The document discusses how businesses can stay ahead of macroenvironmental factors outside of their control. It provides examples of how Coca-Cola has adapted products like Dasani water and Fuze Tea to trends towards healthier options. While a deal to acquire Greek yogurt company Chobani fell through, it signaled Coca-Cola's interest in the growing snack market. The document also notes how technology continues advancing rapidly and AOL's acquisition of the live streaming service Kanvas helped it expand technologically. Overall, the document stresses the importance of monitoring trends in customer preferences, competitors' strategies, and new technologies to adapt businesses successfully.
Uncover Insightful User Journey Secrets Using GA4 Reports
HVPR Thought Provoking Articles
1. FrictionlessMedia: The EasierExperience
Make it frictionless for your customers to buy online
Learn how to give your customers the fastest, easiest online experience possible with
frictionless media.
By Chris Largent, Hudson Valley Public Relations Account Content Writer
We consume media more now than any other time in human history, but that is
not news. What is news is how customers are caring more and more about their
media experiences with the companies that they buy product from. An online
experience that is prickly, slow and hard to get through will turn off most
consumers and lose you the sale. The importance of this frictionless media
cannot be overlooked if you are looking to be a successful online competitor.
So How Do You Make A Frictionless Experience?
There are several different routes that can be taken to make it easier for
purchases on both your mobile or desktop/laptop sites. Here are our top four.
2. Encourage their visit
Even if a customer is only on your web page for exploration, making it the most
frictionless experience possible will only help your company, whether it is for that
particular visit or any future purchases.
Make sure that your servers run fast and efficiently. Note the capacity of your
server and match it to the amount of traffic that you get. Visitors may be fed up
with a long loading time or a bunch of hoops and registrations that they are made
to jump through and sign up for.
Another helpful tool for getting your products found on your website is your own
personal SEO. Include key words in your descriptions so that customers can
easily find what they are looking for. Have suggestions come up while they are
searching in the text box.
Keep reviews readily available
Many consumers turn to reviews when it comes to online shopping, since getting
the feel and quality of a product is unavailable to them. Making these reviews not
only accessible but also filterable can help the flow of your sale.
Do not be afraid of negative reviews either. Although it may be tempting to delete
negative remarks, customers often times appreciate the existence of bad reviews
so that they can weigh the difference themselves.
You can also open a section where comments and questions are answered by
either you or other customers. This will create a frictionless communication
between you and your consumers.
Finishing up
Much of the technicalities of buying and checking out can be a turn off to
customers as well. Make sure you keep everything your customers may want to
see right there on their laptop, desktop or phone screens.
For instance, if the purchase is allowing them a promotional discount let them
know. However do not have the space that the promotion takes up take away
from billing and shipping data.
3. Ensure security without having your customer have to go through too many
steps. I know I personally have been turned off by a website that required the
password to have a symbol, two capital letters, a number and a punctuation.
Have a strength suggestion box instead, showing customers just how secure
their password is.
Take advantage of your channels
It is not to say that every channel is best for every market. Know the channels
and niches that your company fits into and utilize them. There is no need to
squander time and money on a channel that isn’t a good fit for you.
That being said, make sure you use the channels that you have at your disposal:
Social media, email marketing, mobile, desktop. All of these channels can be
used in a different way and honing each and every one to its full potential will
create a frictionless experience for all of your customers, whichever medium they
choose to use.
A Big Part Of It Is Mobile.
There seems to be certain reluctance in purchasing on the phone, and a lot of
customers may prefer to shop on their laptop and desktop computers.
Constructing a fast and easy mobile site can be difficult since the compatibility is
different and monitoring and changing must be in two different platforms.
However, so much of today’s market and media are looked at and consumed on
cell phones. Allowing customers to purchase products straight from their phones
without having to resort back to their computers can be the step you need to
increase your online market.
Keep in mind that these are only a few suggestions. There are many more that can
assist you in your online platforms. For more information about frictionless media
and a frictionless experience please contact us at 845.202.7087 or visit our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com
Sources:
Photo Credit
4. Solis, B. (jul. 18, 2016) It’s Time for Retailers and Brands to Design a Better
Mobile Shopping Experience. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-
time-retailers-brands-design-better-mobile-shopping-brian-solis?trk=eml-
b2_content_ecosystem_digest-network_publishes-55-
null&midToken=AQES94e5y8d5TA&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=0FzCCHdES5Ank
1
5. Event Marketing
How to Successfully Market Your Event and
Increase ROI
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
Why Have Events?
Because events are fun! They are a good way for customers and potential
customers to get to know your business face to face. Engaging on a personal
level with customers is essential in today’s buyer-driven marketplace. Earning
trust and building a good reputation are good ways to grow a customer base and
maintain loyalty. Customers that come to events can learn just what your
business is all about and how you stand out from the crowd. By hosting events,
you give the customer something fun and exciting to do that will display your
business and brand in a positive, entertaining light.
How Do I Market My Events?
So you’ve decided to host an event and it’s all planned out, but how do you let
your customer base know about it? And how do you grow that customer base to
increase admittance?
