It’s common knowledge you don’t market to fit in, but rather to stand out. This used to mean simply a compelling headline, an eye-catching graphic, or a clever jingle no one can get out of their head. But as marketing mediums, standards, and placements have grown, so have the competitive stakes. While many marketers have shifted their mindsets from traditional placements (think signage, television commercials, newspaper ads) to more digitally destined formats, there is still significant value to what is known as “out-of-home” advertising, especially when all of your competitors are placing their bets on the search and social ads. 

What do we mean by “out-of-home”? Well quite simply, it’s any advertising that can be seen outside of a viewer’s home. It’s one of those terms that is best described as what it’s not, aka a television or streaming ad, any digital display ad (which yes, can be viewed outside of a home setting, but besides the point). Traditionally this included billboards, buses, posters, transportation station signage, street furniture, etc. But as we mentioned, competition is fierce, and unlike the digital ecosystem physical space is limited, therefore, driving price and competition. Hence, we’ve seen a trend in companies turning to more “out-of-the-box” placements to stand out. In this post, we’ll evaluate some of the unique out-of-home finds intended to stand out and make a memorable impression on viewers. 

 

Before we fully dive in, we must disclose that we are not advocating for the effectiveness of these ads. But rather an appreciation for the unconventionality of these strategies. In theory, advertising should hit viewers at a point of memorable positive experiences, which therefore will get associated with your brand. No wonder baseball park signage and billboards in proximity to popular vacation destinations are so popular. The viewer will remember your ad in conjunction with that great memory of a win against a rival or anticipation for a long-awaited vacation. So whether these out-of-the-box ads are associated with positive experiences is well, debatable. 

Fortune Cookies: 

Now here’s a neat one. Imagine you’re at your favorite Chinese restaurant and the check comes. Whether you’re superstitious or a little stitious, you must complete the standard ritual of cracking open your fortune cookie to see what awaits.

And what do you know? A little ad falls out. Now when the promotion makes sense, this actually can be quite effective. Look at Zelle for example, placing ads that specifically reference splitting a restaurant check at the exact time one may be dividing up the check amongst friends. Pretty clever call to action at a strategic time, but just make sure your audience isn’t getting jipped of the fortune they know and love.

Bathroom Stalls 

We must say, if there’s one place to capture a viewer’s singular eyeline and undivided attention, it’s in a public bathroom stall. What’s more in your face than a huge poster staring back at you in a public restroom? Or to really make a splash, take a cue from I Love You, Man’s urinal cake idea:

Forms Captcha:

The reCaptcha forms completion. We all love to hate it. But some brands, particularly consumer brands, have turned the obligatory submission request into a fun reinforcement of their brand messaging. Coca-Cola’s unique spin prompts a user to select an “delicious refreshing beverage” aka one of their products from the tile of images rather than unappealing taxi cars.

Kit-Kat goes a step further with an interactive element that asks users to drag a finger across their candy to “Have a break”.

Each of these examples serves to reinforce brand taglines and catch users off-guard with appetizing reminders of their product.

Airport Security Bins: 

Again, the premise of scrambling with your shoes and unpacking belongings in a crowded airport security line isn’t everyone’s favorite memory of the vacation. However, branded security bins when they make sense can be a clever way to catch a viewer’s attention and make them smile. Zappos for example takes a comedic spin on the frazzled shoe removal process with a reminder that while tying up your laces may not happen in a flash, their shipping speeds will.

Gas Station Pumps: 

Ever been slightly startled by a spontaneous jingle playing at the gas station pump? Yeah, us too. We must admit the logic is there. The viewer is standing face to face with the pump, undoubtedly bored and waiting for their tank to be filled. But alas, their attention is grabbed by a video ad for some product or service they weren’t previously thinking of. It could be powerful, but it could also be perceived as annoying or in these times associated with upward tick of their escalating gas price.

This electric bike example cleverly acknowledges the dread of rising gas prices by promoting a more environmentally friendly option. 

Looking to stand out in your marketing activation efforts? Whether that be through out-of-home advertising or digital media avenues, get in touch with Bluetext today to determine the correct media mix given your business goals and budget.

Within the previous blogs in our marketing acronym series, we took a look at the top acronyms used in the sales and advertising realm, as well as the website design and development side of marketing. In today’s acronym review, we explore the top 45 acronyms most commonly used in and around the office (whether you work from the office or WFH) and those used in the contracting and legal departments. While we’re sure you know what PTO is, you may not know what TOFU means, and no, we’re not talking about the soy product. 

• SLA (Service Level Agreement)

A contract (sometimes it’s internal, and sometimes you have a set expectation that you’ve discussed with your customer) outlining the level of service they can expect.

 

• NPS (Net Promoter Score)

A measure of customer satisfaction and loyalty, based on the likelihood of them recommending your product or service.

