Strategic Planning Archives -

The Freedom to Be Real: Why Authenticity Is Your Best Content Strategy

Authenticity is what’s present when the content you create is genuinely yours.

Everyone says ‘be authentic.’ Almost nobody explains what that actually means—or how to do it consistently.

By Linda Pophal, MA, SPHR · Strategic Communications, LLC

Authentic content marketing is the practice of creating content that genuinely reflects your organization’s real perspective, earned expertise, and distinctive voice—rather than content optimized to appear credible, sound authoritative, or match what competitors are publishing. It’s grounded in what you actually believe, what you’ve actually experienced, and what you genuinely understand about your audience—not in what performs well in the abstract.

Authentic, admittedly, is one of the most overused words in marketing. It’s also one of the most important and consistently misunderstood.

When most brands say they want to be ‘more authentic,’ what they usually mean is: they want to seem more relatable. More human. Less corporate.

Those are reasonable goals. But that’s not really authenticity.

Continue reading “The Freedom to Be Real: Why Authenticity Is Your Best Content Strategy”

You’re Using LinkedIn the Wrong Way—Here’s What We Recommend Instead

I’ve had a LinkedIn profile since 2009. It has become the top source of referrals for my content marketing and marketing consulting services. Not because of the “brilliant” posts I share. Not because I get tons of likes and shares. Not because I write clever copy.

So how have I successfully leveraged LinkedIn to generate leads—and new clients—consistently? Continue reading “You’re Using LinkedIn the Wrong Way—Here’s What We Recommend Instead”

Should You Be Upfront About Your Pricing?

A recent LinkedIn question resonated with me—”Why don’t people like to talk about pricing UPFRONT?” Why indeed?

Have you ever been frustrated when trying to make a purchase decision because you can’t get pricing information from coy salespeople or cryptic web sites? In my opinion, Continue reading “Should You Be Upfront About Your Pricing?”

Does Market Share Matter? Maybe. Maybe Not.

Does market share matter? It’s an old argument I had a number of years ago with an organization I worked for. They were very focused on market share. I didn’t think they needed to be. That focus, I felt, kept us from pursuing other marketing objectives that IMO would have been more meaningful.

Despite the fact that many large companies and brands do focus on market share, it doesn’t always matter.

A simple example will illustrate: Continue reading “Does Market Share Matter? Maybe. Maybe Not.”

How Can You Find the Right Focus For Your Marketing Messages?

A prospective client contacted us recently wanting to produce a white paper to serve as a promotional tool. The white paper needed to include: a focus on the new national campaign theme, a focus on the new local campaign theme, a focus on the areas served, a focus on the organization’s new direction for the coming year, a focus on…OK, hopefully, you get the point.

If you focus on everything, you’re focused on nothing!

It’s tough to focus. Any organization has multiple objectives and messages that need to be conveyed and there can be a tendency to try to “do it all” in one message. The trouble with that, though, is Continue reading “How Can You Find the Right Focus For Your Marketing Messages?”

Consistency in Giving Practices Avoids Ill Will

Corporate giving and community support have become more important than ever before in an environment where need is great—and growing. Organizations benefit not only from the goodwill generated through their giving efforts from those they support, but also from the loyalty and goodwill these efforts generate among employees. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)are major focuses today for companies, for investors, for employees, and for others.

The world is watching. Continue reading “Consistency in Giving Practices Avoids Ill Will”

Strategy Matters – Here’s Why

content marketing, content management, content strategy, strategic marketing, marketing strategically, strategic communications

Our company is named Strategic Communications to emphasize our belief that to be effective, communication must be strategic. Too often, marketing initiatives are focused more on tactics (let’s get on TikTok! let’s put up a billboard!), rather than strategy. That’s probably one of the biggest mistakes that marketers can make. Why? Because unless you just “get lucky,” and you might, simply picking tactics may result in doing the wrong things, wasting time, effort, and money.

Continue reading “Strategy Matters – Here’s Why”

Creating a Plan to Improve Corporate Communications

Effective corporate communication has always been important. Now, though, in a hybrid and continuing uncertain corporate environment, it’s more important than ever for organizations to determine how effective their corporate communications efforts are, and what adjustments or improvements need to be made to keep employees engaged, productive, and employed!

What worked pre-pandemic almost certainly doesn’t work anymore. It’s critical that corporate communications and HR staff work together to create a strategy and plan for moving forward.

Continue reading “Creating a Plan to Improve Corporate Communications”

Staying on Top of Trends in Digital Marketing

One of the things I really love about the work I do is the ability to stay continually connected with clients and experts in a number of areas, especially traditional and digital marketing. Technology and competitive forces have caused change to be constant and rapid. Over the past year, especially, the pandemic has prompted a wide range of changes across all industries and areas of professional practice.

So how can you keep up on the changes that impact your work to make sure you’re remaining relevant as an expert in your field and valuable to those you serve? Continue reading “Staying on Top of Trends in Digital Marketing”

When To Give Your Work Away, and When to Charge

I saw a very interesting question in an online group I monitor recently: “Is it ever a good idea to give your work away?”

In this case, the question was related to consulting services but the question could just as easily apply to companies selling tangible products. And, perhaps, it is in comparing the two ─ services and tangible products ─ that this answer can make the most sense: “Yes, there are definitely times when giving your work─or your products─away can be a good idea!”

But when?

Continue reading “When To Give Your Work Away, and When to Charge”