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Bringing you expertise & ideas from the front lines of communication.

Author: Dan O’Keeffe

Founder & CEO

Mac and Me

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes. The ones who see things differently…While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones, who do.” 
–Apple commercial 1987 

The Art Department at the small agency I had founded in 1984 was known as the Zoo. Cork covered walls were adorned with Farah Faucet posters, marker comps, logo development drafts, and job traffic control spreadsheets. We were required to wear a coat and tie just in case a client came to visit, but that did little to camouflage our deviant minds.

We made blowguns with rolled paper tubes and push pins and challenged every norm. “Change” was our watchword, the status quo our target. Clients visiting the agency ALWAYS came to the Zoo to stand in the doorway to gaze in awe at a bunch of irreverent, creative misfits in action. Our T-squares and drafting tables are, for the most part, now obsolete, and the way we produce our work is much different.

I touched my first computer that same year. My toolbox was filled with triangles, T-squares, rapidographs, rubylith, kneaded erasers, and wax pencils. This box of wires with a glass face sitting on my desk looked like some kind of alien. Its name was ‘Mac’, and at first, our relationship was challenging.

As I sat at a large drawing board with white masking tape and X-Acto knives, building mechanicals and creating marker comps, Mac stared silently at my every move as if in judgment. We couldn’t communicate. I had to learn to speak Mac.

Like an invasion, Macs began to proliferate throughout the company. They got bigger, and faster and smarter and soon covered my trusty drafting table. I could access everything from a single movement of my hand on the strange box. When I made a mistake, my pal Mac allowed me to simply go back, without having to start the project over. Mac and his ilk changed everything.

But through the years one thing didn’t change: the people. The creatives, the technicians, the artists, the account execs, the media buyers, the designers, the thinkers, the writers and the wordsmiths. People who can breathe life into an idea through words or create an image that touches the heart without saying a word.

So, I got to thinking – although everything changed, nothing really has. Our tools may change and evolve, but we are still in the “idea business.” The misfits who provide the creative spark that makes content connect still fit round pegs into square holes every day.

Why (Social Media) Diets Don’t Work

We have all seen it before, a friend, family member or celebrity takes to social media to say they are taking a break from social media… Yep, let that one soak in a moment. They tell a tale of no longer being able to handle the negativity, politically charged comments or Susan’s constant CrossFit updates. They sign off, meaning they don’t actively post or engage for a week or two, and then triumphantly return announcing they’re back and letting the world know that their absence has been life-changing. How do I know the stages of the social media elimination diet so well? Because I, too, have proclaimed my emancipation from social sharing and have come back realizing that “everything in moderation” really is the best advice of all.

So why do these “diets” rarely last, and why do they ultimately leave us counting down the days until we can once again indulge in our bestie’s yoga-with-a-goat grams? To get to the heart of this, we need to examine why we use various social media platforms. Earlier this year, GlobalWebIndex published a blog post that detailed the top ten reasons people use social media.

To stay in touch

To stay up-to-date with news and current events

To fill spare time

Because friends are doing it

Networking

To find fun content

To share photos or videos

To share an opinion

To meet new people

To find new products

All of these reasons seem harmless enough, so how do we go from here to the point where we need to break up with our social-selves? The answer is because social media can force us to focus too much on what is happening in other people’s lives, and not enjoying and appreciating our own. We can concentrate so much on what others are saying and doing that we forget that there are humans in our inner circle that we should be having actual conversations and interactions with. The majority of folks posting to the inter-webs only share carefully crafted and edited images, and snippets of their lives. From the outside looking in, it’s easy to assume everyone else is living the dream while you’re stuck with an alarm that doesn’t even have a snooze button.

Now that we have identified the issue, how do stop the yo-yo of social-purging and create a healthy relationship with our social platforms? Bustle gives us a few tips to get to that sweet spot.

Schedule your social time

Remove the apps from your phone (the horror!)