 

• MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)

The amount of predictable recurring revenue generated each month from your subscription-based products or services.

 

• ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)

The money you can count on every year from your loyal customers who just can’t get enough of your product or service.

 

• DTC (Direct-to-Consumer)

A business model where you sell your products directly to consumers, no middleman needed.

 

• DR (Direct Response)

A marketing approach that aims to get a quick response from your target audience. Think of it like a call-to-action, but with more urgency.

 

• QA (Quality Assurance)

The process of making sure your product or service is up to snuff and meets all necessary quality standards.

 

• TOFU (Top of the Funnel)

The beginning of the customer journey, where a potential customer is first introduced to your product or service.

 

• MOFU (Middle of the Funnel)

The stage of the customer journey where a potential customer is considering your product or service.

 

• BOFU (Bottom of the Funnel)

The final stretch of the customer journey, where a potential customer is close to making a purchase.

 

• UGC (User-Generated Content)

Content created by your customers, like reviews, comments, or social media posts. People trust other people, so this type of content can be powerful.

 

• USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

What sets your product or service apart from the competition. This is what makes you stand out in a crowded market.

 

• SaaS (Software as a Service)

No more bulky software installations on your computer, now it’s all about subscribing to the latest and greatest software via the internet.

 

• WOM (Word of Mouth)

When your friends give you the lowdown on the latest product or service, that’s WOM.

 

• FB (Facebook)

It’s where everyone goes to check in on their mom’s friends, and share memes with their high school BFFs.

 

• IG (Instagram)

The ultimate platform for posting those #Foodie pics, #OOTDs, and #TravelGoals.

 

• MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

It’s like the beta version of a product, with just enough features to get people hyped. 

 

• DAU (Daily Active User)

A user who’s all about that daily engagement life.

 

• MAU (Monthly Active User)

Basically, a user who pops in once a month for some good times.

 

• TAM (Total Addressable Market)

The whole shebang of people who could potentially be into your product or service. 

 

• SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market)

The portion of the total market that a company can realistically reach and sell its products or services to.

 

• SMB (Small and Medium-Sized Businesses)

These are the cool, up-and-coming businesses that are killing it with fewer than 500 employees.

 

• SME (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises)

A term used in Europe and some other regions to describe businesses with fewer than 250 employees. It’s like the European version of SMBs.

 

• RFP (Request for Proposal)

Basically, it’s like asking “Yo, who wants to do some work for me and my biz?” to potential suppliers or contractors.

 

• TOS (Terms of Service)

The legal agreement between you and the service provider that outlines what’s expected from both parties.

 

• PM (Project Manager)

Your one-stop-shop for getting things done and keeping the team on track.

 

• EOW (End of Week)

The end of a workweek and the start of the weekend.

 

• EOM (End of Month)

The end of a month and the start of a new one.

 

• P&L (Profit and Loss)

A financial statement that keeps tabs on the money coming in and going out of your business.

 

• AMA (Ask Me Anything)

A financial statement that keeps tabs on the money coming in and going out of your business.

 

• TK (To Come)

A placeholder used in text when a piece of information is not yet available. It’s like the “Coming Soon” sign on a movie poster.

 

• H/t (Hat Tip)

A way to show appreciation for someone or something that inspired or helped you.

 

• WFH (Work From Home)

The freedom to work from the comfort of your own home.

 

• FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

A list of questions and answers to help you quickly find what you’re looking for.

 

• DM (Direct Message)

A private chat between you and another person on social media.

 

• RT (Retweet)

When you share someone else’s tweet with your followers.

 

• PO (Purchase Order)

A document sent by a buyer to a seller, indicating the type, quantity, and agreed price for goods or services.

 

• TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

A summarization of a long piece of text.

 

• CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)

The person in charge of a company’s marketing strategy.

 

• TBD (To Be Determined)

A placeholder for something that hasn’t been decided yet.

 

• OOO (Out of Office)

A message indicating that you’re not available to respond to emails or calls.

 

• PTO (Paid Time Off)

Time off work, paid – because you deserve a break!

 

To learn more about any of the services attributed to these acronyms, contact us today. 

 

In Part 1 of our marketing acronym series, we reviewed over 50 sales and advertising-centric acronyms. In today’s blog, our listed acronyms focus on the website design and development aspect of marketing as well as the technology and data side, listing out the top 17 acronyms. While you may know most of the concepts described below, we hope you’re able to learn one or two new acronyms. 

• URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

The address of your website or web page on the internet.

 

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

A super convenient way to keep up with your favorite blog posts, podcasts, news articles, and updates without having to constantly refresh a website.

 

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

The EU law regulating data privacy and protection for individuals.

 

• UI (User Interface)

The face of your product that users see and interact with.

 

• UX (User Experience)

The total package of a user’s interaction with your product.

