do now and in the future to make the Red River Valley Corridor an epicenter of research, development and/or production in this particular science and technology field.
Previous Research Corridor action summits have focused on hydrogen energy, venture capital, radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies, polymers and coatings, life sciences, animal identification systems and unmanned aircraft systems.
The Red River Valley Research Corridor is an independent non-profit corporation committed to catalyzing and promoting science, technology and engineering initiatives that create new opportunities in the region
Red River Valley Research Corridor Coordinating Center
Dr. Delore Zimmerman, President & CEO of Praxis Strategy Group in Grand Forks, Fargo & Los Angeles, California was named to serve as the Coordinator. Delore has over twenty years experience working with companies in technology and information industries, universities and local development groups. Since its founding Praxis has been awarded 8 Small Business Innovation Research Awards. Praxis Strategy Groupis a partner with the Flint Group.
After the holiday hiatus, we are back with another “5 Question Friday”. John Hyduke, President of WestmorelandFlint and Business Development Director for the Flint Group, sits down to discuss what goes into opening up a new location and the growth of Flint Direct. We also manage to sneak in a conversation about hockey and his four lovely daughters.
The professionals at AadlandFlint are always hungry for new marketing trends, techniques or hot topics that we can share with friends and clients. Watch for a regular stream of insightful information – or join in the conversation.
Why is this important? Well, if you read the news at all, you are well aware the 
state is facing challenging times and balancing the budget means many cuts and compromises between legislators. As citizens, showing up to the Capitol to discuss projects that are important to invigorating Duluth’s economy brings a breath of fresh air to legislators who are used to seeing professional lobbyists on a regular basis. It also shows them that we care; we care about their decisions, we care about our state, and we care about our community.
When Kevin Holubar took his dog out to do his business on Christmas Eve, he could never have predicted what happened next. Nor could he have predicted the whirlwind, worldwide story that would ensue.