Call your friend (like, have an actual voice conversation)

Think before you post (ahem, nothing good is ever posted after 11 pm)

Be selective about who you follow (this is good advice online and off…)

Don’t feed the trolls (never argue with crazy; people watching might not be able to tell the difference… just sayin’)

Stop comparing yourself to others online (PREACH!)

Post latergrams (not sure if this even a thing anymore with Instagram’s new algorithm …. Happy to hear your thoughts)

Keep social media out of the bedroom

BE AUTHENTIC!

If we can learn to be present with the humans in our lives and be comfortable with moments of quiet reflection, perhaps we won’t need to make a grand overture and proclaim that online sharing networks are the root of our unhappiness. We might even be able to appreciate all the positivity that community sharing brings to our lives. I, for one, am now incredibly thankful for the burst of cuteness that The Dodo or Fluffsquad brings to me on Facebook each morning. At the end of the day, I need to remind myself that just because someone across the globe has a pet sloth, my life is still meaningful even though I do not.

Five Reasons Why Traveling the World Can Make You a Better Marketer

In celebration of graduating Northern Kentucky University with my Master of Science in Business Informatics, I recently traveled to Cuba, making it the 17th foreign country I’ve visited. During my trip, I reflected on how I got there, why travel is so important to me, and how it has impacted my professional, and personal, life.

Traveling can give you a much-needed break and disconnect from the office, along with the 24/7 stream of messages flowing into your inbox. While that’s true, there’s plenty of benefits to your career and professional development that you will take home with you. Think of these five reasons as lifelong souvenirs after taking that trip abroad.

Open Your Eyes to New Perspectives

Like presents, people come in all different shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Being a successful marketer requires having a great deal of empathy. You must know what your audience cares about, what their pain points are, and what they are sensitive to. The best way for you to grow your sense of empathy and ability to shift the lens of how you see the world is to see the world, put yourself out there, and meet others that are different.

Think about creating audience personas. It’s a best practice to create an audience persona, with an actual name so you can make this process more personalized, and then discover the persona’s wants, needs, pain points, lifestyle, and so on. The foundational skill for this process is empathy, and no marketing textbook, influencer, whitepaper, or conference can teach it to you.

Develop a Sense of Multiculturalism

A large chunk of managers who are sent abroad end up failing. If getting an overseas assignment is something that excites you, then you’ll want to get a head start on getting experience abroad. When working with, and marketing to, people of other cultures, it’s critical to be aware of their cultural norms and sensitivities. This includes having at least a basic working knowledge of their language, political climate, history, food customs, religious practices, culturally-specific phrases to say or avoid, and nonverbal communication, including tone-of-voice, hand signals, gestures, and spatial orientation.  If you get any of these wrong in your marketing tactics, then you might do some massive damage to your brand, or even get into legal trouble.

A facepalm worthy example of a brand shooting itself in the foot is the United Kingdom based Tesco supermarket running a Ramadan promotion featuring smoky bacon flavored Pringles. Think about that for a second… There was also this rough example of people publishing a post so wrong that it landed them in jail. A pair of Instagram influencers focused on travel who posted a revealing picture of their butts at the world-famous Wat Arun temple in Thailand, a Buddhist country (wow did they mess up!). They were arrested for this picture and deported back to California after spending two weeks in jail, although they could have faced several years in prison. For additional context, many temples in Thailand require modest apparel to be worn out of respect (shorts aren’t even allowed at some), so that single Instagram post was an enormous disrespectful slap in the face to the Thai people.

On a positive note, having a multicultural bent enables you to ask questions and do your research before launching a new marketing campaign. Not only will you avoid an embarrassing blunder, but you will also be able to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of a culture different than your own. This makes you a smarter and more engaged global citizen while also empowering you to build authentic connections with people different than you. Ultimately, you’ll be able to engage more in-depth with a culture and reap the rewards both professionally and personally. As the United States is a very diverse country, having multicultural awareness and communication skills will benefit you at home and abroad.