 

• API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of protocols and tools for building software applications.

 

• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

The language used to style and format web pages.

 

• HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

The standard language used to create and structure web pages.

 

• WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)

A fancy way of saying, “what you see on the screen is exactly what you’re gonna get in real life.”

 

• PV (Page View)

The number of times a single page has been viewed.

 

• SERP (Search Engine Results Page)

The page you see after you type in a search query on Google or another search engine. The goal is to get your website at the top of the list.

 

• 3PL (Third-Party Logistics)

A company that provides logistics services, such as shipping and warehousing, for other companies.

 

• LP (Landing Page)

The page visitors to your website arrive when they click a link to get your website.

 

• PDP (Product Detail Page)

The ultimate destination for all the deets on your product.

 

• CMS (Content Management System)

The tech that helps you manage and publish your website content with ease.

 

• CDP (Customer Data Platform)

A centralized hub for all customer data.

 

• SQL (Structured Query Language)

A programming language used to manage and manipulate databases.

 

If you missed Part 1 of our marketing acronym series on sales and advertising-centric acronyms, check that out here. Additionally, review Part 3 of our acronym series here, where we explore the world of acronyms at the office and in the contracting department. 

 

To learn more about Bluetext and our marketing services, contact us today. 

Whether you’re just getting to grips with your first internship in a marketing department or you’re a 30-year marketing industry guru, we can all agree that acronyms are well and truly ingrained in the industry and used daily. While some acronyms are easy to remember and used casually in our day-to-day conversations, others are a little more obscure and sporadically used. In today’s blog post, we’ll run through over 50 sales and advertising-centric acronyms; some you need to know, most you should know, and others you may never come across and probably don’t need to memorize. 

• CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

The cost of finding your next paying customer, the cold hard cash that got them through the door and signing on the dotted line.

 

• CPM (Cost Per Mille)

The cost of showing off your ad to 1,000 people! The amount of money spent to show your product to 1,000 users on the other end.

 

• ROI (Return on Investment)

Your ROI expressed as a percentage of the original investment – aka, whether this campaign was a good idea.

 

• CTA (Call-to-Action)

A direction for your audience to take action, like “Sign up now!”, for example.

 

• CTR (Click-Through Rate)

The percentage of people who take action and click the button you wanted them to click.

 

• LTV:CAC (Lifetime Value to Customer Acquisition Cost)

Basically, the money you make from keeping a customer long-term divided by the cost of getting them onboard.

 

• CPL (Cost Per Lead)

The cost of finding your next potentially viable lead.

 

• ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend)

Your ROAS can be described like this. If you made $2, but spent 1, you have a ROAS of 2x.

 

• GTM (Go-to-Market)

Your overall plan for getting your product or service out there and seen.

 

• OKR (Objectives and Key Results)

A way to set and track your goals and progress.

 

• KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

The metric(s) used to track and measure the success of your goals and objectives.

 

• UTM (Urchin Tracking Module)

A simple code added to a URL to track where your website traffic is coming from.

 

• CPC (Cost Per Click)

The cost of one single click on your ad or link.

 

• ESP (Email Service Provider)

A company that helps you with your email marketing, from sending messages to keeping track of open rates.

 

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

The process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results.

 

• SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

Using paid ads on search engine results pages to drive traffic to your website.

 

• PPC (Pay-per-Click)

An online advertising model where you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

 

• GA (Google Analytics)

A web analytics service offered by Google to track and report on your website traffic.

 

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

The strategies and tech used to manage and analyze your customer interactions and data.

 

• SMM (Social Media Marketing)

The use of social media platforms to promote your product, service, or brand.

 

• PLG (Product Led Growth)

A growth strategy focused on using your product to attract and retain customers.

 

• PQL (Product Qualified Lead)

A lead who has shown interest in your product and is likely to buy.

 

• CVR (Conversion Rate)

The percentage of people who take a desired action (such as making a purchase) on your website or landing page.

 

• CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

This one’s all about maximizing the number of people who do what you want them to do on your website.

• YoY (Year-over-Year)

A fancy way to compare your metrics from one year to the previous. Think of it like a before and after transformation.

 

• ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)

How much money each user is bringing in for you on average, so you can see who your top spenders are.

 

• ACV (Annual Contract Value)

The total amount of money a customer is worth to you over the course of a year, based on their recurring revenue contract.

 

• ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)

A detailed description of your dream customer, including demographics and psychographics. This helps you focus your marketing efforts and attract more of your target audience.

 

• MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)

A lead that your marketing team has deemed likely to convert into a customer based on their engagement with your marketing efforts.

 

• SAL (Sales Accepted Lead)

A lead that’s been checked out and is ready for the sales team to work their magic.

 

• PPL (Pay Per Lead)

The cost of finding your next potential customer through various marketing channels, where you only pay when you actually get a lead.