Here are a few methods to expand your audience and successfully market your
event.
Number 1) Leverage Other People’s Audiences (LOPA)
First you need to increase your customer base. Do this by doing some
networking of your own. Find leaders within your community, either online or in
person and share your story with them. You should have something in common
6. with those you look for. For instance, if you are hosting an event to bring
awareness to a certain cause or issue, make sure the people you reach out to
show an interest in it. Those who follow these leaders are sure to have similar
feelings. Try to establish a relationship with them so that they will share your
story with their followers. Invite them to your event so that they may spread the
word to their own customers.
Number 2) Speak to the Right People
Events can be expensive and ROI can be difficult to maintain if the wrong people
are attending. Make sure that the people you are targeting have an interest in the
event and want to learn more. Sending out a broad message on any social media
platform will surely lead to low attendance. Look for demographics such as:
Age
Location
Employment
Shared Values
These will help you figure out who will be willing to attend your event. For
example, if your event is being hosted in New Jersey, it is not very likely that a
customer from Massachusetts will spend the time to drive down, unless they are
very invested in the cause.
Number 3) Social Media
Social media is a solid solution for marketing to your core stakeholders. .
Use Twitter to find the leaders that will have the most influence for your event.
Tweet updates about your event and answer any comments or questions that
your customers or potential attendees might have. Be sure to create a hashtag to
generate more buzz about the event as well. It will also be helpful to live tweet
during the event as well for those that could not attend.
Use Facebook to create more visual content for your event. Make inforgraphics
about your event to catch the eye of potential customers. Be careful not to
overload the amount of event posts, limit your posts on Facebook to a few times
a week. Switch up the content as well so that the customer is reminded about the
event and not just bombarded with the same message.
7. Use Google+ to easily create groups and customize invitations. Google+ is a
useful social media tool because it allows synchronization with Google Hangouts
which helps to promote your event to potential attendees (Marketo, 2015).
Number 4) Stay Active
Be sure to follow up with any and all attendees and non attendees. This shows
that you are an active participant in this event that you take seriously. Be sure to
include valuable information in all follow up messages, but do not be redundant.
Also, follow up with attendees after the event. Make them aware of any further
events or promotions coming up for your business. Remember, the event is as
much a networking opportunity for you as it is for them.
The most important part of event marketing is the event itself. It doesn’t matter
how many people come to your event if it doesn’t go well so take all precautions
to make sure the event runs smoothly. Keep in mind the number of staff that will
be needed and make sure to meet all deadlines (Marketo, 2015).
To learn more about event marketing and social media planning visit our website
at: hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us at call at: 845-202-7087.
Sources:
Photo Credit
Patel, N., Taylor, B. (n.d.). The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking. QuickSprout.
Marketo. (n.d.). Event Marketing. Marketo. Retrieved
from: http://www.marketo.com/event-marketing/
8. Growth Hacking and New Business
By Marist College Intern, Chris Largent
Technology and Predictive Analytics
Technology has opened a door to the business world. It has provided businesses
with a way to analyze data like never before. One process that has been useful
for a number of companies is data mining, or harnessing the free information on
the Internet to find what useful patterns there are within it.
Attempting to predict trends has always been a vital part of business practice.
Seeing where the next big thing will arise has been how companies soar over their
competitors. Now, with the use of technology, this process has not only become
easierbut also widely available.
Predicting trends and patterns of customer behavior through this process is
called predictive analytics. Unlike traditional analytics, which looks backwards at
past behaviors and informs a business of what has worked recently, predictive
analytics looks at all available data and makes predictions based off that
information. This allows companies to look forward and plan for possible future
trends and patterns in customer behavior.
9. Social Business, the
Application of Foreseeable Patterns
Social Business is all about connecting with the people within your networks.
These people are your audience, your customers, stakeholders and your
employees. You can contribute to the success of your business by making your
business social. Take advantage of the technology mentioned above. Becoming
a social business is not just about being on social media and posting regularly.
Instead, a social business makes it a point to encourage connectivity and
constant flow of information and creative ideas between these important
audiences. This sort of business values allow for the much-needed transparency
that so many businesses have struggled at in recent years. Adopting these
policies can make the difference for your company.
The combination of predictive analytics and social business can greatly increase
the ROI of your company. Focus on tactics such as customer engagement.
Today’s market is not made up of mindless buyers. Your customers have
personalities, interests that differentiate them from the rest of your customers.
Engage with them on a regular basis. Use the information that you gather from
predictive analytics to find out what the next top issues may be. Be the first to
start the conversation about them (IBM, 2014).
Be innovative! Generate new content and use it to generate growth for your
business. Sort out what your highest business goals are and find innovative and
creative ways to enact them. For instance, if you wish to connect further with
your customers, as suggested above, consider using growth hacking. This
10. process uses a series of strategies such as Search Engine Optimization,
blogging and leveraging other people’s audiences to extend your reach and the
impact of your content (IBM, 2014).