Discover Different Ways People Receive Information and Communicate

People around the world communicate in different ways and through different platforms. As marketers, we need to understand where our target audiences spend their time, how they like to get their information, and which communication channels they use. Knowing this information allows us to craft relevant marketing campaigns for our target audiences and optimize content that’s deliverable to them.

By traveling, you’ll get a better understanding of a society’s culture, which has a major impact on how they receive information. If you’re in PR, you’ll need to know which media outlets operate in that country, what their reputation is, and if they have any bias towards a certain topic. While researching this information, the knowledge you gathered on your trip could help you weed out certain media outlets or digital platforms quickly.

Being Adaptable and Able to Switch Gears on the Fly

You can have the most ingenious marketing campaign or strategy crafted, yet things won’t always go your way.  Your targeted audience might not respond to your ad, your content calendar might not cultivate much engagement, or your campaign might not yield conversions. It can happen to the best of us. What will set you apart is your ability to take these circumstances, adapt to them immediately, and make changes to improve the outcome.

How does traveling play into this? Well first, no travel itinerary goes 100% according to plan. I’ve had my fair share of “WTF do I do now?” experiences in unfamiliar countries.  This recently happened to me within my first hour of being in Cuba. I forgot to ask the taxi driver who picked me up from the airport to call the Airbnb host and let him know I would arrive at the apartment momentarily. So, I got dropped off on the street in the middle of Havana in front of an apartment building without the host anywhere to be found. With my elementary level Spanish, I asked a senior woman on the street, who luckily happened to live in the same building, to call him. She and I could barely understand each other, but she was very kind and helpful, and he showed up 15 minutes later!

As marketers, we need to understand that plans don’t always go as expected. Creating contingency plans is always a good business practice, but sometimes weird things happen that not even the contingency plans cover. That’s why it’s important to train yourself to be adaptable in unfamiliar situations and scenarios where things go wrong.  Traveling gives you the skills to shift your plans, think creatively for outside of the box solutions, and ask for help from people at a moment’s notice.

Discovering, Appreciating, and Capturing Beauty in all its Forms

When is the last time you looked down the street, stopped, and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is incredibly vibrant and beautiful with many stories behind it,”? It can be easy to glance over, but even typing that very sentence made me take a closer look down Main Street in Covington’s Mainstrasse (my neighborhood) and have a moment of appreciation for all the culture and history behind it. Traveling gives you that appreciation for all the beautiful things that the world and life have to offer, which can directly result in a more creative eye. Visual content is the trend in marketing right now with no end in sight. On social media, your posts better at least have a compelling image tied to them if a video isn’t possible.

Traveling will give you that curiosity to explore, appreciate, and capture beauty in all its forms. As you snap and record away, you’re going to refine your photography and videography skillset. You’re also going to learn to look for appealing visual content in ways that you never did before. For me, my first trip abroad to Italy in high school solidified my interest in photography and travel, and then taking a professional photography class while studying abroad during my undergrad in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Costa Rica, has given me an eye for capturing visual content that I wouldn’t have otherwise. You don’t need to be a professional photographer or videographer to capture beautiful visual content worthy of sharing; you just need to know how to look for it, recognize it, appreciate it, and then represent it through the appropriate marketing channels.

Final Thoughts

In the end, traveling alone won’t make these five reasons come to life for you. You are responsible for that. Travel is the vehicle, and you’re the driver. You own these experiences and the outcomes of them. If you go to a country and just want to spend time at the all-inclusive resort’s pool while only interacting with people who can speak English, then you’re going to lose out on a lot of experiences and context that will help you grow. Successful marketers think outside of the box, are willing to take some risk to be innovative and reap great rewards, have an open mind, and are adaptable to all the unexpected curve balls that may be thrown at them. Traveling the world will help you build and refine these skills. No marketing class, book, whitepaper, blog (even this post), or whatever piece of content can teach these to you. There’s only one way to do that, and that’s to experience the world yourself.