 

• SAM (Serviceable Available Market)

The portion of the total addressable market that you can actually serve. Like, who you’re realistically compatible with.

 

• DSP (Demand-Side Platform)

A platform that lets advertisers buy ad space.

 

• DMP (Data Management Platform)

A platform used for organizing and managing data for targeted advertising and audience analysis.

 

• SSP (Supply Side Platform)

The platform that connects advertisers with a massive network of publishers to serve up their ad campaigns.

 

• SQO (Sales Qualified Opportunity)

A potential customer who has shown interest and is ready to move forward with a sale.

 

• SAO (Sales Accepted Opportunity)

A potential sale that has met certain criteria and is considered a valid opportunity for the sales team to close.

 

• BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline)

A way for sales reps to figure out if a potential customer is ready to make it official.

 

• BDR (Business Development Representative)

These are the salespeople who are constantly on the prowl for new biz opportunities. Think of them as the hunters.

 

• SDR (Sales Development Representative)

These are the salespeople who take leads and turn them into real opportunities. Think of them as nurturers.

 

• AE (Account Executive)

The rockstar salesperson who helps you achieve your advertising goals and dreams.

 

• POC (Proof of Concept)

Think of it as a mini experiment to show that your big idea is actually, well, a big idea.

 

• MARTECH (Marketing Technology)

All the cool tech tools you need to make your marketing dreams come true.

 

• SOV (Share of Voice)

The portion of the advertising market that your brand has claimed as its own.

 

• OOH (Out of Home)

Advertising that’s displayed in public spaces like billboards and transit ads.

 

• PR (Public Relations)

The art of managing your company’s reputation and relationship with the public.

 

• NRR (Net Revenue Retention)

A metric that measures the amount of revenue you keep from existing customers.

 

• POS (Point of Sale)

The place where a customer makes a purchase, such as a store checkout.

 

• CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)

Products that are sold in retail stores, such as groceries and household items.

 

• AOV (Average Order Value)

The average amount spent per transaction.

 

• SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)

A unique identifier for each product in a company’s inventory.

 

Hopefully, we were able to share a few acronyms you either didn’t know at all or knew but didn’t know what it meant. Interested in learning about more marketing-focused acronyms? Check out Part 2 of our acronym blog series. 

 

To learn more about Bluetext and our marketing services, contact us today. 

Got milk? Not in this generation. 

Anyone amongst the millennial and boomer generations recognizes the iconic tagline of the ‘Got Milk’ Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) campaign. How could you not? Back when drinking dairy was hot and featuring the latest and greatest celebrity endorsements children were downing dairy like no tomorrow. And their purchasing parents were fully on board with the cow milk craze. 

Check out Bluetext’s work with MilkPEP and Chocolate.

But fast forward 20 years and some may say dairy is dead. Dairy milk, at least, has been replaced in the rankings with an endless number of plant-based alternatives that promote various health benefits. According to the Pew Research Center, dairy milk consumption is down 20% among members of Generation Z — who range from ages 11 to 26. From allergy-free, vegan diets, to plain old tastes, there are infinite reasons why alternative dairy products have taken off in recent years. Whether it be soy, almond, oat, cashew, coconut, or even pistachio, the infinite varieties have flooded the marketplace with fresh-faced brands and highly competitive campaigns. Big players like Silk, Chobani, Blue Diamond, Oatly, and many more have used engaging and eye-catching brand campaigns that have ultimately won over millennial and Gen Z audiences. 

With milk drinkers dwindling, the dairy industry initiated a rebrand to bring the milk back into the fridges of American households. With the new GonnaNeedMilk campaign, the dairy industry is tapping into its legacy position and nutritional benefits as the “O.G. Sports Drink”. 

Yin Woon Rani, chief executive of MilkPEP, told the New York Times: “We have to reclaim milk’s mojo…We sometimes refer to milk as the O.G. sports drink, powering athletes for 10,000 years.” Specifically targeting athletes, particularly women marathon runners, the campaign serves to remind audiences of milk’s natural protein and essential nutrients through endorsements by star athletes, fitness influencers, marathon sponsorships, and more. 

Regardless if you’re team milk or team plant-based, this campaign is just one example of generational marketing and the nuances that come with every demographic. No matter what you’re selling, it’s paramount you understand your audience and the beliefs or biases they have adopted. Generational marketing uses age group segmentation to select communication tactics that each age group or generation is most likely to respond to. This can take the form of marketing channels, messages or campaign types. For example, a brand trying to reach Gen X audiences might opt for Facebook over TikTok advertising. Each generation uses technology and social media differently, and some have more brand loyalty than others. In any effective digital marketing campaign, careful time and consideration should be given to the following:

• Defining your target audience 
• Sub-segmenting your audience by distinct personas
• Market research into persona behavior & decision making
• Catering messaging & channels to specific personas 
• Test, evaluate, and adapt strategies

While your campaign may have a broad goal and multiple audiences, it is best to start at the highest level and then work down the funnel to refine your strategy.