Use predictive analytics to find out what your customers would like to see and
hear. Perhaps there is a growing trend for the use of small videos as seen with
Vine and Snapchat. Be a leader in this trend by being the first to put out a series
of videos that promotes your products or services.
How Predictive Analytics Works and Helps Growth
Hacking
Predictive analytics has its obvious benefits. It is an automated process powered
by a software program that uses a wide variety of factors to make predictions.
These factors are, but are not limited to: “clustering, decision trees, market
basket analysis, regression modeling, neural nets, genetic algorithms, text
mining, hypothesis testing, decision analytics,…” (Zaman, p. 1). Although training
is needed to translate the outputs into useful business lingo, these solutions can
be extremely helpful to point you and your business in the direction of creativity
and ingenuity.
Knowing where customers can and will join the market can allow your business
to move in those directions. This will lead, quite quickly, to extensive growth for
your business through customer acquisition and increased profitability. Not only
is it able to predict trends but also other business related issues such as risk
factors. The software itself analyzes attributes of business practices and
customer behavior that could be detrimental to company success.
11. Some examples of predictive analytical software are as follows and suggested by
author, Mukhles Zaman: SAS, SPSS Inc., Insightful, StatSoft Inc., and
Knowledge Extraction Engines (KXEN).
To learn more about growth hacking and predictive analytics visit our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at 845.202.7807
Photo Source:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140922125640-35405-predictive-analytics-in-a-paid-
search-model
https://www.uea.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-degree/detail/msc-knowledge-
discovery-and-datamining
https://bloomfire.com/blog/the-definition-of-social-business/
Information Sources:
Zaman, M. (n.d.). Predictive Analytics: the Future of Business Intelligence.
Retrieved from: www.mahmoudyoussef.com/BI/9.doc
IBM. (Jan., 2014). Applying social business: The repeatable patterns that
improve business processes and provide return. Retrieved from:
12. Macro-Environmental Factors
How Macro-Environmental Factors Affect
Your Business
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
Staying Ahead
There are so many factors to keep track of but try not to get overwhelmed. Focus on what
your customers like and value the most. It is important to keep track of growing
movements within your company’s niche. Do this by monitoring your social media
accounts frequently to see what your customers have to say about incoming and outgoing
trends. Get involved in these conversations. Find out what they would like to see evolve
within your company.
Monitor what your competitors are doing as well. Just like in the case of AOL, useful
advice and tactics can be found from the people and companies in your industry. Take
them and make it your own. Being able to predict where these trends is a skill not easily
mastered, especially in today’s trend filled world. However, doing so can make the
difference in a business’s success.
What Are Macro-Environmental Factors?
Macro-Environmental Factors are factors that affect a business but are
uncontrollable. These factors could be a shift in political ideology, an increase in
population, a change in the values of their customers, growth of a certain
technology, or even trends within the culture of a nation. All of these factors
13. should hold weight in the decisions made by a company, because not being
ahead of the game means being left behind.
A Healthy Alternative
Coca-Cola is one of the leading producers of soft drinks in the world. With one of
the strongest international brands out there, it is a common sight to see a Coke
paired with any meal. However, with the recent surge of healthy eating, one has
to wonder if the Coca-Cola company is making any moves to hit this trend or if
they are simply staying stagnant.
A study from a few years ago explained that the beverage industry has been
moving toward teas, coffees, bottled water, and sports drinks (Deichert,
Ellenbecker, Klehr, Pesarchick, & Ziegler, 2006). Seeing these growing trends,
Coca-Cola released several new brands and products including Dasani water in
2001 and Fuze Tea nationally in 2005, both of which have gained a lot of
success.
A more recent movement has been seen in the healthy snack alternatives. Greek
yogurt company Chobani has been on top of this one, releasing its new “Flip”
yogurt-granola combination. Not long ago, Coca-Cola started up a deal to buy up
a lump sum of Chobani’s stock (Golbert, 2015). Although the plans fell through,
this acquisition could prove to be a good start for Coca-Cola to move into the
snack industry, a place where the company could easily expand.
The Technological Beast
Technology is growing and changing faster than it ever has before and will
continue to grow this way if all goes well. If acted upon correctly, the use of
technology can be a huge benefit for companies and set them far above their
competitors who they have left far behind.
One example of this innovative expansion into the field of technology comes from
AOL and its acquisition of a live streaming service called Kanvas. The company
made this move in response to the development of similar services within rival
companies. The difference for AOL, however is that it is launching this new
service coupled with an event hosted by clothing brand Guess. Guess and AOL
both hope to stand out with this online streaming service by giving the consumer
“a unique platform where users are able to customize and animate their
14. livestreams with a broad range of animation options in real time” said a
spokesman of the brand (Peterson, 2015).
It is motions such as this one, using technology to get a step above, in ways that
stand out from the rest, that allow businesses to excel in today’s market.