In case you’re wondering, Cuba is an amazingly vibrant, beautiful, fun, and safe country to explore. To get a glimpse of what I experienced in Cuba, check out my album!

Meet Jocelyn Summers

Hi everyone! My name is Jocelyn Summers, and I am the newest member of O’Keeffe PR. I love storytelling and exploring the impact of the written word on people’s attitudes. I am a fanatic of all things digital but have a love-hate relationship with HTML. I have experience in corporate communications and have developed public relations strategies for local non-profits. I approach every day as an opportunity to learn a new skill.

What drew me to O’Keeffe was their culture. From the moment I stepped through the door, I knew they were passionate about their team and equally passionate about their clients. I am excited to be a part of the tribe!

Why did you choose this industry? 

I have a passion for writing. When I was a kid, I convinced myself that I was going to be the next J.K. Rowling. But through the years I learned that you don’t need to write a novel to tell a story. So, here I am!

What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry?

Be tenacious. I know that this is easier said than done, but if you fall, get right back up, take a lesson from it and try again. If you listen to feedback and constructive criticism, you will be amazed at the skills you develop.

If you could tell our clients one thing, what would it be?

We do care about each of our clients. The passion I sensed my first time meeting the team has only grown since I’ve joined O’Keeffe.

What was the last book you read?

A friend of mine gave me “You are a Badass,” by Jen Sincero for my birthday and I have read half way through it. It’s a fact I already knew, but I appreciated the reminder.

Favorite word?

Cattywampus. Say it out loud; you’ll love it too…

Least favorite word?

Definitely. I spelled it wrong in the 3rd-grade spelling bee, and I have second guessed myself on it ever since.

What profession other than marketing would you like to attempt?

As you may have guessed from other information in this post, an author. Move over J.K. Rowling, J. Summers is the new kid in town!

What is the best thing from your line of work?

I love that I don’t know exactly what my day is going to look like when I walk into the office. I thrive off of the energy and fast pace of being a part of an agency.

Tell me two truths and a lie.

I have a great sense of direction. I am allergic to cats. I am a vegetarian.

Meet Tiffany Ridenour

Hello! My name is Tiffany Ridenour, and I’m one of the bright, new faces here at O’Keeffe. I just graduated from Miami University with a dual bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing and Strategic Communication. During my time there, I was an active member of PRSSA, where I learned a lot about public relations and other career paths. I have a passion for writing and connecting with people, two things that just may come in handy.

I found my way to O’Keeffe PR by not listening to everyone who said the only way to get into the business is networking, even though it’s essential. I’m the first in my family even to attempt college, so giving up wasn’t an option. I found the firm by seeing what was out there and so far, I love what I found. I can’t wait to see where this tribe takes me. 

Why did you choose this industry?

I love writing. I know PR is more than that, but it’s one of the critical things to succeed. You have to be a great writer. Of course, I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me. After taking a few classes in college that had me create PR campaigns and press releases, I knew it was what I wanted to do.

What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry?

Don’t wait around for jobs to appear on those career websites. Go out, research companies, network. You don’t need to know someone to get into this industry, even though it helps A LOT. Figure out who you want to work for and reach out to them. The worst that could happen is they say no.

What are some projects you have worked on?

While at Miami, I created a mini social media campaign and content strategy plan for my hometown, the City of Hamilton. I also created a public relations campaign for a local business in Oxford, Ohio where I created and designed a website for a client.

What was the last book you read?

Besides all those dreaded books that college classes make you read? “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. Next on my list is “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen.

What’s your favorite movie genre?

I enjoy horror movies. Like public relations, horror movies have twists that you could never expect or when something will pop up and cause a crisis. It’s hard to predict how everything will turn out, and that’s what fascinates me.

Where do you get your news from?

Like most millennials, I look at Facebook. I use Yahoo when I’m on the go, don’t have time for social media or something important is happening. When I’m home, I’ll probably turn on a local news station.

