Author: Shawn Maher

How Universities Can Make Online Grad School Exciting

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

How Universities Can Make Online Grad School Exciting

General

Many of us remember college fondly, but not necessarily for the time we spent in the classroom. The overall college experience is a big part of education marketing: the campus, clubs, sporting events, networking and more. But like anything else, many universities are finding ways to successfully adapt to the (all together now) new normal and find new ways to make the graduate school experience attractive to students.


Due to the sudden shift required as the beginning of the pandemic outbreak, many colleges were unprepared, leaving a poor perception of online education, especially from prestigious institutions that have set a high standard. However, many of these universities have been working hard to reimagine their online education experience with resources to rival their in-person offerings as they experience an average of 4% drop in enrollment.


So how do they communicate it to these skeptical students? Especially during a crucial moment when so many are considering this as an opportunity to further their education with an advanced degree.


An optimistic sign for higher education is that studies have shown no empirical evidence as to any decline in the quality of applicants. Additionally, some anecdotal evidence has demonstrated an even greater diversity in applicants.

By coordinating efforts between faculty, staff and marketing teams, universities have a chance to reach students they may not have been able to before. Colleges can not only diversify their student base, but also allow opportunities for students who are well-suited to the university’s unique offerings to flourish. And with a robust online learning program, it is an opportunity that these potential students many may not have been able to take advantage of.


However, unlike a baseball field in the Iowa cornfields, if you build a great online graduate program, that does not mean that they will come. A strong marketing communications plan is essential to getting these opportunities in front of potential students who are seeking it. We understand how to tap into this potential with our years of education experience and are well- positioned to help you take full advantage of these new opportunities. Get in touch now to get started on your plan.

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Building Brand Loyalty with Construction Marketing

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Building Brand Loyalty with Construction Marketing

General

For those in the construction industry, trust is important. From the big-picture view, it is essential to create trust in the performance of your products and your work. There aren’t many other industries where a job well done – one that is sure to last – is more important to the safety and well-being of their customers. 

Whether it’s a new line of tools or a new piece of equipment, many builders often find a brand that they trust and stick with it. When planning a new construction job, it is reassuring to know that you can trust a product’s performance. Construction jobs can be unpredictable enough, and so the peace of mind of being able to trust a brand is invaluable.

However, a recent study by Builder showed some interesting results. While it did illustrate the loyalty that many feel to brands, it also discovered that more than 65% of builders are open to trying new products and brands in their projects. 

It may seem a bit contradictory, but this is an industry that has seen quite a bit of innovation over time, leading to evolving thinking. This is a great opportunity for marketing your new service lines or building your brand – your marketing can convince them to give you a chance, while your stellar performance can keep them coming back for years and years. 

Of course, you have to get your foot in the door first and foremost, and that’s where a marketing and communications agency with proven experience in the industry can help. G/L has worked with the brands that build America’s landscapes, the ones that are trusted to create the infrastructure of the communities in which we work and live. 

Get in touch with us to see how our experience in construction marketing can help you take advantage of all the opportunities to build brand loyalty.

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Now’s the time to rebuild your construction marketing efforts

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Now’s the time to rebuild your construction marketing efforts

B2B

During the pandemic and all the social distancing that has come with it, many industries have been affected. However, the construction industry is particularly interesting. Not only for the boots on the ground, but because so much of the marketing efforts in the industry are people oriented.

Looking for new clients or even new vendors? Many industry professionals rely upon in-person meetings, drop-ins, industry shows and networking their tool belts off. Just thinking about it, so much of the construction industry is coordinating people and building as many relationships as actual structures, if not more.

So does this mean those in the construction industry should put an end to their marketing efforts? The answer is a simple no. In fact, now is the perfect time to lean heavily on marketing and communications expertise. And here’s why.

Marketing isn’t just about trotting out the same solution no matter what. Even if that’s what some may do. Marketing is about ideas. It’s about creativity. Problem solving. Coming up with new ideas for new problems that have never been encountered. Now is EXACTLY the type of situation where these creative solutions are needed the most.

