• Going Virtual in Times of Crisis

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    mobile phone with zoom app

    In a matter of two months, the entire world has been turned upside down.

    Office spaces are empty, with floors of staff members working from makeshift home offices. Normal interactions—from simple greetings at the grocery store to informal meetings over coffee—have been replaced with quick glances and necessary cancellations. Large public gatherings? Now a seemingly distant memory.

    This is the world of COVID-19, and it’s a world that comes with significant restrictions that’ve upended the way we live—and the way we do business. Despite technological advancements that’ve made telecommuting and teleconferencing manageable, in-person meetings and events were always the preferred choice in most marketing and public relation plans. Up until less than 10 weeks ago, these types of calendar items were still scheduled. Yet, today, as we continue to navigate the pandemic and public health concerns, marketers are scrambling to find a new path forward.

    So what happens when all these types of events—from large-scale conferences to press briefings to launch announcements—have to utilize available technology to go virtual? You have to rethink and re-plan things that were once formulaic to accommodate the crisis of the times, all while breaking through the clutter and delivering on the goals of the intended event.

    Over the last two months, The Martin Group has had to perform such virtual transitions both internally and externally for multiple clients. But in the case of the Cornell University-supported global agriculture competition Grow-NY, converting a live press event initially slated for a crowded farmers’ market to a virtual briefing required a coordinated and integrated effort across multiple agency departments and stakeholders—and required a carefully constructed gameplan to make the unconventional function as the conventional. 

    Here’s how our team took our initial plans and turned them into an executable occasion in the online realm.

    Analyze the situation

    No one wants to confront the impossibility of previously laid plans. But to successfully convert an in-person event to a virtual function, you have to scrutinize your state of affairs and see if you can make it work another way. 

    Due to the unforeseen circumstances of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the need to continue adhering to social distancing guidelines, the planned announcement of the second installment of the Grow-NY competition—featuring industry and government leaders at the Syracuse Farmers’ Market—had to be cancelled. Instead of relegating the briefing to an expansive press release, the TMG team leaned on its digital experience and enlisted the help of its PR, social media and paid media teams to coordinate a virtual briefing to live broadcast across the website and social media channels.  By our estimation, this would work to maintain engagement and build excitement within both the industry and local community, as well as provide a platform for the competition’s reps to communicate how this year’s competition was ready to build upon last year’s successful endeavor.

    Define your goals

    Will the goals for your event be the same as they’d be in a traditional setting? That’s completely up to you and how you approach the digital space—but when laid out just right, you may find your goals may be more unchanged than you anticipated.

    Despite going virtual, for Grow-NY, our primary goals were still connecting with media, influencers, and key stakeholders to announce the exciting details of the $3 million global competition for agtech startups and entrepreneurs, as well as specifics of the culminating Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in Syracuse on November 17-18. Our secondary goals were to increase the number of incoming applications (and raise awareness of applications) throughout the submission period, ending on July 15. After reviewing these goals, we determined we could still accomplish all of them with a virtual production, so we proceeded with planning while understanding we may have to do more legwork to educate and inform our audiences of our new plans.

    Whereas an in-person event would require a few TV crews and wayfinding signs to drive attention and ultimately crowds to the location, we relied more heavily on paid social media campaigns to get the word out to targeted geographical audiences in the Syracuse market, performed strategic media pitching and personalized influencer outreach to encourage “who’s who” log on and leveraged email marketing to encourage pro-active event registration.

    Understand your limitations

    What happens to the flair or fanfare of an on-site event when it’s relegated to an online webcast? A lot of it might be unnecessary—and this could be a good or bad thing. Businesses are learning this every day, as the absence of an in-person staff may save on costs, but might sacrifice much of the community or interaction that makes a specific workplace so desirable to available talent.

    When taking our Grow-NY announcement from the backdrop of a vibrant (and topical) farmers’ market to a multiple-location online production, we’re obviously sacrificing setting—but these are the restrictions we’re living with. That makes the content of the message—as well as the run of show—even more vital than it typically is. If your information isn’t engaging, there’s no swag and on-site pyrotechnics to pad an otherwise underwhelming announcement.

    The content is still the key, albeit served in a different setting. To enhance this content, we invited our past competition winners to participate in an engaging Q&A session on their progress to date and recruited our local politicians to submit video remarks on what the competition means for the region. We also didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant-in-the-room—COVID-19 and its impact on the regional trips and conference. These efforts ensure we created a run-of-show that still had that strong content hook and gave viewers the answers they were looking for.   

    Outline your tactics and logistics

    Once you decide to transition your event to a virtual affair, there are plenty of tactics and logistics to consider, just as there would be for a traditional event. The biggest tactical decision specific for a virtual event may be whether to execute as a live stream, pre-recorded, or a hybrid of both.

    With Grow-NY’s May 14 launch briefing, our team recommended a pre-recorded video stream recorded on Zoom and powered by the Vimeo Livestream platform. While the platform allows for live and pre-recorded video integration, removing the live component would allow us to mitigate technology malfunction risks, all while still producing engaging content—delivered by a diverse speaker list, showcasing imagery from year one of the competition, and coordinated by a well-organized event outline. This pre-recorded content could also be broken up and distributed across social media platforms, allowing the event to be consumed in digestible soundbites as part of a larger communications plan—which is one great advantage that virtual events have over in-person ones.

