With increased competiveness due to the challenging current economic status, agencies should not direct all of their focus on generating new business, but rather proactively freshen up their relationships with their existing clients.

In the 1980s, the average client-agency relationship lasted seven and a half years; yet by 2007, this was down to just three and half.

Joe Lepper from BrandRepublic.com reiterates how forming loyal relationships with your current clients plays a key role in gaining new clients as well by stating, “All agencies should be looking to achieve loyalty to clients because loyal clients will bring recommendations and opportunities to develop new services.”

Here at Ant Hill we pride ourselves on sharing a passion for our clients’ product, which in return produces outcomes that keep everybody happy! Of course competition is fierce, so here are some ways we deliver exciting new ideas to our clients:

• Regularly evaluate effectiveness of our campaigns. If we find that current strategy maximizes the use of online PR, we continue this focus, but conduct a group brainstorm on ways to maximize social media and SEO that would deliver an even higher return.
• Depending on budgets, undertaking market research to evaluate how clients are currently being perceived by their target audience is very useful. Perhaps asking them which methods they respond to or what media they read. This has proven to be a valuable asset in retaining our clients!
• Do some research of clients’ current competitors. This is a great way to identify the type of campaign the target market wants and see what these brands are up to.
• Tap into every resource. Regular brainstorming around the office with help keep ideas fresh, particularly if you seek the opinion of a co-worker not so close to the client.

Your PR agency should…

Own the process. PR agencies should be professional naggers- they should never let you be the reason for a missed deadline.

Push back. If your PR agency is constantly nodding their heads and “yessing” you, there is a problem. The success of a PR program is based off of firm recommendations made by the PR pros. The ability to adamantly say no is crucial in finding an effective PR agency.

Know when to give in. There are times when other company goals come before PR. Your PR agency should convey the importance of having a plan that optimizes media coverage, but also realize when there are more important things to take care of.

Make it happen.  Only clients should have the luxury of asking big questions without offering solutions, such as “How can we maximize our attendance at an upcoming tradeshow?” Your PR agency should respond with a variety of options, not more questions. Creative and unexpected ideas demonstrate they are paying active attention.

Own mistakes.  Tell it all and tell it now. This takes confidence and humility, but it is a sign of a great communicator.

Hustle. Look for an agency that is pushing you, not the other way around!

Write well.  Ask for samples and look at an agency’s blog. You need an agency that can pick the interesting angles out of a mountain of information and effectively deliver the same message.

Listen intently. PR agencies should possess the ability to scan a conversation for points of interest and drive the discussion towards them – relating them to your broader industry.

Empathize. Internal pressures should be recognized by your PR agency. They need to put themselves in your shoes and empathize with what might come your way.

Navigate options and contingencies like an attorney. Successful PR agencies understand the landscape of media. Make sure you have an agency that bends gracefully when a critical relationship is at stake.

Have thick skin. PR people sit in the middle of two constituents whose goals are not always aligned: the media and our clients. In order to find common ground between the two, your PR agency should be able to handle adversity well.

Of course, success is a two-way street- but consider these tips as you search for an agency that best suits your needs!

“To make sure your team has enough time, explore content and creative development early in the strategy development phase,” said Pam Didner in her blog on how to keep content and creative in the whole marketing game. “ While you need to begin with messaging, you don’t need to wait until it’s finalized to begin the creative process.”

It’s no secret we are all a bit overwhelmed with the amount of content out there. Rosie Siman from socialfresh.com attended Circus, a Festival of Commercial Creativity, and shared a few keynotes that opened up some fresh ideas of how to develop a creative brand.

Full of great advice, I felt Rosie’s “Digital Darwinism” keynote was most relevant to the majority of our clients. Because our clients are already in the midst of this crazy world of change, Razorfish Head of Strategy and Planning Joe Crump says to find an unmet need and invent.

It is as simple as paying attention to the world around us and making the product useful in everyday life. As creative developers, he encourages us to make something – a relevant product, an app, or experience – and take off with it.

Maga Cabral from creativeguerillamarketing.com analyzes the effectiveness of guerilla marketing product placement. She focuses on how to let an object or product tell a story that the target audience will never forget. In her blog post, she outlines five keys to a successful guerilla marketing stunt and how it can add creativity to your overall marketing message.

The two that stuck out to me most were:

1. Be real. It is key that these objects are humanized and strategically placed in a way that expresses a real life situation. This will allow the audience to easily relate to the story trying to be conveyed.
2. Measure the consequences to the brand image. When applying guerilla product placement, make sure the image you are portraying is the one you are aiming for. Storytelling can be an easy hit in marketing, but you want your audience to walk away with a positive mental image of the story.

For any campaign or product to be successful, it has to be personalized and speak to the target audience in a way that stands out from the rest. Use 2013 as a fresh start to get those creative juices flowing!

Continuing with last week’s blog post on PR predictions for 2013, this week I will share a few trends that are predicted to be influential in the branding industry as we continue to make our way into the New Year.

Derrick Daye from brandingstrategyinsider.com gives insight into what the future holds for marketing by stating, “So whatever the future holds, its roots are here with us in the present. The real trick is to predict which thing is going to be the next big thing.”