To learn more about Macro-Environmental Factors visit our website:
husdonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at 845.202.7087
Sources:
Photo Credit
Deichert, M., Ellenbecker, M., Klehr, E., Pesarchick, L., Ziegler, K., (February 22,
2006). Industry Analysis: Soft Drinks. Retrieved
from:https://www.csbsju.edu/Documents/libraries/zeigler_paper.pdf
Peterson, T. (Dec. 1, 2015). AOL’s Periscope Rival Signs First Moneymaking Brand
Deal. Ad Age. Retrieved from: http://adage.com/article/digital/aol-s-periscope-rival-signs-
money-making-brand-deal/301532/
15. The Subconscious Effectiveness of Negative
Campaigning
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
The History of Negative Campaigning
Negative campaigning has been around for centuries. One of the first instances
of this campaigning method was in the early 19th century between John Adams
and Thomas Jefferson. Although fierce friends while fighting for independence,
running for the presidential office proved to be quite the strain on their friendship.
Adams and Jefferson slung insults at each other that make the smear ads of
today pale in comparison. Jefferson labeled Adams a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal,
and a tyrant. Adams branded Jefferson a weakling, an atheist, a libertine, and a
coward (Swint, 2012).
The use of negative campaigning did not slow down throughout history either. In
the 1872 race between Grant and Greeley was dubbed “a shower of mud” by The
New York Sun (Wehner, 2010). And then there was the 1964 election between
Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater. LBJ released an ad found heredepicting
16. a four-year-old girl picking the petals off of a daisy abruptly interrupted by a
nuclear blast. LBJ claimed in the ad that, “These are the stakes” if he is not
elected (Gordon, 2012).
Often times these ads leave a bad taste in our mouths. We ask ourselves– Why
can’t there be fair play? Why does a politician have to degrade another? So, if
viewers dislike being shown these ads, then why do politicians put them out?
The answer is simple: because it works.
It Works, Subliminally
At face value, negative campaigning seems to be no more than mud slung from
one side of the aisle to the other. Adams calling Jefferson an atheist seems to be
a shallow stab at the founding father’s character. However, these tactics are far
from simple insults. What makes this tactic so successful is that it plays on what
people fear the most at the time. At the time Adams made his statement about
Jefferson, the Enlightenment area had just come to a close, and the United
States was still a very pious nation. The accusation of atheism surely frightened
a good number of religious minded voters.
Lyndon B. Johnson’s ad of the little girl was released at the peak of the Cold
War. His depiction of a little girl being blown away by a nuclear blast would have
hit very close to home with Americans at the time.
A more recent ad put out by Hillary Clinton’s administration during her campaign
against Obama in the 2008 election claimed that she was more qualified to keep
American families safe than her fellow candidate. According to a study, although
many viewers said that they disliked the ad, it was still very effective. The study
found that viewers of the ads unconsciously associated negative words when
shown a picture of Obama after seeing the ad put out by Clinton (Westen, 2012).
Negative Campaigning in the Current Race
For the current presidential race, negative campaigning has been at an all time
high. An astounding 96% of all presidential advertisements have been smearing
toward candidates, according to a CNN article (Stelter, 2015). So with so much
negative slander going around, how does one candidate stand out? There are
two nominees that have taken opposite stances: Donald Trump and Bernie
Sanders.
17. Trump
Trump has made it his business to smear anyone and everyone who gets in his
way. He has created a brand for himself that depicts him as a man who will say
anything about anyone. He constantly bashes his opponents on both sides of the
political spectrum. One example of this is his post on Facebook from November
14th in which he claims that Clinton, Sanders and O’Malley were doing poorly in
their debate:
Trump takes his rivals off guard by turning conventional campaign behavior on its head.
Sanders
Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, is doing the exact opposite of Trump. In an
interview with CNN, Sanders claimed that he will not run any negative ads. In
fact, he even went as far as to praise Hillary in the interview, saying that he
“respect[s] Hillary Clinton” and that “He is more concerned with addressing the
substantive issues than in tearing down his opponent” (Brekhus, 2015). This
seems to be just as bold a strategy as Trump’s. This, however, embodies
Bernie’s brand as well. He has asserted himself as a straightforward man as well,
stating his strong opinions on his Facebook and being dubbed a “king of social
media.”
It is hard to predict which strategy will work for either contestant. Although Trump
is currently leading Republican polls, his numbers and spreads are never much
higher than Sanders’. It seems as though the crowd will have to be thinned, the
race will have to come down to the wire to see for certain.
18. To learn more about negative campaigning and branding visit our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at: 845.202.7087
Sources:
Swint, K. (Aug. 22, 2008) Founding Fathers’ dirty campaign. Retrieved on
November 17, 2015
from http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/22/mf.campaign.slurs.slogan
s/index.html?_s=PM:LIVING
Wehner, P. (OCT. 29, 2010). Some Historical Perspective on Negative
Campaigning. Commentary. Retrieved on November 17, 2015
from: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/campaigns-
elections/some-historical-perspective-on-negative-campaigning/
Gordon, J. S. (Jan. 4, 2012). Gingrich and the History of Negative
Campaigning. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on Novermber 17, 2015
from: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203391104577124622834
142632
Stelter, B. (Apr. 15, 2015). Campaign ads get negative right away. CNN
Money. Retrieved on November 17, 2015
from: http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/15/media/negative-campaign-ads-already/
Westen, D. (Feb. 19, 2012). Why attack ads? Because they work. Los Angeles
Times. Retrieved on November 17, 2015
from: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/19/opinion/la-oe-westen-why-negative-
campaigning-works-20120219
Brekhus, K. (May. 19, 2015). Bernie Sanders Rejects Negative Campaigning,
Says He Likes Hillary Clinton. Politics USA. Retrieved on November 17, 2015
from: http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/19/bernie-sanders-rejects-negative-
