Pierry Blog

For many of us, social media channels are so much a part of our daily lives, that we don’t really remember a time without them. In reality, social media as we know it today didn’t exist until 2002 with the introduction of Friendster, followed by MySpace. While those two may not have stood the test of time, other networks that were introduced in the early 2000s, notably LinkedIn and Facebook have, leading the way for more platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat and others.

While all of these platforms are different, the one thing they all have in common is they allow brands to use their platforms to promote their products and services—which is good and bad news.

If social media has taught us anything it’s that just because you can post something, doesn’t mean you should. This is true for both those using social media as a way to stay in touch with family and friends, as well as for brands looking to stay connected to their customers.

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before taking a deep dive into any social media channel:

1. Is my brand B2C or B2B?

As you already know, marketing to a consumer audience is much different than marketing to a business audience. And this rule is particularly true when it comes to marketing on social media.

Many B2C brands find success on channels like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. B2B brands often find the most success on more professional networks such as LinkedIn. However, it’s not uncommon to also find B2B brands on YouTube, Twitter, or even Instagram.

The type of business you have will shape the channels you choose to be on. That’s not to say a B2B couldn’t create a Pinterest account and a B2C brand couldn’t create a LinkedIn page. Just ask yourself, would your audience expect or want to see you there? What benefits would you provide your customer by being on that channel?

2. What is the age range of my audience?

Each social media channel attracts a certain age range and thus should have an influence over which channels you choose to promote your brand. If your products appeal most to those who are 40+, would you want to invest in posting content to something like Snapchat? Probably not.

Percentage of Users by Age

Source: Pew Research Center 

3. What types of content do I have the resources to create?

Certain types of content are better for some channels than others. For example, written content can be easily shared on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and LinkedIn. However, this type of content is more difficult to share on something like Instagram or Snapchat, which relies heavily on more visual content.

Before establishing your brand on a new channel, make sure you have the ability to regularly create content specifically for that channel. Your decision to market on that channel is simple: If you don’t have the resources to regularly create the appropriate content for a channel, don’t join it.

4. How often am I willing to post content to a social media channel?

No matter what social media channels your brand is on, you want to make sure you’re posting with some level of frequency. However, that level of frequency can vary, as the lifespan of content can vary from channel to channel.

For example, content posted on Twitter has an estimated shelf life of about 5 seconds. This means brands should post with a much higher frequency on this channel than they would on LinkedIn, where there is far less noise and posts have a shelf life ranging from days to weeks.

When considering a new channel, think about how much is appropriate to post each day, each week, or even each month. Then make sure you’re willing to invest the time needed to keep up with that cadence.

5. What is my goal for being on a particular channel and is it in line with my overall marketing and business objectives?

Every marketing initiative should have a goal and play a role in achieving a grander business objective. If you’re struggling to come up with a goal that fits into that larger strategy, that social media channel may not be right for your brand.

Make sure you are not only willing to formulate both a short-term and long-term strategy for any new channel, but that you feel you’ll be able to follow it and achieve some value from it.

When social media first came on to the scene, many marketers didn’t anticipate the impact it would have on both brands and consumers. Not wanting to be left behind, many brands have joined channels where they are unable to maintain a valuable presence. The early bird may catch the worm, but if it doesn’t do anything with it, being an early adopter won’t pay off; abandoned or neglected social accounts can degrade a brand’s credibility.

Social channels will continue to proliferate, so it’s important to always remember to determine the value of the channel to your target customers before you decide to dive in. While joining a social media channel is free, the time you need to create and post resources for it are not. Make sure any channel you join is worth the effort and provides real value to both your brand and your customers.

 

Your work title is Account Manager, but in reality you’re an extinguisher of fires, a people pleaser and the mastermind of timelines, deadlines, projects and more. You’re the liaison between the client and the agency, and the truest of true representation of your company. So how do you ensure you are always putting your best foot forward? Follow these five R’s and you’ll be on the right track to being an A+ Account Manager.