There are answers out there. Maybe it’s time to increase your digital presence…or even create one. Blow the dust off those social media channels and not only create an engaging and informative content calendar, but also truly engage with both your existing audience and potential new leads with thought leadership. Build a website that creates value. Launch a campaign that promotes your pandemic safety measures and demonstrate exactly why your company is the right choice during these times.

Maybe even take this opportunity to rethink your brand from the ground up.

The people you want to reach are undoubtedly out there. And you can reach them. We know how to do it with proven experience in both the construction industry and the new and ever-changing landscape of marketing. Get in touch. There’s no one answer for any problem, but that’s what makes finding the perfect solution for your unique needs so exciting.

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Why Brand Strategy is in Such High Demand

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Why Brand Strategy is in Such High Demand

Brainstorms

If you know G/L, you know we’ve always talked about the importance of brand strategy. It’s been central to our 30+ years. It’s why we created Distilled Thinking, our 5-step comprehensive brand discovery and development process. However, CMOs throughout the industry are realizing the importance of brand strategy as defining who they are as a brand has become more important than ever during this past year.

In a recent Gartner survey of 400 CMOs and senior marketers, a strong majority said that brand strategy was the most important factor to their success over the next 18 months. While we’ve seen the same thing, it is great to see some data to back it up since we believe so strongly in its importance. That’s why we have been creating insightful and actionable brand strategies for so long. It’s at the core of any successful marketing and communications plan.

After reviewing the Marketing Week article, of course we had no choice but to dive into the analysis. It presented three steps that brands should take to reexamine their strategy, and those three we felt were interesting thought starters.

Define Your Target

First, look before you leap. It is important to really think about how your customers see you, how the market sees you, what your strengths and weaknesses are. Sure, we all know SWOT analysis. But when’s the last time you’ve given it more than just lip service?

Decide What You Want to Stand For

Next, brand strategy is as much about what you will NOT do as what you will. You have to be deliberate with your choices as a brand. You can’t be everything to everyone. Many brands do try to use this shotgun strategy, only to dilute their brand and confuse the market as to what they are or what they stand for. Define your course and keep your focus narrow.

Define Your Strategy, then your Tactics

Finally, and this is one we hear around our office all the time, define your strategy before your tactics. Execution is not a strategy. Media buys are not a strategy. Social media posts are not a strategy. These tactics will reflect your strategy, but brands must pull back and see the forest before the trees. Or realizing the horse goes before the cart. Whatever saying you prefer, by creating your strategy first, your tactics will be more focused and much, much stronger, because they will be working together and supporting each other, not to mention speaking with one, singular voice.

Your brand is important. In the end, it is your single most important asset. So it is time to treat it as such, not just as an afterthought. That is why we would like to discuss what our three decades of brand strategy can do for yours. Get in touch, and let’s talk branding.

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What Will the New Normal REALLY Look Like?

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

What Will the New Normal REALLY Look Like?

Return On Empathy

It seems like every time you blink, the world has changed. During the pandemic, consumer behavior has evolved more rapidly than maybe any other time in history. But is the world we live in now actually the new normal?

Recently, Dentsu Aegis Network performed a survey of CMOs in the US regarding their preparedness for the upcoming 6-12 months. One of the results that really stuck out to us was that the top challenge that they faced was determining whether changes in consumer behavior were temporary or were going to become permanent for the foreseeable future. 

Which is to say, it can be difficult to prepare for the unknown. But things are not as hopeless as they seem. Not at all. Especially for those who use empathy marketing by listening to customers and acting responsively to their needs instead of attempting to dictate the conversation. 

That is why we are so adamant that Return on Empathy™ is a metric that is not only important during the pandemic, but also for the foreseeable future. Any brand that demonstrates active listening and uses marketing communication that reflects what their customers truly are seeking, even – and especially – as the market evolves over time, will earn brand loyalty that will be unrivaled in the marketplace.

In many aspects of our lives, 2020 has been a pretty dismal year. But yet, as the year as progressed, we have discovered how essential empathy is to any brand’s marketing efforts and have seen great success employing it in a wide variety of industries. 