campaigning-likes-hillary-clinton.html
Trump’s Facebook
Photo Credit
19. Use Periscope to Help Your Events
How To Use Periscope to Help with Your
Events
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
20. What is Periscope?
Periscope is a live streaming service app that came about in 2014. It was created
by two people, Kayvon Beykpour and Joe Bernstein, who were inspired while
traveling abroad in Istanbul. This app, accessible on both Android and iOS, was
bought up by Twitter in 2015 before going public. This merger gives users of the
app an option to tweet out the Live Stream that they created on the app itself,
with options of public and private settings. The app itself allows for a lot of
customization of the video the “scoper” puts out. This service allows a lot of for
ample amounts of creativity while essentially inventing “the closest thing to
teleportation” (Periscope, 2015).
So what can you do with Periscope?
Of course it is beyond important to get a high admittance to any event you hold.
The more people the better! But what about those people that cannot make it but
had a strong desire to go? Even though you had great promotional tactics you
may not have reached everyone you could have. You can use Periscope in two
ways to amp awareness of your event.
1. Assign your event staff to cover the event as it happens. Before the event
encourage your audience and those who will be attending your event to follow
this person either on Twitter or using the app itself. That way those who cannot
make it to the event can virtually attend. As Periscope says on their website, “A
picture may be worth a thousand words, but live video can take you someplace
and show you around.”
2. Encourage your audience and attendants to use Periscope while they are at
the event. This will get them more involved and give your event a lot of social
media steam. Consider giving out awards to the person with the most “hearts”
they receive for their Periscope videos and the “scoper” with the most creative
video.
Periscope can be a useful tool for promoting your event before, during and after it
takes place. Attendees can recap their visit and those who could not attend can
see what it was all about.
To learn more about event management and Periscope go to our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at: 845.202.7087
21. Sources:
Photo Credit
Periscope Website. (2015). Retrieved from: https://www.periscope.tv/about
Donald Trump: Social Media Tactician
Social Media Tactician: Donald Trump
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
22. Politics and Social Media
Smear tactics are nothing new to politicians, it’s been going on
for centuries. Back in the early 1800’s, party politics had so distanced John
Adams and Thomas Jefferson that, for the first and last time in U.S. history, a
president found himself running against his vice president. Jefferson’s camp
accused President Adams of having a “hideous hermaphroditical character,
which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and
sensibility of a woman.” In return, Adams’ men called Vice President Jefferson “a
mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a
Virginia mulatto father.”
Since Barack Obama’s election to the presidency in 2008, there has been a
surge in the involvement of social media in politics. For politicians, social media
has become a quick and easy way to reach target publics, just like their business
counterparts. Obama and his administration have been all over this trend.
Recently, when flying up to Alaska to promote his environmental policies, he
shared a picture on Instagram of the beautiful Alaska countryside (Carr, 2015).
This kind of connectivity shows that politicians are people just like me and you
and allows trust to flow more easily.
With the 2016 presidential election fast approaching, candidates not only need to
win in debates, but also make ground on the social media front. That battle is
surely raging. There are ample examples of social media tactics from all of the
potential runners representing both sides of the political spectrum. But there is
one that towers over all the rest.
Trump Tactics
Mr. Trump’s social media pages embody who he is as a presidential candidate.
Posting about every hour or so on Twitter, Trump constantly updates his
followers, last count of 4.79 million and growing. He tweets about events he has
attended, often tweeting “thanks” to states for their support in placing him top in
polls. One of Trumps best tactics is that he responds to a lot of the tweets that
slam him as well as posts that praise him. Trump often tweets directly to his fans
and his critics, tactfully quoting them in his own tweets.
Trump is also very active on Facebook, posting about two or three times a day.
Trump’s content reflects his personality — A master of the smear campaign,
23. many of his posts bash the other candidates such as his remarks about Jeb
Bush’s “low energy” and his tweets about Ben Carson. On November 6th Trump
posted on Facebook: “The Carson story is either a total fabrication or, if true,
even worse-trying to hit mother over the head with a hammer or stabbing friend!”
Trump aggressively attacks the entire field of presidential hopefuls, ” Marco
Rubio is a total lightweight who I wouldn’t hire to run one of my smaller
companies – h highly overrated politician!” Trump is quick to respond, he tactfully
makes everything personal, this let’s his competitiors and the press know he is
listening and that he is serious about winning the election. Trumps social media
tactics are gaining a lot of steam with his supporters.
Although Trump does not reply to as many comments on his Facebook page as
he does his Twitter account, he is very active on both social media channels.