For example, studies reveal Baby Boomers (1946-1964) are less comfortable with technology, therefore trend toward brands they know and trust often promoted on more traditional channels. Customer loyalty programs and emphasis on company legacy are powerful motivators. Gen X on the other hand (1965-1976) is hesitant about change and innovation, preferring proven methods and frictionless adoption. They are most responsive to campaigns that play on nostalgic feelings, word of mouth, and user testimonials. Millennials (1977-1995) were the first generation exposed to modern technology, therefore they are more comfortable with social media marketing, user-generated content, and influencer campaigns. Despite having the broadest age range and variety of interests, most millennials share a desire for authenticity and brands that promote social and environmental causes. They aren’t opposed to multi-channel digital marketing targeting but value honest reviews and brands that support causes close to their values. Last but not least, the Gen Z group (1996-present) has a reputation for being tied to their mobile devices and being the most tech-savvy. They respond most to social media marketing, especially in the form of influencer reviews & short-form video content. They seek recommendations and validation from their peers, especially through mobile apps. 

With these preferences in mind, companies should always consider what outreach strategies are best fit for their user personas. And when multiple generations are thrown in the mix, it’s best to segment your campaign by platform or key messages to target these groups most effectively. For example, if you are promoting a new business software geared towards Gen X and millennial audiences you may want to run an email campaign targeting Gen X leads with the clear promotion of testimonials. But for your Millennial audience, you may want to set up a LinkedIn targeting campaign that promotes your brand values and user-generated content. 

Generational marketing can take many forms. And while key differences in channels and messaging exist and should be considered, there are similarities that can bridge your marketing strategies. Honesty and integrity are characteristics that consumers look for from brands, straightforward communication, and authentic reviews from real users are effective across generations. And while present across generations, there is a growing preference for personalized experiences and one-to-one communications with trusted brands.

Looking to enhance your marketing strategy? Contact Bluetext to learn about our campaign services and how we can help optimize your marketing efforts across demographics. 

 

Ping — new text message! For the average American this notification is nothing new, appearing 32 times a day…even more for the younger demographics.

As more and more consumers turn to their mobile devices for online shopping, text marketing has emerged as a powerful way for businesses to connect with their audience in a personal and engaging way. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons why text marketing has become such a popular form of marketing, why it’s poised to become an even bigger player in the e-commerce landscape, and even emerge in B2B businesses’ marketing strategies in the coming years. 

First, what is text marketing? 

But before we dive in, let’s take a moment to consider what text marketing actually is. Simply put, text marketing involves sending promotional messages, coupons, and other marketing content directly to consumers’ mobile phones via SMS or MMS. Seems simple right? Deceivingly yes, but many nuances and personalized targeting capabilities are hidden behind these messages. This approach allows businesses to reach their audience in a way that is immediate, intimate, and highly targeted. 

So why has text marketing become so popular in recent years? There are several factors at play. For one, mobile devices have become an increasingly important part of our lives – we carry them with us everywhere we go, and we rely on them for everything from socializing to shopping. Text marketing takes advantage of this trend by delivering marketing messages directly to consumers’ devices, where they are most likely to be seen and acted upon.

In addition, text marketing offers a number of advantages over other forms of marketing. For one, it’s highly personalized – businesses can tailor their messages to individual customers based on their past purchases, preferences, and behaviors. This makes the messages more relevant and engaging, which in turn increases the likelihood that customers will take action.

How can text marketing be useful in a B2B landscape? 

While at first glance text marketing may feel like a more beneficial strategy for the B2C segment, the tactic can also add value as a supplemental channel in the B2B segment. While B2C text marketing is centered around quick touchpoints and quick results, B2C text marketing is more focused on building a relationship with your customer and improving your brand reputation. Here are a few ways that B2B businesses can leverage the power of text marketing:

1. Lead generation: One of the most important goals of any B2B marketing strategy is to generate leads. Text marketing can be a highly effective tool for this purpose. For example, businesses can offer a special promotion or incentive in exchange for customers opting in to receive text messages. This allows businesses to build a list of interested prospects who are more likely to convert into paying customers.
2. Event promotion: Many B2B businesses rely on events and conferences to generate leads and connect with potential customers. Text marketing can be a great way to promote these events and drive attendance. For example, businesses can send out text messages with event details, special offers, and reminders to register.
3. Customer engagement: B2B businesses can also use text marketing to engage with customers in a more personal way. For example, businesses can send out text messages with exclusive content or behind-the-scenes insights, or offer special deals to loyal customers. This can help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers and keep them engaged over the long term.
4. Account management: Text marketing can also be useful for B2B businesses looking to manage customer accounts more efficiently. For example, businesses can use text messages to send invoices, payment reminders, and other important account information directly to customers’ mobile devices. This can help streamline the account management process and improve the overall customer experience.