If you think your marketing efforts could use a dose of empathy (and we truly believe that any brand will benefit from empathy marketing), reach out and let us discuss how your brand and your customers can benefit from benefit by putting their customers’ needs at front and center. 

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The Unexpected Ways Video Consumption Has Changed During the Pandemic

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

The Unexpected Ways Video Consumption Has Changed During the Pandemic

General

We know that you’ve probably heard about the death of television many times over the years, but the statistics actually show video consumption is rising. Especially during the pandemic when we’re all stuck at home.

Well, it appears that it’s not just people flipping on the boob tube, but instead consuming more and more video content than ever from smartphones, computer, TV and any other video streaming service they can get their hands on.

Recently, Marketing Charts analyzed television viewing habits by demographic using year-to-date data from 2020 as compared to the same time period in 2019. Remember 2019? When we could go anywhere in the world and do anything? With all that freedom, you’d think we’d be watching way less TV. But that’s simply not the case.

The study found that television viewership (both live and time-shifted) for people aged 18-34 traditional television viewership (both live and time-shifted) declined by 15.3% year-to-year. Not only that, these consumers spend almost three times using apps and on the web on JUST their smartphones. That doesn’t even include laptops or other connected devices.

In fact, only 71% of that age bracket watches traditional TV, period. Those who do on average watch just short of two hours per day. That’s down 15 minutes from the previous year.

Overall, time watching TV declined across all demographics in 2020 compared to 2019. But as the demographic age increases, there is less and less of a decrease in viewing time. In the 65+ age group, television viewing is still holding fairly steady year-to-year. To target the older generation, advertisers can make use of such data to analyze the TV identity of consumers and optimize their campaigns accordingly. Companies like Samba TV can provide an identity graph that is said to be 90%+ accurate with identifying digital devices to a household, making marketing content more relatable to the audience.

On the other hand, the average adult watches 5 hours and 56 minutes of video total. Easy math shows us that the majority of video consumed is streaming online through apps and streaming services. That’s up to 10 minutes year-on-year due to an increase in streaming on connected TVs, computers and devices. This has become a lot easier with the pairing of the different electronic devices (like the ones VIZIO manufactures) with virtual voice controlled assistants like Google and Amazon Alexa.

And that makes it pretty easy to draw a conclusion here. If you don’t have an online video content strategy, then you aren’t reaching a huge swath of customers, especially those whose brand loyalty could last for decades into the future. Not to mention the advantages of improved and more robust targeting that allows brands to put the right content in front of the right people at the right time.

It may seem like a lot to take on, but with our in-house online video content production arm, G/L Content Studios, we work nimbly and draw from our decades of experience in marketing communications to make sure you aren’t just making online videos, but you’re Making It Mean Something. Get in touch and we can find a video content strategy made for your unique brand and your unique needs.

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Why Your Branding Is So Important for Potential Employees

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Why Your Branding Is So Important for Potential Employees

Branding

When we talk about branding, many would immediately begin thinking about how it works in relationship to the sales cycle and staking a claim in the consumer marketplace. But what about the human resources marketplace? 

We all understand how vital our staff is to our success, not only in their skillset, but also their fit with the company’s culture. Having recently made two new hires at G/L, this has been top of mind for us lately. So when we saw a new study from Hinge Research that showed that 73% of professionals place the utmost importance on a clearly defined and articulated company culture, we weren’t surprised. But it definitely got us thinking. 

A company’s culture permeates everything they do: from the work they produce to the way the company grows and moves forward in their overarching plan. So why not articulate this in your branding? In the same study, around half the people surveyed cite the ability to attract candidates as the most important element of an employer’s brand.

Both our company culture and our work are tied directly into Making It Mean Something. Not only is it our north star internally, but it is branding that clearly communicates to both potential employees and clients what we are all about here at G/L. Sure, the work matters more than anything else. But putting ourselves into a position to create great work is a result of using our brand to attract the most talented people who work together seamlessly, along with clients who understand the long-term importance and ramifications of everything we do. 