Trump tactfully posts many articles about his standings in the polls and also
quotes publications such as People Magazine about how he is winning in key
states. He also tactfully shares clips from videos from the debates, and a clever
office video where Trump thanked Joe Biden for not running.
The Trump Brand
Smart, savvy publicity and social media tactics he helped to put Trump at the top
of the polls Trump has dominated the news networks coverage of the
presidential race, often eclipsing coverage of competition on both sides of the
aisle. Now a front-runner Trump has refined his message, “Make America Great
Again!” Trump’s slogan resonates with many American’s who feel that we have
lost our standing as a super power and don’t get the respect we deserve. The
24. message also succeeds in making Trump seem much more presidential. People
know exactly what they are getting with Trump. He is a straightforward, pull no
punches kind of guy and he has made that abundantly clear with his speeches
and debates which he has so tactfully shared over his social media channels.
Trump’s content is bombastic and brash, many people find him offensive. Love
him or hate him, his publicity and social media tactics are solid. Trump is riding
the “no such thing as bad publicity” train and it’s working.
To learn more about social media tactics visit our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at 845.202.7087
Sources:
Carr, N. (Sept. 2, 2015). How Social Media Is Ruining Politics. Politico. Retrieved
from: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/09/2016-election-social-
media-ruining-politics-213104
Swint, K. (Aug. 22, 2008) Founding Fathers’ dirty campaign. Retrieved on
November 11, 2015
from http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/22/mf.campaign.slurs.slogan
s/index.html?_s=PM:LIVING
Trump’s Twitter
Trump’s Facebook
Photo Credit
25. Ethnographic Research
Ethnographic Research Marketing
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern.
Knowing Your Customer on a Personal Level
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times — today’s marketplace is buyer-
central. People want to feel a connection with the products and brands that they
use every day. Catering to the buyer is essential. But how does a business cater
26. to one person while still trying to sell to a large customer base? The answer is
simple: ethnographic research. This type of research goes beyond the traditional
use of demographics to market, which has been shown to be outdated. Instead,
ethnographic research focuses on a few key aspects of consumer’s attitudes,
opinions, preferences, likes etc.:
Behaviors Habits Environment Values
Behaviors
Finding out how your customers behave on a day-to-day basis can provide you
with insight on how to market more efficiently to them. A useful way to go about
finding your customers’ behaviors is to visit them in a natural setting, perhaps at
the office. Although this may take a good amount of time and effort, it will be
worth it in the end. The objective is to learn about the customer on their home turf
instead of yours (Anderson, 2009).
Habits
The same goes for their habits. Human beings are habitual creatures. We enjoy
security and routine. Go out and observe your customers habits. Take note of the
products they use, the shows they watch, the food they eat. Creating content
present within the habits of your customers will bring more attention to your
brand and business.
Environment
Whether you believe in Nature or Nurture, it is essential to take your customers’
surroundings into consideration when researching their ethnography. Take time
to learn about where they work, where they live, their families and what they
generally surround themselves with. A customer that works for a company but
has no family will have a very different mindset when it comes to shopping than a
customer that works for that same company and has a family to provide for.
Values
Find out what your customers value deep down in their hearts. If your customers
believe in transparency when dealing with companies then it may be wise to
open up and provide more information to your publics. If not, you may find that
when a crisis happens, it will be harder to manage the aftermath, having lost a lot
of the trust of your customers.
27. This ethnographic research can be done through observational trips, focus
groups or well written surveys (Anderson, 2009). Many of these techniques may
come across as too time consuming, however, finding out who you are selling
your products to on a personal level will ultimately help to grow recognition and
loyalty with your business.
These are many ethnographic research methodologies to consider, to learn more
about ethnography visit our website: hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a
call at: 845.202.7087
Sources:
Photo Credit
Anderson, K. (2009). Ethnographic Research: A Key to Strategy. Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved on October 27th,
2015 from: https://hbr.org/2009/03/ethnographic-research-a-key-to-strategy.
28. Branding Opportunities
Taking Advantage of Branding Opportunities
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
Branding Opportunities
A little known fact about branding is that there are certain periods during people’s
lives when they switch their brand loyalty. Instances such as a transition to
college, or a marriage are two examples for branding opportunity.
Consumers are not born branded, in our early formative years we begin to
embrace values, opinions, beliefs and brand preferences. As we age we are not
as open to new ideas. Key opportunities for branding are prime time for
marketers. While at college, people tend to buy products and services
independent from what their parents brought home from the super market.
Millennials begin to buy their own food and work supplies. This leaves a lot of
room for the development of brand loyalty. People are more moldable to brands
when they are young. People tend to have their preferred lifestyles and products
set in stone by around the time they are able to vote. Take advantage of a
younger customer base so that your brand sticks with them for life.
By the time people are married, they tend to have their brand loyalty in place.
However, when they do get married, when shopping, they now have to consider
29. their spouse’s brand loyalties as well. Often times, new couples move into a
house together and that house must be furnished and filled with whatever makes
that family who they are. Take advantage of this time by gearing your products to
new families, driving for brand loyalty that will last the rest of their lives.
