Strategy: why your business stinks without it

Strategic planning in public relations has been a big discussion topic this past week. Yes, developing a strategic plan for your business is essential, but it will only be successful if all levels of the organization are privy to the information. This week in my Strategic PR class, Jim Haynes, adjunct professor at UNT and general PR wizard, told us that the types of companies you don’t want to work for are the ones that keep secrets. Sure, the big boys (and girls) upstairs could write a mind-blowing strategic plan, but what good is it if Bob from Accounting or Marsha from Creative don’t know and understand it?

Ironically, one of the most common reasons why a strategic communications plan fails is, well, poor communication. Just as any marriage counselor would tell you, communication is key. This is just as true for your business as it is for your relationship. You have to be able to share your company goals and vision with employees in a way that makes sense to them. And you need to perform company audits after the plan is implemented to make sure people are understanding and practicing that vision.

Which leads to another reason why strategic plans fail - bad/no evaluation. It does your company no good to say “ready, set, go!” and then bury your head in the sand before you can see the results. Haynes shared with our class that “a company without a good strategic plan is like running a race without a finish line.” If that race represents your company’s success, wouldn’t you want to watch and cheer for your players until they cross the finish line? With evaluation comes adjustment and improvement. If you don’t win the race, you’re obviously going to re-think your training and execution so you can improve before the next race. Okay, I’ll end my racing metaphor there, but you get the point.

Bottom line: not only should your company have a strategic communications plan, it also needs to share that plan with everyone involved, audit the understanding and execution of the plan, and evaluate the plan’s success and if/how it can be improved.

With all of that said, do you know your company’s umbrella statement off the top of your head? I don’t know about you, but I have some Google-ing to do.

Katy Hartwick

@katyhartwick

LinkedIn: the most underappreciated web tool you aren't using

Last week's installment of WebBeatTV was a three-for-one series discussing how you should be using LinkedIn. The show's host, Pelpina Trip sat down with Mike D. Merrill, president of the Social Media Club of Dallas, to discuss the ways in which a great LinkedIn profile can set you apart from the crowd.

I have to admit, I set up my LinkedIn account as a class requirement, and think of it as more of an afterthought when it comes to maintaining my web presence. But after watching Merrill discuss the site's capabilities, I have a newfound respect for the professional social networking site. And because 86% of recruiters use LinkedIn today, it's more important than ever to have a professional web presence.





Host Pelpina discusses LinkedIn with Mike D. Merrill



Merrill stressed that LinkedIn "isn't just for finding a job. It's also about credibility." He believes the two most under-used, yet most valuable, tools of the site are (1) status updates and (2) search capabilities.

Updating your status frequently, and with relevant and professionl information, keeps you at the top of your connections' lists. And whereas Twitter and Facebook archive all your previous posts and updates, LinkedIn only shows your most recent message. Therefore, it's important to make sure you're LinkedIn updates are professional, interesting, and can potentially remain on your page for an extended period of time.

Merrill suggests posting at least once or twice per day, and to post about a business event you're attending or to share pertinent media links. Also, make sure your updates relate to what you're trying to accomplish on the site (find a job, gain credibility, strengthen business relationships, etc.).

And if you're cringing over the idea of having to log on to multiple sites everyday to update your statuses, fear not! Once you add Twitter to your LinkedIn profile, you can just use the #li  or #in hastags when you tweet, and it will automatically cross-post to LinkedIn. Behold the power of technology!

The search capabilities of LinkedIn can also be a powerful tool for whatever your professional goals may be. Most people opt for the basic, free account, but there are many useful benefits to the monthly paid accounts. For one, whereas with the free account you may only see 100 or so results, the paid accounts get you a much wider access to accounts. Whether or not you should purchase the premium package depends on how you're trying to use the site. If you're recruiting or trying to really expand your brand, the paid account may be the way to go.

With that said, I urge you to do the following things to improve your LinkedIn page:

1. Set up your Twitter account in LinkedIn so you can cross-post your status updates
2. Fill that sucker up! Because your printed resume is often a single-page representation of your abilities, you can use your LinkedIn page to really lay it all out on the table, in detail.
3. Join at least 25 groups to which you relate. Clubs, schools, societies - you name it, it's out there!
4. Connect with at least 20 people. Research says people with 20 or more connections are more than 30% more likely to be sought after for a job than those who have five or fewer connections.

Do these things, and voila! You've just become more desirable. Read LinkedIn's blog on how to improve your LinkedIn page, and go here to see the full, 3-part series of Pelpina and Mike's LinkedIn interview.

Happy Blogging,

Katy Hartwick
@katyhartwick