 

These are just a few examples of how B2B businesses can use text marketing as part of their marketing strategy. By leveraging the power of SMS and MMS messaging, businesses can connect with customers in a more personal and engaging way, generate leads, promote events, and more. So if you’re a B2B business looking to take your marketing to the next level, consider adding text marketing to your toolbox.

So what does the future hold for text marketing? We believe that it will continue to grow and evolve, becoming an even more important part of the e-commerce landscape. Whether you’re a B2B business looking to connect with your customers in a more personal way, or a consumer looking for deals and discounts, text marketing is a trend that you won’t want to ignore.

Executive visibility is a critical component of any effective communication strategy. Through well-thought-out and strategically developed programs, organizations can increase employee engagement and retention, establish trust and credibility, and ultimately foster growth and success by making leaders visible to stakeholders, customers, and employees.

To optimize the ROI of your executive visibility program, it is necessary to do more than simply make executives more visible. Organizations need to approach these efforts with a focus on best practices and concentrate on key strategies in order to fully utilize this potent instrument.

We’ll review some of the most effective methods and approaches to help you maximize your executive visibility program’s return on investment.

Specify your goals

Defining your goals is the first stage in any effective communication strategy. What do you want more executive exposure to accomplish? Is it to increase credibility and faith among stakeholders? Increase retention and interest among employees? For prosperity and growth? Developing a robust executive visibility strategy will help create a clear road map to success by defining your goals.

Choose Your Primary Audience

The next stage is to determine your key audiences after you have defined your objectives. What customers, partners, clients, and staff do you want to reach with your executive visibility initiatives? You can customize your messaging and communication channels to reach and engage your key audiences by having a solid knowledge of who they are and where you can engage them.

Leverage Multiple Channels

In order to increase executive visibility, it’s crucial to use a variety of contact channels. This can include conventional media like email and newsletters, as well as contemporary ones like social media, webinars, and live events. Working with your communications team, you can ensure that your message is engaging and compelling to your target audiences by using a range of mediums to reach them where they are.

Focus on Authenticity and Openness

Authenticity and transparency are two essential components of effective executive visibility programs. Your executives can establish confidence and credibility with your key audiences by communicating in a genuine and honest manner. Sharing one’s own experiences, triumphs and failures, and even vulnerabilities can create stronger connections and boost stakeholder involvement and loyalty – all by being open and sincere.

Involve Your Team

Finally, it’s important to involve employees in your efforts to increase executive visibility. You can cultivate a culture of openness and transparency by encouraging team members to share their own experiences and viewpoints. This helps expand your sphere of influence, and as additional team members join in serving as brand ambassadors for your company, this can also aid in establishing credibility and trust with outside stakeholders.

Reap the Benefits with Bluetext 

Increasing the prominence of executives within your company generates a competitive advantage and positions your business as innovative and customer-focused. It helps improve the executive’s communications and leadership skills, both directly and indirectly, while developing trust and rapport with customers and business partners and can be a mechanism for thinking through industry problems and solutions and testing new ideas. 

At Bluetext, we see you and hear what you have to say, and we help make sure that your stakeholders do as well, whether they are your customers, employees, prospects, or investors. Every leader is unique, as are their voices, platforms, and messages. Because of this, we tailor our executive visibility strategy to be specific to you and your brand to cultivate and highlight the inner strengths of your executive(s) and company in ways that will provide the greatest opportunity to achieve a significant return on investment for your executive visibility program.

Contact us to learn more about our public relations & earned media services.

To purchase or not to purchase? That is the question. An image of a sleek matte finished water bottle stares back at you from your online shopping cart. It promises to be better than the seven other water bottles you have crammed into your kitchen cabinets. It’s just arrived back in stock after going viral all over social media. Must be something to it…to purchase…or not to purchase…

In today’s world, social media has become one of the most powerful tools for businesses to promote their products and services. Influencer marketing has become a popular strategy for companies to reach a wider audience and encourage extended follower bases to buy their latest products. The influencing strategy relies on users’ trust in these aspirational individuals, often based on shared niche interests or opinions.  However, there is a new trend emerging in the marketing world known as “deinfluencing”.  As a response to the overconsumption propagated by influencers, deinfluencing emphasizes the growing cynicism towards sponsored content across social media. These content creators have paved the way for a new and effective marketing strategy that rebuilds trust and combats false advertising.  