Brands and Reputation
Brand recognition and loyalty is what drives today’s buyer-focused market.
Customers feel more comfortable with their purchases when they know the brand
they’re buying. In order to achieve and maintain loyalty businesses must invest a
lot of time working on the reputation and image of their brand.
Even a reputational crisis can make people re-evaluate their brand preferences.
A great example of an opportunity to gain new consumers is during a brand
crisis. Unfortunately, not all businesses seem to get what is gluten free, this is
a big problem within this market, as some stores create the illusion of actually
being gluten free. People that have a serious gluten allergy or disease bar them
from consuming gluten. If it’s not gluten free, it can be seriously detrimental to
their health. Mistakes like this can lead to a reputational crisis for companies and
their brands. Companies with brands that are able to maintain their reputation
through transparency and loyalty easily rise to the top of their industry.
To learn more about branding or crisis communications visit us at
http://hudsonvalleymedia.com or give us a call at 845.202.7087. Thanks.
Sources:
Photo Credit
30. Managing and Planning for a Crisis
Planning for and Managing Crises
By Chris Largent, Marist Intern
What You Need to Know
Crises, thankfully, are not an every day thing. However, they can happen and
having the right plan in place for when they do can be the difference between
success and failure for your company. When dealing with a crisis it is important
to maintain a positive outlook and keep a level head. To use a common
communications phrase, a business should “respond” not “react” to crises.
According to research, businesses that dealt with crises poorly usually
experience a 10% drop in stock prices. On the contrary, businesses that handled
crises well did see a slight drop in stock prices initially but were actually able to
recover to a positive growth of 7% (Donohue, 2015).
Strategies of Planning
31. It is easy to say, “we’ll handle that when we have to” but this mentality can be
detrimental to a company’s health and reputation. A smart tactic would be to look
for potential issues that may arise in the future and either fix them before they
arise or at the least have a plan of action for them when they do erupt.
Take a look at your business. Think critically. What are some aspects of your
trade that may rub people the wrong way if found out? For example: it is a very
good idea to be transparent with your customers and the public. It will gain you
trust and credibility and you will be rewarded with a loyal customer base.
However, too much transparency can be harmful. In 2013, the CEO of
Abercrombie & Fitch stated that the company would not make XL or XXL clothing
for women because it wanted to market for a more attractive customer base
(Levinson, 2013). This kind of transparency is not only offensive but also had
adverse side effects for the clothing brand’s reputation.
Act on these issues before they arise. Look closely at the spokesperson for your
business: are they enthusiastic? Or are they overzealous.
Strategies for Managing
Remember, the faster you respond to a crisis the better. Half the battle is fixing
the crisis itself. The other is determining how the public perceives you. Think
about all of the audiences that will be affected by not only your crisis, but also
your response to it. Think about the media that you should use in your response.
It may be wise to release more traditional media such as a news release. But do
not forget to address the issue on social media and other digital outputs. Make
sure to remain personable and respond to customer comments and inquiries.
One of the worst things to do is stay silent to your customers.
Just because the crisis has blown over, do not assume that it is finished. Make
sure to check back in with research and statistics to evaluate how your reputation
with the public came out.
To learn more about crisis management go to our website:
hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at 845-202-7087
32. Sources:
Photo Credit
Levinson, S. (May 3, 2013). Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Explains Why He Hates
Fat Chicks. Elite Daily. Retrieved from:http://elitedaily.com/news/world/abercrombie-
fitch-ceo-explains-why-he-hates-fat-chicks/
Donohue, J. (2015). Issue Management and Crisis Communication.
Growth Hacking Tactics
Growth Hacking: How to Increase ROI for
Your Business
By Chris Largent, Marist College Intern
What Exactly Is Growth Hacking?
Growth Hacking is a marketing technique that breaks the mold of traditional
marketing. It utilizes the technology of today to promote one thing: the growth of
your business. Growth Hacking combines creativity, SEO (optimization), social
metrics and an analytical mindset. Growth Hacking can help to not only sell
products but also to expand and engage your business within the market-place.
33. Hacking is cost efficient, effectively skirting past the high-cost advertising
techniques of traditional marketing.
But How? Growth Hacking Tactics.
Growth Hacking uses low-budget means to spread awareness of your business.
Here are five easy Growth Hacking tactics that every business should use in
order to grow its brand name and market awareness.
Number 1: Search Engine Optimization
Make sure that your customers can find your website. When building a snippet
use keywords to attract the attention of the potential visitor in both the headline
and the meta-description. Be certain that the url is clear and readable so that the
consumer knows exactly what they are clicking on (see article onpermalinks).
Number 2: Blogs
Create content that is intriguing to your customer and do not simply attempt to
sell your product right then and there. The purpose of Growth Hacking is to subtly
pull your visitors to your website. Becoming a salesman on a blog can force
potential customers away. Instead, find creative ways to pull emotional strings
within them. Follow the ebb and flow of trends and niches within society and find
ways to relate them to your business (Patel & Taylor).