What is your least favorite word?

Musk. It’s my equivalent to moist.

What profession, other than public relations, would you like to try?

Nursing. I like helping people and making those personal connections is what means a lot to me. Plus, I very rarely get grossed out by things.

Tell me two truths and a lie.

I’ve never been out of the country. I have two dogs. I have a daughter.

How Being a Step-Mother Has Made Me a Better Public Relations Professional (and Vice-Versa)

Looking back, I stumbled into the world of public relations much like I did the world of step-motherhood. If I’m honest, neither were my first choice and had I known ahead of time the hours, frustration and exhaustion each would bring, I’m not sure I would have dove into both quite as fervently as I did. With that said, after time, effort, and a little wine, I know I am exactly where I belong.

Flexibility

When you’re a step-mom, you enter a no-mans-land of parenting. I say no-mans-land because no man (or woman) ever grows up to say they want to be in that land. You have many of the same responsibilities as bio-parents (packing lunches, taxiing around town, sitting through various sports practices and cleaning up vomit) without many of the perks (breakfast-in-bed on Mother’s Day, input in daily decisions and the uninhibited love of the child). You learn early on that the relationship between you and your spouse, you and your step-children and you and the rest of the world is a dance. It’s a constant give and takes and one must be able to navigate and adjust expectations on a dime. Things don’t always go as planned. Many times the only thing you can expect on is the unplanned. These little humans are complex, and so are the many relationships that go along with them. Bobbing and weaving is a daily occurrence, and one must be able to recover quickly or be knocked out of the ring.

Similarly, if you want to succeed in the world of public relations, you must learn to be flexible. We’re talking full-on splits flexible. Clients, media, and even your agency team is ever changing. Agility and the ability to think on your feet are a must. If your client calls you an hour before they’re to appear on a live morning show to tell you they have an aggressive case of pink eye, what do you do? If you pitch your heart out about your client’s new product, and your media friends are excited to tell the story, but at the last minute the product is canned, what do you do? Flexibility is critical, and a level head is a necessity. My stepdaughters’ have given me many opportunities to strengthen my flexibility muscles, and I’m thankful they have, especially since the examples above are real-life pages from my career book.

Gentle Persistence

Secondly, as a step-parent, you quickly learn the art of gentle persistence. No one likes to be hounded. Having someone constantly looking over your shoulder and asking if you cleaned your room, fed your turtle, or used shampoo to wash your hair, is not pleasant. I have learned that my girls hear me ask the first time, but for various reasons (My Little Pony Friendship Adventure is on, they’re making paper bag puppets, or an intense game of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is about to go down) they are “unable” to accommodate my request. While I refuse to give up on my original ask, I step into their world, see the importance of what’s happening to them at that particular moment, and take a step back. Later, when the time is right, I gently remind them of my original request or direction.  While this is by no means fool-proof, and there are times that they give me the proverbial take-a-hike look, most of the time they respond favorably.

Likewise, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of our media friends. Many are stretched thin and working against razor-thin deadlines. When you’re feeling that kind of pressure, the last thing you need or will respond to is a PR person asking for the third time if you received their pitch. Conversely, as a PR professional, we still have the responsibility to our client to leave no stone unturned when telling their news. After all, if we’re not gently persistent in sharing their story and telling folks why it’s important, who will?

Creativity

The next thing my girls have taught me is that creativity is king. Like adults, their brains are being bombarded with thousands of messages every day. From school to friends, to PBS Kids, they’re being served up lights, sounds, and ideas that make my faux-momma mind tired. If I want to cut through the clutter and make memories with my girls, I need to be memorable. I need to think of new ways that will engage them and give them something to think about after the day or the event is over.

Equally, as PR professionals, we must be able to think differently.  Every day we are tasked to be creative, whether we’re approaching an old story in a new way or taking a story and making sure we tell it in a way that it receives the attention it deserves. This skill is necessary for both roles, and I am grateful my girls have pushed me to develop this ability, even on my off days.