So, what do you think 2013 holds for marketing?

John Furguson from brandinginsightblog.com shares a few easy New Year’s resolutions for better branding. Here are my two favorites:

Resolve to be short and sweet.

The less you say, the more they hear. Hone in one specific idea and take it home with a few powerful images and a few relevant details. Focus on delivering simple, fast, and most of all, understandable messages!

Resolve to tell stories.

Stories trigger emotions. Emotions demand attention. A great way to sell your brand is to tell good stories. Reciting data and repeating industry clichés can be boring- use original narratives and colorful metaphors to get your point across!

With a new year and fresh ideas, we as brand marketers should keep a few key considerations in mind as we plan and create strong brands.

1. Does the brand have a point of view? Does it stand for something?
2. Is the brand truly differentiated?
3. Are we presenting the brand consistently over time and across media?
4. What are we doing to build brand awareness?

As I wrap up this blog and take a look at some of the biggest companies in the world, they all have strong, unique brands. The first that comes to mind is Apple and their predominately white, angelic color scheme and the simplicity in their products and advertisements.  It is the consistency in their marketing that allows them to continue to be such as strong brand.

We are excited to continue developing our marketing and branding expertise here at Ant Hill and looking forward to putting this advice to good use!

Nicole Castro, with PRSA, took us on a stroll down PR memory lane with her post, “Friday Five.”   She highlights five major PR trends in 2012 that are indicative of where public relations is heading as we enter 2013, so we just had to share.

Trend #1: CEOs Step Up Their Social Media Game

In order to keep up with happenings around a company, CEOs must be listening to conversations about their brand. Most of these conversations are through various social media outlets- making it more important than ever for CEOs to open up to their staff and customers through these channels.

Trend #2: Brands Learn the Value of Corporate Reputation

Maintaining a strong corporate reputation has become challenging with the number conversations taking place on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media channels. Brands will continue to discover the value in investing internally in their corporate reputation, as it plays a very important role in product sales, brand loyalty, and future branded products.

Trend #3: The Relationship Between Journalists and PR Continue to Evolve

Two of the most stressful tasks that all PR professionals deal with, no matter their career level, is pitching their clients to the media and developing new business pitches. The foundation to successful pitches is building relationships with key influencers in the media who can help build a strong case for your client or business.

Trend #4: Brands Get Schooled in Crisis Management

As we all know, the news cycle never sleeps and the standards for what is considered “news” continues to increase. One negative article, blog, or tweet can put a company’s reputation that may have taken years to build at risk in seconds.

Trend #5: Nonprofits Make a Big Leap in the Social Realm

People who are passionate about a cause and eager to bring about social change connect through social media. Nonprofits continue to learn the value of using social media as a medium to convey a message. Even different social media channels are seeing benefits of creating user-friendly tools for nonprofit organizations that offer benefits for both parties.

Although these numbers are encouraging, we still have to wonder why top management positions in the PR industry are 80 percent male and on average, women still tend to earn less than men do.

So, why is this?

Because of the large number of women in PR, it is obvious that we possess certain skills that mesh well with public relations- creative, calm in crisis, nurturing to clients, etc.

“I believe that women are more persuasive then men and can easily approach males and females easier than men can,” A commenter from MyRagan.com stated. “Something about women and their nurturing side makes people trust their judgments more.”

However, Lorna Gozzard, a highly successful woman in the PR industry, shares some of her light bulb moments as she heard some very successful women talk about how we are often our own worst enemies:

• Where men confidently focus on tasks they can accomplish, women tend to worry about what they can’t.
• Where men will take a risk on a role that might stretch them more than their comfort level, women tend to wait until they feel more up to it.
• Men will keep quiet when it comes to expressing doubts of achieving a goal. Women are naturally more emotional, making it easier to vocalize any personal concerns of achieving a particular goal.

She admits there are some wild generalizations in these theories, however there are some truths as well. So, what can we do about it?

First, it is crucial to evaluate our own behavior. We need to make a conscious effort to keep doubts about whether we can win a pitch or sort out financials to ourselves. Second, waiting for recognition isn’t always the best approach. And third, encourage other women in the industry to take control of their careers as well by reminding them “You’re great at your job” or “You could be on the board.”

Although this article shares insight on how we can improve as women in the PR industry, it is important to remember the strides we are making and what we can continue to do as the new year approaches.

“I think that that trend- if I look at my office structure- is starting to change, and we are starting to see more senior women in leadership roles,” Caroline Hoenk, vice president at Insidedge Chicago said.

Sam and Christy worked on No nonsense’s ‘Socks For America’ campaign throughout 2011 and spread awareness not only of No nonsense’s reputation as a philanthropic, American-made line of leg-wear, but also educated consumers on the new sock line, while highlighting the need of socks in America today. Ant Hill pledged to donate one million pairs of new socks through special events, social media, and celebrity spokesperson Emily Procter.

The Phoenix Awards are designed to recognize projects or programs that demonstrate excellence in the public relations industry and have entries submitted from PR practitioners all across Georgia.