Number 3: Infographics
Infographics are a quick and easy way to help your visitors visualize a topic of
your choosing. A creative design can go a long way with infographics since, after
all, catching the customers’ eye is what Growth Hacking strives for. Choose a
topic that may be controversial as well. For instance: you can display what
makes your business stand out from the the rest of the industry. Distribution of
these infographics is easy: link your infograph to your social media pages (Patel
& Taylor).
Number 4: Social Media
Sharing content on social media channels is easily and it’s free! Posting and
sharing your blog and infographics on these social media platforms (Facebook,
Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.) is an excellent way to amplify and extend the
awareness and reach of your message, driving visitors back to your website.
Remember, social works both ways. Interpersonal communication is key for
leadership in the market (Patel & Taylor).
34. In order to receive awareness it is smart to spread awareness for others.
Comment on other posts and blogs.
Answer questions that customers may comment on your posts.
Number 5: Leverage Other People’s Audiences (LOPA)
Networking is always an essential part of business life. Find people and leaders
within your community that already have an expansive audience. Create a
mutual benefit system with them in hopes that they will share your story with their
audience and grow your awareness (Patel & Taylor).
Since Growth Hacking works with such low-budget tactics it is easy to boost ROI.
Throughout the use of these tactics it is vital to analyze success rates. This
analytical approach can help to perpetuate a repeatable process that works for
every individual business. Some examples of companies that used Growth
Hacking successfully to expand awareness are: Facebook, Dropbox, YouTube
and Instagram.
To learn more about Growth Hacking and what it can do for your business,
contact us at hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call at 845-202-7087.
Sources:
Photo Credit
Patel, N., Taylor, B. (n.d.). The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking. QuickSprout.
Ginn, A. (n.d.). What is Growth Hacking? Quora.
35. Content Marketing Helps Save a Maligned Dog
Breed
Special to Hudson Valley Public Relations, By Chris Largent Marist College
Intern
Creative Content Marketing
In this age it is easy to get overwhelmed with a surplus of bland, boring content.
It is the creative, ingenuitive content that attracts the eyes of customers. Recently
Honest Tea imposed a question to Americans, asking which city is the most
honest? Employing social media, Honest Tea gathered responses
36. (Olenski, Forbes 2015) identifying who, where, when and why consumers love
their tea. A highly successful social media campaign was developed.
Social Media Marketing
Its a jungle out there, today it’s a challenge to just try to stay ahead of the curve.
You need to get it right the first go around, start with a well thought out market-
media plan. Focus on the vision, establish the overarching goals, then nail down
you market objectives and strategies to achieve your goals.
BUSINESS PLAN
Vision / Overreaching Goal
Objectives
Strategies
Media + Market Plan
Target Audience / Markets
Tactics
It is important, however, to thoroughly examine the content that is being put out
on social media (Clay & Newlands, 2014). In this on-demand digital word, it is
very easy to reach a broad, unspecific audience and flood it with information via
social media. That is simply not an ideal way to go about achieving objectives
and may, in fact, turn customers away. Instead, figure out what the business
wants accomplished by establishing several objectives that will help reach the
overall goal. Once goals and objectives are decided on, research must be done
to find the specific target audience the business wants to reach. Finding
out who the customer is, when they shop and why can be vital information.
MARKET RESEARCH — Personas (who, when, where, and why they buy)
After the demographics have been compiled, assess and identify your
business’s persona profiles. These profiles will help a business understand its
customers and allow it to create meaningful and successful messages geared
specifically toward its desired audience. By doing this, campaigns for new
products and services can generate much more steam when entering the
marketplace.
Campaign to Save Pit Bulls
While studying abroad in Australia, my group (Changing Attitudes, 2014) was
tasked with developing a campaign to lift the ban prohibiting owning a pit bull.
37. There is a strong biases against pit bulls in Australia, not an easy assignment for
sure. Research, we started with sound research into the attitudes and opinions
Australians have towards this misunderstood dog. Our research identified our
core stakeholders consisting of new families with young children. A content
marketing campaign was created to achieve our goals of changing attitudes
towards owning pit bulls. Videos and photos were posted strategically targeting
new families via social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) with
emotive imagery showing a more loving and caring environment with young
children. Engaging with our core stakeholders tactically on social media channels
our team created an online movement in support of owning pit bulls.
To learn more about content marketing and social media marketing visit
our website hudsonvalleypublicrelations.com or give us a call
at 845.202.7087.
Sources:
Photo Source
Olenski, Steve. “The 3 Best Social Media Campaigns of 2015 (So Far).” Forbes.
Forbes Magazine, 21 Aug. 2015. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/08/21/the-3-best-social-media-
campaigns-of- 2015-so-far/>.
Clay, Bruce, and Murray Newlands. Content Marketing Strategies for
Professionals: How to Use Content Marketing and SEO to Communicate
with Impact, Generate Sales, and Get Found by Search Engines. North
Charleston (North Carolina): CreateSpace Independent Platform,
2014. Print.
Largent, C. (2014). Theoretical Case Study to Change Attitudes about Pit Bulls.
Griffith University, Gold Coast Australia.