Everything we do, we Make It Mean Something for our clients. And everyone here at Geile/Leon is pulling in the same direction to achieve that. That’s how great branding works. It’s the megaphone on the rowboat to let us all know when to row, that way we can go further and faster than we would simply by paddling at our own pace and our own discretion. 

Have you thought about how potential employees view your company? Does your brand properly reflect your culture? Or is it holding you back in building the staff you need to realize your vision? These big-picture discussions are what gets us really excited at G/L, so get in touch so we can talk about building an all-encompassing brand for you. 

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Online Video Lessons from Quarantine: Why Your Message Matters So Much

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Online Video Lessons from Quarantine: Why Your Message Matters So Much

Communications Agency

As the world continues to adapt to new work environments in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw many wonder what the future held for both content marketing and for business as usual. However, our Return on Empathy™ campaign helped shine a light on these answers. And our Chief Brand Strategy Officer Tim Leon put these ideas into practice in his accompanying social media video series. 

The idea behind Return on Empathy™ is that now more than ever is the time to listen closely to your customers and communities you serve.  And when it comes to creating online video, understanding how to effectively engage your customers is a result of truly understanding your customers and what they value in your brand.

And that comes from empathetic listening. 

Through this series of LinkedIn videos, Tim saw a big jump in engagement, with video views far exceeding our targets. Not to mention the conversation it started. And while we throw the word “conversation” around liberally in the marketing world, this heartfelt messaging did spark it. 

Of course, we were working from home at the time, so there was no way we could manage a studio setup. Or even much by the way of lighting. However, we understood at the time that people were not seeking out high production value or giant promises of “the top 10 secrets to pandemic success.” People wanted honesty and a roadmap that may not have been always easy to execute, but is easy to understand. 

So with this in mind, Tim pulled out his iPhone and hit record. Then the G/L Content Studios editing team got to work packaging up and turning it around within a day. Since Tim was discussing current events and trends, so time was of the essence. It seemed like huge news was breaking every second for weeks on end, so our nimble production process helped seize upon the moment to talk about current events while they were still…current. 

Of course, the answer for online video isn’t for every company’s president to pull out their iPhone and go to town. The point is that effective marketing is based upon gaining a deep understanding of your audience, planning carefully and then determining the best way to communicate your message effectively and timely. 

We believe that the businesses that displayed an empathetic attitude towards their customers during the pandemic are the ones that positioned themselves for long-term success. But empathy doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) stop there. If we can inject it into everything we do, then we build a solid foundation for long-term success in our marketing strategy. 

If you would like to learn more about how to build an online video strategy that deeply resonates with both current and future customers, get in touch. We’re always happy to listen. 

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Opening After COVID: It’s Not When, but What Your Customers Want

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

Opening After COVID: It’s Not When, but What Your Customers Want

Return On Empathy

Now is an unprecedented time for businesses. Of course, we’ve been saying that since March at least. But at least now optimism mixed in with all the uncertainty. However, when it comes to opening back up for business, you can’t just sprint out of the gate. You have to move slowly and safely. 

And maybe you have an idea about how you want to proceed. But no matter how meticulously you’ve planned your reopening, your plans don’t matter if they don’t align with your customers’ expectations. 

Before you do anything else, you MUST take your customers into consideration. 

Finding the Right Fit

Our client, Club Fitness, is a great example. As a gym with locations across the region, they are already under more scrutiny than most businesses. Regardless, their core mission is based on Lifting Local with a focus on healthy, happier lives. And that mission permeates everything they do, which means listening to their members and giving them the experience THEY want when they open their doors again. 

Because of this core mission, when they began considering what their reopening would look like, they opened the floor to their customers with surveys and research with regards to what their members wanted to see upon reopening. 

The result? They’ve taken extra precautions to ensure their members’ safety, from the moment they enter their club, throughout their workout and even when they leave. Club Fitness has gone above and beyond CDC recommendations to ensure they don’t just open, but they open their doors to the experience their members want. 