This is the second award won for our clients since we launched three years ago and we don’t like to boast, but we are a little proud!

Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

100% of the timber used to create Sustainable Lumber Co’s beautiful floors, cabinets and panels is sourced from Montana and is hand hewn, inspected and personally handled up to 12 times during the process.  In addition to being locally sourced, all wood fiber not used in the product lines are donated for animal bedding or used as renewable energy to fuel the kilns to heat the facility.

When it comes to quality product and quality people, we are proud to work with such experts and craftsman in the industry, who truly love what they do and the environment that they protect.

From doors to cabinets to floors, Sustainable Lumber Company ensures not only the most beautiful, handcrafted wood available, but also a unique story behind every project that highlights the Western culture.

Ant Hill is looking forward to a successful campaign that will share a little piece of Montana around the world.

Emily spent 3 days at the world’s premier conference, M2Moms, on marketing to moms, where she was lucky enough to hear from brilliant minds behind universally acclaimed “Mom” campaigns such as Procter & Gamble’s ‘Thank You Mom’ and ‘Got Milk? Breakfast Project.’

Here are some key learning points from the conference:

1.)  Moms today crave meaningful moments. It is pretty easy to observe how chronically rushed most moms feel in today’s society. In a world full of multi-tasking and never ending to-do lists, stats have shown moms’ desire for more meaningful interactions (Starcom MediaVest Group).

 The up-side to this is that it opens the door for brands to help moms create moments of togetherness. By creating campaigns that extend memorable moments through photos, video, Skype, and other forms of social media, companies can really appeal to moms. Campaigns can focus on elevating daily routines to rituals, discovering new rituals, and adapting family traditions.

2.)  The strongest brands are those that listen and evolve.  A common mantra throughout the whole conference, Matt Peterson of Mattel encouraged marketers to “plan your brand story by envisioning where you want to go… but then once you begin to implement, don’t be afraid to stray from the plan and evolve your strategy in response to customer feedback.”

Look at P&G’s ‘Proud Sponsor of Moms’ campaign. This campaign’s foundation was based on moms of Olympians and Olympic hopefuls- each commercial strived to convey authentic behaviors and emotions.

According to Janet Helm of Weber Shandwick, when Milk PEP began to notice decline in milk sales, the first thing they did was talk to moms. The ‘Got Milk? Breakfast Project’ was launched through inspiration of knowing the emotional underpinning breakfast had with moms- taking pride in getting their kids off to a good start in the morning.

 3.)  Dad isn’t the new mom. He’s the new dad. Ogilvy and Gepetto support evidence that dads are increasingly involved in activities traditionally handled by moms. Grocery shopping, planning meals, and helping in the kitchen are all becoming more familiar to dads, so marketing communications that are aimed directly at moms are also speaking indirectly to dads.

Try to acknowledge dad’s role in the family in visual communications, ads, etc. to make sure he is not left out of family images. Look for ways to reach out to dad by highlighting his unique taking on parenting.

4.)  Kids and parents now aspire to the same brands. Today’s moms are earning more money and having fewer kids. This combinations leads into more “stuff” for kids. So aside from 10 year olds walking around with iPhones or flying business class, what does this mean for consumer brands? Trader Joe’s and Home Depot provide a great family strategy of marketing their products to multiple members of the family.

 From kid-sized shopping cars to building workshops for kids, these companies have the right approach to making an impression on every member of the family.

There are definitely opportunities in the trends outlined above that our clients will benefit from and we are excited to utilize them!

As a PR newbie, this article immediately caught my attention as it covers future behavioral changes Edelman predicts in the PR industry and how that differs from how PR was viewed in the past.

Sixty years ago a small PR firm was opened in the Merchandise Mart of Chicago by a 32-year-old man named Dan Edelman consisting of three employees and one client, called The Toni Corporation.

Back then, PR was viewed primarily as a business “add-on”, handling corporate reputation or celebrity publicity. Although these continue to be components of PR and most would probably assume this is pretty much all PR entails, the industry has dramatically changed over the past 60 years.

As PR professionals, we value reputation over short-term gain and recognize the relationship between brand and corporate reputation. Not only do our jobs consist of helping our clients decide on policy, we also create creative, compelling content that delivers an effective message.

The need for public relations to take on a new leadership role will change the dynamic and hierarchy of the communications field – something that Dan always believed should happen.

Looking even more into the future, Richard foresees these five behavioral changes that will be required of the PR industry:

•  Provide our clients with advice on what to do and how to do it through both social and traditional forms of communication. Stepping up to take on major issues of our clients’ day will only become more and more vital.
• Get in touch with our advertising side and aim to have the dominant creative idea.
• Utilize search insights and web analytics to generate discussions and learn from communities of shared interests of our clients. This will allow us to provide our clients with fresh insights that lead to great, promising ideas.
• Use the power of video and photos to provide deeper, more informative visuals. Our audience will have a better response to a message that is emotive and sharable. Infographics are great too!
• Find the right balance between global and local. Of course global reputations are important, but at the same time PR is based on those of local audiences.