Really, Really, REALLY Organized.

As an Account Manager, you’re just that – a manager of an account – so it is your responsibility to know where all things are at all times. Keep track of jobs and conversations in a spreadsheet, a Word document, even a traditional notebook – whatever it is, constantly update it, reference and live by it. Whatever system works for you, run with it. In being a master organizer, you will not only gain your client’s confidence because they know their account is in good hands, you will also be more efficient—saving the client time and money, and freeing up your time to be more profitable to the agency elsewhere.

Responsive.

We’ve all done it. A client request comes through and you get working on it. Days later while the project is in full swing on your end, the client is wondering if their email got lost in email purgatory. Don’t forget to respond to your client! Acknowledge the receipt of every request, even with a simple, “Thank you!” Some companies have a 24-hour policy where you must respond to all emails within a 24 hour timeframe. If the company you work for doesn’t have such a policy, set your own rule. At the end of each day, set aside 15 – 20 minutes to go through your inbox and make sure you have responded to anything and everything that needs an acknowledgement.

Realistic.

It might not seem like your clients appreciate it when you need to tell it to them straight, but trust me, being realistic (or honest or transparent) will keep you in good standing over the long haul. Sometimes client expectations can be totally out of sync with the project scope or budget; and you don’t ever want to be in a situation where you over-promise and under-deliver. If your client makes a request that is unattainable, respectfully share why it cannot be done, and offer a compromise solution. At the end of the day, your client will appreciate your realistic approach to problem-solving, and they will feel like they were heard when you provide an alternative solution.

Relatable.

Building relationships is key to being a successful Account Manager. You want your client to rely on you, and think of you as more than just a vendor. Get to know your client beyond your work relationship. A simple tip for building deeper relationships is to document conversations outside of work-talk and reference them frequently in future conversations. Ask about their family, pets and weekend plans. Small talk while you are waiting for others to join a conference call is always easier if you have taken the time to get to know your clients. You can talk about yourself too – but not too much!

Respectful.

Last, but probably the most important, is to be respectful. I said it once and I will say it again: you are a representative of your agency, so professionalism at all times is key. And unfortunately, with the prevalence social media, that professionalism extends beyond just the work place. Be careful what you post on social. If you wouldn’t want your mom reading your status update, you should probably not post it; after all, your client could stumble upon that post and it could mean bad things for both you and the agency. And in the vein of being professional, dress to impress. When going to a client meeting, in any situation, it’s better to overdress than underdress.

Think you have what it takes to be an Account Manager at Pierry ? We are always looking for great talent. Check out our careers page to learn more about our open positions.

Could your brand use a refresh? The answer is—it depends. There are a number of reasons businesses big and small decide to take on a rebranding. Sometimes it’s because their business has evolved and the branding no longer serves as an accurate reflection of what the company represents. Other times it’s because sales are stagnant or slowing and there’s a belief that it could be due to a stale look or feel with the brand.

But rebranding is not something that should be considered lightly. It is a major undertaking that can take up a lot of time and money—and without the right strategy in place, all that time and money could be for nothing.

So what should you do before you decide to rebrand?

Ask the Right Questions

The beginning of any rebranding strategy starts by asking the right questions, including, why are we doing a rebrand? Consider the end mission or goal behind the rebranding project and what issue or problem you’re attempting to solve.

Other questions to ask before you even begin to strategize include:

• Does our current branding tell an outdated story?
• Has our customer base changed, and if so, in what way?
• Has our competitive landscaped changed?
• What’s our current customer base’s relationship to our current brand?
• Will a new brand turn people away?
• Why does anyone care about our brand in the first place?

The answers to these questions will not only help you feel confident in the choice to rebrand (or not to rebrand, for that matter), while also helping to lead the initial strategy phases.

Elements to Consider in a Rebranding Strategy

A true rebrand goes well beyond just updating your logo and your color scheme. You also need to consider things like tone, story, and overall brand experience, as these elements will effect everything from your business cards to your website.