Thick Skin

Let’s be real for a minute. I love my girls. They are a part of my life that I never thought I had room for, but I do. They have expanded my heart and made my life fuller (and more chaotic). With that said, I’m not their bio-mom. I never will be their mom. Remember what I said above, as a step-mom you do many of the same dirty deeds that their birth mother does, but often you don’t reap the same rewards. I’ve learned not to take this personally (most of the time).

PR professionals need to apply the same roll-off-your-back mentality to avoid burn out. There are many time times that we hear no thanks (or just NO) from a reporter, journalist or client. We can’t take this personally; it’s the world we work in.

As for my girls, many sweet moments happen, too. The way they snuggle in for a story at night or to watch funny animal videos on YouTube, the good night hug, and even when they tell me that my Ranch dressing is better than their mom’s (I’m #1 at something!). I relish these special moments the way I relish when a reporter does an amazing piece for my client. You take the good with the bad, and you choose to remember the good when the laundry is piling up, and emails and phone calls to your media friends go unanswered.

Focus on the Relationship

Lastly, my girls have helped me hone my relational skills. Just because I married their Dad, doesn’t mean that instantly we felt like a family or that they trusted me. Quite the opposite. I sat on the sidelines for longer than I’d like to admit before I realized that if I wanted to be embraced, I needed to embrace. I needed to dig in and show up for them. I needed to read books with them, play Calico Critters, watch Larva (if you don’t know what this is, you should). I needed to get to know them and what makes them tick before I could put any expectations on them. The same goes for our clients and media friends. We need to do our research and make sure we’re bringing them stories that are right for them. Everyone prefers to spend time with people who have taken the time to invest in them. My girls have taught me to put the time in before expecting the reward.

When I started my career in marketing, I had no idea that I would one day be a part of the PR tribe. In the same vein, when I started dating my husband, it hadn’t occurred to me that I would enter into the position of bonus-mom. Both were unexpected and at the time, challenging. Now that I have *ahem* a few years under my belt, I can say both are exactly what I want for my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My girls have shown me how to be a better bonus-momma at home and a better PR professional at the office.

The Fifth Marketing Wave

Will the Art of Creative Marketing Become a Science?

Robert Keith wrote an article “The Marketing Revolution” first published in the Journal of Marketing in 1960. Keith examined the marketing practices of the Pillsbury Corporation between 1869 and 1960, almost a century of evolution. From his research, he identified four different eras of marketing that correspond to the evolution of both technology and the marketplace.

Keith called the years up to the 1930s the production era. The era was characterized by an abundance of raw materials and new technologies and mechanical processes which fueled investment in mass production. Many companies concentrated on mass producing one single item. Marketing efforts generally consisted of informational brochures and catalogs.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, companies began to get more aggressive in their search for a competitive edge. What emerged was the sales era. Sales campaigns were devised to persuade customers on the advantages of a specific product over others. The customer’s wants’ and needs became important. Evolving technology and infrastructure sparked development of distribution networks.

Brand marketing emerged during the marketing era spanning the 1950s to the 1960s which corresponded with the development of broadcast technology. Advertising began its golden age. Companies created marketing departments, and what became the art of modern marketing and advertising methodology. The brand manager emerged as the individual responsible for all marketing activities associated with a brand, and competition increased as marketers concentrated on persuasion to influence consumer purchasing.

The period from 1960 until recent years has involved an increased focus on the customer, such as identifying needs, wants and buying behaviors. Market research emerged in the form of consumer surveys and focus groups. In the 1980s, what is known as “relationship marketing” became a common marketing practice, still, very much an art form as reliable measurement tools didn’t exist.

Today, a fifth era has emerged: the era of customer data and analytical insights. Technology and data capture has enabled the science of consumer insights. A 1960’s CPG brand manager made decisions to change the packaging design based on a focus group of a dozen individuals and his or her instincts. Today, marketers have access to the collective data from millions of consumers in real time distilled into actionable insights. Marketing, once exclusively an art, has made a giant step towards evolving into a science.