The Beauty of Listening

Additionally, hair salons are high contact by their very nature. That makes it difficult for our client, Fantastic Sam’s. And since they have franchises throughout many different counties and municipalities, they abide by different guidelines. However, they made it a priority to listen to their customers tell them what they wanted to make them comfortable beyond what the law requires. 

So we worked in tandem with each salon owner to perform in-depth research to discover what their customers were seeking in a post-COVID salon experience. CDC guidance, for them, is a baseline, but going beyond to give their customers the experience they want means that they can not only keep them safe. That makes them especially prepared to overcome the hesitance we all feel when it comes to going back into public. 

First and foremost, your business must follow CDC and government guidelines to the very letter of the law. However, when it comes to reopening, your plan  better include listening carefully to your customers and acting with empathy. You may have your own ideas about how to do it, but what your customers want you to do could be totally different. 

If you need help strategizing your reopening plan or creating a questionnaire for your customers so you can gain a deeper understanding of exactly what their expectations are, then get in touch. We’ve got decades of experience in customer insights and can put it to work for you now, when it matters more than ever. 

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When What You Say Matters Most, Choose Your Words Carefully

Shawn Maher
Copywriter

When What You Say Matters Most, Choose Your Words Carefully

Communications Agency

During this worldwide health crisis, brands should be communicating frequently with their customers and stakeholders. And even more importantly, listening carefully. Maximizing your Return on Empathy is crucial right now, and communication is a large part of that. 

However, when it comes to crisis communications, nobody’s getting an A for effort. It’s NOT the thought that counts. People will hang on your every word and find deeper meaning in any ambiguity or thoughtless turn of phrase. It’s imperative that leaders and marketers take great care in choosing the right words. 

In times like these, your words will be remembered forever. Your words can engender loyalty and inspire people to come together to lift up each other. However, the wrong words can create a sour taste that, no matter what you do, may never go away. So when you choose your words, remember these three points. 

Do not place blame or make excuses. Put the onus for progress on yourself. 

This is the time for strong, clear directives. Provide an unwavering vision for how you plan to move forward. A plan with caveats, escape hatches and ambiguity is unlikely to be taken seriously at best…and destined for catastrophic failure at worst. 

Ensure that your customers, employees and stakeholders know that you have accounted for them and you have a plan in place moving forward. It’s not always going to be a happy message or a best-case scenario. But your upfront honesty and empathy will prove to be the best long-term strategy. 

Do not tell people what to do. Inspire them to do it.

There’s a reason why we’ve all heard the saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. Effective leaders do not provide commandments and speak from an authoritarian position. They provide the inspiration to achieve. They speak to their audience respectfully, giving them the facts and the framework for a plan. 

An empathetic leader motivates, appeals to passion and lets others share in the credit for successfully executing a plan. They provide the map and empower you to reach new heights. Instead of giving you fish, they teach you to fish. Dig deep into your empathy and understanding. You will find that it is the glue that unites us all. 

Do not mislead or misdirect. Speak and act in a forthright manner.

This seems obvious, of course. However, sometimes leaders in a time of crisis can lean towards ambiguous communications. And the thing is, it doesn’t come from a malicious place. When our situation is constantly changing and our understanding of the health crisis is constantly evolving, it’s natural to not have all the answers. Plans may have to change. And sometimes leaders don’t have all the answers.

However, an empathetic leader can communicate these things. Your audience will be grateful to know that you are still actively seeking new information and solutions. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Nobody expects that. 

Constant communication, empathetic listening and ensuring that everyone remains abreast of the latest developments may not bring certainty, but it will certainly engender trust. During a crisis, leaders who contradict themselves or speak with bravado only to be proven wrong will breed uncertainty and create mistrust. And once you lose the trust of your customers and your organization, it can be difficult (if not impossible) to regain. 

Now is the time for strong leaders, but also leaders who are thoughtful. Your marketing, PR and communication efforts must reflect that. There’s no cure-all here, but true leaders rise to the occasion. You undoubtedly have a vision. We can help you communicate it. Get in touch and we can discuss how you can benefit from approaching your communications with one important metric –  Return on Empathy. It can lead to increased customer and employee loyalty which is invaluable to a brand.

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