Deinfluencing started with content creators talking about the issues with the current influencer market promoting overconsumption. It soon evolved into other creators telling their followers what products they should and shouldn’t buy. This trend took off on TikTok, now with over 450 million views, as creators in the beauty and lifestyle niche started exposing products that are overhyped, and began providing better quality, often less expensive product options. Now, this trend has moved into more niches, anything from gaming to wedding planning, as consumers and creators start to reflect on how quick people are to purchase products based on fleeting trends.

While it may sound like deinfluencing is the rejection of influencers and the influencer market, that is not the case. Deinfluencing is about asking content creators, brands, and consumers to rethink how they utilize the power of influence. Consumers have rightfully begun to question the authenticity of some influencers and their partnerships with brands. Does this product really work? Has this trusted individual even tried the product? Or is this influencer just being paid for a positive review? By attempting to build trust with consumers, “deinfluencers” are rebranding what it means to be an influencer by offering authentic reviews on products. Their candor helps consumers realize what they actually need and aims to reduce overconsumption based on microtrends. 

 

@impactforgood_ Declutter your home & then learn to buy less. It will change your life #deinfluence #deinfluencing #deinfluencingmakeup #deinfluencingproducts #minimalism #minimalist #sustainabilitytiktok #imperfectsustainability #sustainablelifestyle #eco #ecofriendly ♬ original sound – Jess – Sustainability

This TikTok by user @impactforgood_ explains her take on deinfluencing. She explains how thrilled she is that the collective is realizing “overconsumption is getting out of control.” She moves on to say that she uses minimal products, just what is truly needed to take care of your skin for example. She has no problem showing off products she genuinely uses and doesn’t mind if people are influenced to buy them. What she doesn’t support is people buying the latest, trendiest product before they finish the similar product they currently own. Deinfluencing not only helps slow overconsumption but also stops people from overspending their hard-earned money. “The rule that saved me money is that I cannot buy new products unless I have used up all the rest.” 

 

Deinfluencing not only encourages other influencers to rethink the products they are promoting, but it is also encouraging brands to be more transparent in their marketing efforts. Many brands are now faced with the risk of sending a content creator their product and them giving it an unfavorable review. However, on the flip side, if a trusted influencer gives their products a raving review, their followers will be more likely to purchase that product and also leave good reviews. This also holds brands more accountable to create quality products that will last. Because at the end of the day, any content creator has the ability to post a video about any product and give their opinion. If they already have a following that trusts them, they have influenced those consumers without the brand even being involved in the creator’s using their product. 

In this TikTok, user @emtapiaaa, a Sephora employee, reveals the truth about popular items at Sephora. She also agrees with someone in the comments that different products work for different people. This shows that deinfluencing isn’t meant to stop people from buying products they love, but rather from overbuying products they don’t need.

This trend of deinfluencing has the potential to affect the way the marketing world functions. Over the years it has been about the latest trends, how fast and how cheap we can get products. Now there is a desire to focus on quality over quantity, with a promising shift in consumer behavior toward more ethical and sustainable consumption. Consumers are realizing they aren’t getting the biggest bang for their buck when they are purchasing dozens of cheap products that they end up only using a few times. 

The deinfluencing trend has proven that consumers are ready to see a change in how influencers and brands are marketing products. In a saturated market where products have never been more easily accessible in such vast quantities, consumers are simply looking for products that work the best in their market. 

Relevant marketing is crucial for your business’ success. Contact Bluetext if you are ready to enhance your go-to-market technique.

Press releases have long been the quintessential staple of a Public Relations and Communications business strategy. They announce company wins, news, executive moves, and critical shareholder updates. 

While they’ve always been necessary, the frequency with which companies distribute press releases varies depending on company preferences and what critical stakeholders deem “newsworthy”. 

Can a More Robust Press Release Strategy Drive Website Traffic?

However, this is an antiquated approach that needs to be re-examined. With a more robust press strategy, businesses can continually target the right distribution list, improve search engine optimization (SEO) and leverage these content pieces for social channels, all of which lead to increased traffic on their website. As a top public relations agency, Bluetext PR specialists have broken down the key elements of press release strategies that drive results. 

The Right Distribution List

When pushing press releases out on your preferred wire service, identifying which distribution list to publish on is critical. It enables businesses to get their news published in outlets that have perhaps been difficult to break into, ones that are prominent in the organization’s industry, and news sites that reach the businesses’ targeted demographics. 

As newsrooms have gotten smaller, major outlets have also increasingly relied on releases that are published on wire services to continue churning out content. 

With the right distribution list, the organization putting out the news reaches existing and new audiences. If executed properly, these releases will have links that readers can click on and drive them back to the company’s website.

Improved SEO

Those hyperlinks also play an important role in improving a company’s SEO position. Not only do they prompt readers to learn more about the company’s products and services, but they naturally increase the page rank. The higher the page rank, the higher the site will be ranked by search engines. The higher the site is ranked, the more frequently it will appear in audiences’ searches.