Will there still be a place for creative marketing in the future or will science, and data alone drive marketing? My answer is yes. The science can tell us definitively what works and what doesn’t. That’s a potent tool. But content and messaging will always play a vital role in the marketing equation so long as people, not machines, make buying decisions.

 

When You’re a Marketing Team of One

When you’re a marketing team of one, things get more complicated. Things like schedules and strategies and goals can quickly get usurped for the latest marketing fire unless you’re able to get ahead of the rest of the organization. I should know –  I was a marketing team of one for a good chunk of my career before joining the O’Keeffe tribe.

Here are the top five things I wish I’d known early in my career as a marketing team of one.

  1. Documentation is your best friend.

It sounds like a no-brainer, right? Document things. Easy peasy. But when you’re a team of one, you’re likely juggling priorities across the business and, depending on the history of the organization, and who you report to, you may be dealing with conflicting ideas on how you should move forward.

Hence documentation.

It’s more than just a recap of emails after meetings (although those are essential). Think about how you can best communicate your strategy and your wins across the business. Would a monthly report help? How about a note breaking down wins via email with a why it matters summary? Find ways to bring your leadership and the rest of your organization along on this magical marketing journey with you.

  1. Stay connected within the marketing community.

As a marketing team of one, you will likely be the only person who gets excited when a significant client tweets at you or when you double your open rate on that biweekly email send. Find your local marketing community and make nerdy friends. Sometimes a lunch spent talking segmentation is the boost you need to push out your new content strategy. Your local AMA is an excellent resource for this, but so are Meetups, user groups, and events or conferences.

Make friends, and you’ll always have someone to call to celebrate a big victory or talk you off a ledge when Salesforce breaks.

  1. Keep a roadmap.

Depending on the nature of your organization and whether you’re setting the long-term strategy, you’ll need to keep an eye on your initiatives. Sometimes you’ll be working through a tough time with your sales team, and you’ll need a way to refocus on what’s next. Your roadmap will be your strategic marketing bible and help you cut through priorities. It’s easy to get overwhelmed as a team of one. Being able to reference that roadmap can help your leadership stay focused on where you can make the most impact.

  1. Do the math.

Let’s face it: pulling your monthly analytics isn’t a high priority when you’re managing a giant marketing strategy. But it’s also the one thing that will help you see the light at the end of the long, complicated white paper you’re writing. Being able to see your progress is hugely motivating, and that process of continual optimization isn’t possible without a historical perspective on your efforts. It’ll also save you if you ever want to find a new home because showing concrete results is the best way to land your next gig.

  1. Find time to get creative.

When all of the pressure rests on your marketing shoulders, it’s easy to stay head down and ignore the outside world. You’re just trying to knock out this week’s social posts – there isn’t time for nerding out with a whiteboard and reviewing your personas. The single best way to stop stress and burnout is to stay creative and engaged in your work. Make the time to develop new strategies, review fun ideas, and learn skills that help set you apart. It keeps your brain fresh and your marketing strategy even fresher.

Being a marketing team of one isn’t easy. I’d wager that it’s one of the hardest roles to fill as a marketer. That kind of ownership and responsibility can be insanely fun if you’re able to ride through competing priorities, times of loneliness as you long for a team, and all those conversations explaining just what exactly you do to the rest of the organization.

Did you read this and think, gosh, I wish I had a marketing buddy like the O’Keeffe tribe? We’d love to work with you and help you tell your story. Send us a quick message and let’s talk.

Meet Lisa Dyson

Hi, I’m Lisa Dyson. I’m new to O’Keeffe PR but not new to the business, not by a long shot. I began my career in marketing by helping a then emerging brand gain local awareness.