Your Audience

Who are you speaking to? Has your audience changed as your business has evolved? Or has your audience evolved while your business has remained the same?

Knowing whom you are speaking to is the first step in any rebrand. You need to think about your audience’s likes and dislikes. Consider their favorite brands and what it is about those brand stories that appeals to them. Think about how they talk and how they want to be spoken to and then ask if your brand is meeting them where they are.

During a rebranding, you should dive so deep into your audience that you’re able to talk about them as if they are close friends you’ve known for years. And keep in mind, your audience is not just one personality type. You likely have three or four main buyer personas that you need to consider.

What’s the best way to get to know your audience? You can start by simply listening to them, whether that’s in person, on social media, or through ratings and reviews.

The Brand Story

Many consumers, particularly millennials, are most loyal to the brands they connect with. And that connection is generally gained by the story the brand tells.

What do you want your brand to represent? And can you build a story around it?

Start by revisiting your mission and value statements. Are they still accurate? If not, update accordingly. Does the style and tone of the mission and value statements fit your audience? If not, be sure to make those changes as well.

Even if your mission and value statements are never seen verbatim by your audience, they do serve as a guide for how your brand will express itself. By setting these in the story and tone of the new branding, you’ll lay a foundation that you can build upon moving forward.

Longevity

How will this new branding look a year from now? Three years from now? A decade from now? Your business will continue to evolve, and your branding should be able to evolve with it. When planning for a rebrand, think about how it represents where your brand is now, and where it will be in the future.

Introducing Your New Branding

Once you know what your branding will be, put a plan of action in place as to how you’ll present it to the world. Announce your new look via a press release, an email campaign, on social media, and your company blog.

And make sure this announcement comes a few weeks before any rebranded items go live. This will not only add some hype to your new branding, but can also make your current consumers feel like they are a part of it. It can also help avoid any of the confusion or frustrations that come with customers encountering a change from a brand they enjoy.

Remember, clear communication isn’t just for your customers. You also need to keep your employees internally aware of what’s going on and when they can expect to see changes on their end.

Mistakes to Avoid

Not all rebrands go as well as we plan. Take for instance, Gap who in late 2010 changed their iconic logo by giving it a new typeface with a gradient blue box in the corner. The new logo got such a negative reaction from customers on social media that 6 days later, the brand went back to their previous logo.

And while there’s no way to guarantee your rebrand will be a hit, there are a number of mistakes you can avoid to give yourself a fighting chance:

Don’t Fix What’s Not Broken. If customers like your current brand, and there’s not a clear, business impacting reason to change your branding, the choice is easy—don’t change it.

Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse. Make sure you establish the need for a rebrand, as well as the overall goal and story you want your new brand to tell before you start pulling in graphic designers or web developers. While their job is to help you bring that vision to life, it’s best to come to them with your background research first, and not work based off what they think your brand should be. And remember, working with a design firm in any capacity should function as an on-going collaboration.

Don’t Forget the Small Stuff. When people think of rebranding, they put a lot of attention on their website. You’ll be amazed by the amount of stuff your branding is on. Do an inventory of everything you currently have, including letterhead templates, presentation templates, business cards, billing or invoicing sheets, conference banners, brochures, case studies, signage, swag (such as shirts, pens, mugs, etc.), company vehicles or company uniforms, online directories, and social media icons/headers.

Don’t Use Rebranding as a Bandage. For some brands, rebranding can bring a much needed revival to their business. But changing your logo or website is not a quick fix for all the issues in the company. There’s a wide range of reasons that company sales could be poor or stagnant, such as quality of products, lack of interest, or poor customer experience. Before a rebrand, make sure to look at what’s currently working for you, what’s working against you, and identify and remedy any core problem areas before moving forward.

Rebranding takes strategizing and planning, but if done well, can pay off big for brands. It’s important to remember that your logo, color scheme, tone, font, and style doesn’t just represent your brand. It represents a story that you want your customers to have a connection to and give them a reason to keep coming back.