Leveraging Content on Social Channels

Press releases are also important content to leverage for a company’s social channels. There are three main ways to maximize the visibility of these announcements:

• Share on the company’s channels;
• Have employees share the news from the business’ profile with their own network; 
• Targeted ad spending to get the posts in front of specific audiences that are deemed crucial customers.

While creating a consistent cadence of press releases should be the goal, businesses need to be careful not to flood the market with a constant barrage of saturated news updates. Instead, map out a strategy that aligns with business initiatives throughout the year. Once that plan has been finalized, organizations can then identify the distribution lists, backlinks that will boost SEO, and corresponding social strategies that will drive the most amount of traffic back to their website.

Ready to power up your PR strategy? Contact Bluetext today to learn more about our public relations expertise & services. 

Before Muhammad Ali stunned the world at The Rumble in the Jungle, he was an upstart boxer from Kentucky named Cassius Clay. Before Freddie Mercury lit the music scene on fire as the frontman for Queen, he was a young boy from Zanzibar named Farrokh Bulsara. When it comes to the icons that define our culture, so many of their stories begin with a name change that propelled them from rising stars to legends in waiting.

But when it comes to the business world, is a name change as significant of an evolution as some might believe? Would Kentucky Fried Chicken have lost its greasy grip on American diners if it hadn’t been abbreviated to KFC? Would Yahoo have had its moment in the sun as the hottest homepage of 1997 if it was still called Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web? Would a fintech startup by any other name not smell just as profitable? To answer these questions let’s explore some of the most memorable rebrands of the past few decades to see just what’s in a name.

Facebook Goes Meta on the Market

Perhaps the most significant rebrand in recent memory, Facebook left users, investors, and competitors scratching their heads after abruptly changing their brand name to Meta in October of 2021. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg offered several reasons for the change, including the need to unify its disparate product offerings, like the recently acquired Instagram, under a singular holding company. But perhaps the most interesting motivator was a shift in corporate strategy to focus on the Metaverse, a virtual world that Zuckerberg believes will be the proving ground for the next generation of digital platforms. 

Accenture Axes the Andersens

Before Accenture became the purple-hued titan of industry that it is today, it was originally Andersen Consulting. In late 2000, however, the brand hastily announced that beginning in 2001, the company would lose Andersen’s name and forge its own path in global management and technology consulting as the newly formed Accenture. The massive upheaval was primarily due to a court decision ordering the severing of all ties between the company and Andersen Worldwide. But, what began as a massive breakdown would turn out to be a major boon for Accenture, as its former sibling company, accountant Arthur Andersen, was revealed to be a party to the infamous Enron scandal of 2001. 

WWE Loses the Rumble Against the Jungle

Not all rebrands are born from Machiavellian marketing schemes. If you’ve ever wondered who’d win in a battle between a bodybuilder in spandex and an endangered panda, you might be surprised to learn the answer has already been settled in court. Yes, one of the most infamous name changes in the entertainment industry came about due to an ongoing dispute between the then-named World Wrestling Federation and the World Wildlife Fund over who could have the coveted acronym WWF. But, as any true Monday Night Smackdown fan knows, two men may enter, but only one leaves. In 2002, the wrestling organization changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment, making the conservationists the undisputed heavyweight champions of the litigation world. 

Google Stirs Up Some Alphabet Soup

Jumping back into the chrome-tinted world of Silicon Valley we come onto another famous rebrand in the tech sector, Google’s incorporation into Alphabet. First announced in 2015, the establishment of the holding company Alphabet allowed Google, along with associated product lines like YouTube, to be brought under a unified umbrella brand. Much like Facebook’s meta transformation, Google’s evolution into Alphabet showcases the true power of a rebrand, the ability to change customer perception alongside a change in corporate strategy. By changing the company’s brand name, Alphabet signals to the marketplace that its vision and corporate strategy have grown beyond just providing search and video products. 

Turn Your Brand Name Into Your Business’ Biggest Asset

While the examples we’ve run through today have all been global players in their respective markets, a brand name change is just as powerful of a tool for businesses of any size. If you’re considering retooling your corporate image, working with a brand strategy agency like Bluetext will ensure you get the most out of your marketing. We’ve helped businesses across industries with rebrand success stories like:

• BlueHalo: Formed by the merger of three engineering powerhouses, Bluetext helped bring BlueHalo to market and supported its debut as a leading provider of advanced engineering solutions and technology to the national security community.
• LookingGlass: Providing unparalleled insight and visibility into cyber threats, LookingGlass is a premier cybersecurity provider that relied on Bluetext to craft its brand strategy and empower an effective corporate launch.
• Axient: A key player in the defense, aerospace, and cyber markets, Axient relied on Bluetext to bring together several Quantitech-owned firms with one unified brand.

Take your next step toward success with a branding agency that leverages market-leading expertise to bring out the best in your business.