Hi, I’m Lisa Dyson. I’m new to O’Keeffe PR but not new to the business, not by a long shot. I began my career in marketing by helping a then-emerging brand gain local awareness. Today that brand is a household name, and I get to say that I was a part of the early foundational growth. Seeing a brand flourish from the ground up is like a runner’s high, you want to keep achieving at that level over and over again!

These days I get to help many different brands gain maximum exposure and reach levels of recognition and awareness they did not know possible. Telling a brand’s story in a new and impactful way is my passion, and I consider myself lucky to have found an agency/tribe that is equally as passionate!

What’s your best piece of advice for a new marketer?

Always tell the truth. It’s possible as marketers to be so excited about your client and what they offer, you begin to attribute super powers to them. While it can be flattering for the client, we need to step back and tell their true story so well that there is no need for embellishment. When you always tell the truth, you allow your brand to create its real success, and it never needs to be measured to a fairytale you inadvertently created.

If you could tell our clients one thing, what would it be?

We see ourselves as a part of your inner circle. Our job is to help you shine, and we genuinely celebrate your wins and successes! Don’t hesitate to think of us as a part of your team; we already feel we are.

What’s the last book you read?

Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers by Cynthia Rylant. I have a 6-year-old. Enough said.

Favorite word?

Garlic. No matter what comes after it, I know I am going to love it.

Least favorite word?

Diet. It automatically brings a sad face.

What profession other than marketing would you like to attempt?

I’d love to open a small floral and gift shop. I’m attracted to all things sparkly and pretty, and I love the color, and life fresh flowers bring to a home. Being able to create beautiful arrangements that make people smile would be a dream.

What’s the best thing about our line of work?

I love what I do for a living, so it honestly is difficult to choose one thing. I think solving a problem or creating an innovative solution through team collaboration is always a highlight. When a team is firing on all cylinders and ideas and thoughts are coming together, magic happens. I love the rush of team synergy when you know you’re onto something special. It is invigorating!

Tell me two truths and a lie.

  1. 1. I’m allergic to kiwi  2. I’m deathly afraid of lightning  3. I am an avid tandem bike rider

Learn more about me! Check out my full bio here or take a look at my LinkedIn profile here. And if you have any guesses about which statement is my lie, send us a tweet.

The Communications Olympics

The Problem of Distracted Audiences

It all started in 2010, a new competition in the Winter Olympics. That was the year Google, Microsoft and Yahoo each unveiled separate renditions on search, blogs and mobile for fans to follow the 2010 games in Vancouver.  Flash forward to the 2018 Winter games in Pyeong Chang and the competition is still fierce among these three competitors. But another competition is being fought behind the scenes. It is the marketers battle to place their content and gain the attention of the viewing audience. And the winners are…we’re not sure.

The web and social media has brought Olympics fans closer to the action at home, the office or on the go. People have access to news, event schedules, stats and pictures, and can watch competitions live on any of their devices. How the world has changed in a few short years. Not only are athletes’ event performance viewed with a microscope by tens of millions, so too is their performance when not actually competing.

Audiences seem to be as interested in who placed in which event as they are in a female skater’s wardrobe malfunction, or a French athlete being sent home for lack of team spirit, to an analyst’s inappropriate comments on domestic violence. A new element has been introduced marketers need to factor into the equation: audience distraction.

As marketers we are vigilant in seeking out new platforms from which we can communicate to specific audiences. Social media has transformed our ability to communicate meaningful content to segmented audiences most likely to respond. Instead of simply seeking a wider audience, we are able to drill down with analytic tools to reach specific audiences. What are the ramifications when a chosen channel with a specific audience becomes fractured by a distraction. Will the tracking, monitoring and analytics software measurements we use to evaluate campaigns hold up?

Distracted audiences aren’t a new phenomenon, but for the first time, marketers are gaining the ability to measure the impact on their campaign. This is going to be interesting.

How about those North Korean robo-cheerleaders?

Want help connecting with your distracted audience? Let’s work together!

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