    Ultmately, you need to explore available software and technologies that fits your needs best. Some events may be more suited for a casual Facebook Live, others may need Q&A discussions on a Zoom or GoTo Meeting. Think about how much interactivity your event needs, the technology requirements of your audience and your campaign budget.

    Remember: Traditional promotion still applies

    Whether your event is happening via podium or portal, there’s still PR. There are still story pitches and press releases, and there’s still an extension of the on-site messaging across social media.

    This makes the public relations and promotion aspect of the transition the most easily transferrable—albeit with a caveat. Without on-site access for cameras or reporters, this has required more detail for the Grow-NY event pitches, but has also provided additional opportunities. Pre-recorded footage could be made available for embargoed distribution, which could whet interest for larger, more detailed pieces by targeted media outlets. For paid digital and social, the decentralized nature of the event presents an opportunity to leverage paid advertising in combination with a destination landing page to capture lost attention, as well as a call-to-action to the competition website for more information.  

    While we wait to pivot toward a functionality we’re more accustomed to, now is the time to explore new avenues—and see if they can take our professions and plans to more inventive places.

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  • Meet the Team: Pauline Wegman and Paul Schmidt

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    employees

    How did you get started in your profession/the industry?

    Paul Schmidt: I always knew I wanted to work in this industry. Graduating from Northeastern University with a Communication Studies degree and working on the ecommerce team at Reebok was how I got my foot in the door. From there, I continued my education and attended art school in Atlanta, working in restaurants and as a photography assistant part-time. I had never project managed in an official capacity prior to working at The Martin Group, but I can honestly say all of my experiences have prepared me for a different part of this role.

    Pauline Wegman: After graduating college with a fine arts degree, I took an unpaid internship with a local startup. Luckily, they hired me as a full-time graphic designer after two weeks and I spent the next year designing footwear and apparel for FIFA and NASCAR. I then switched over to a different company where I worked in graphic and web design for a couple years, then was promoted to manage a digital media team for nearly four years thereafter. When the opportunity arose to work on the digital team at The Martin Group, I accepted wholeheartedly.

    What kinds of projects are you working on right now?

    Paul: I help manage digital projects on the Wegmans team—that includes anything as small as gifs and social posts, to large campaign sites and emails.

    Pauline: On the Wegmans website, I’m currently revising and adding pages to the Feel Your Best campaign, as well as developing wireframes for a large salmon campaign. I’m also designing and coding emails geared toward staying in and their curbside pickup and delivery options.

    What’s your favorite part about working on the Wegmans team?

    Paul: Wegmans operates at an incredibly fast pace, so there’s no time to sit around. Some people wait months or years to see their projects come to life; whereas at Wegmans, it doesn’t take too long to see the work The Martin Group contributes to pop up in an inbox or in the stores themselves.

    Pauline: My coworkers are amazing. The food photography never lets me down–though it does make me hungry most days. I also like knowing that I contribute to designs that reach a large audience.

    What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

    Paul: Any passage from the book, ​Feck Perfuction ​by James Victore.

    Pauline: Stay focused and work hard; hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

    What are you passionate about?

    Paul: I’m passionate about creative projects, design, pop culture, politics, and food.

    Pauline: Art/design, dogs, home renovation, traveling.

    If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would your dream job be?

    Paul: Working as an editorial illustrator for a magazine or news site.

    Pauline: Either an interior designer or a full-time painter/stay-at-home dog mom.

    How do you spend your time outside of work?

    Paul: I like to get out and enjoy the warm weather in the summertime, attend festivals, try new bars and restaurants, draw and paint.

    Pauline: Pretty much doing anything I’m passionate about. I can usually be found painting in my home studio, playing with my dogs, working on house projects, or researching and planning a trip. Oh, and if I’m truly being honest, I binge-watch a decent amount of trash TV.

    Who’s the closest sitcom character to your real life?

    Paul: Maybe a mix between Max and Penny from ​Happy Endings.

    Pauline: 50/50 split between Monica from Friends and Jess from New Girl.

    Describe your perfect weekend.

    Paul: At this stage of quarantine, I’d settle for spending time anywhere in public, surrounded by people. But…some of my most enjoyable weekends have been spent on summer getaways along the New England coast, enjoying the beaches, seafood, and nightlife.

    Pauline: Ideally in summer–lots of fresh air, kayaking, hiking, and hanging out with my friends and family.

    What’s your favorite restaurant in Rochester?

    Paul: Restaurant Good Luck for cocktails and their burger or Mr. Dominic’s at the Lake if I’m craving Italian.

    Pauline: Fiorella! It’s super quaint and authentic and the food is to die for. They also have the cutest plates and napkins (these little details really feed my soul).

    Describe your ideal pizza. 

    Paul: A Wegmans Meals 2 Go, Large 2 Topping Pizza— Free Delivery; No-Contact Delivery with DoorDash.

    Pauline: Bee sting pizza – pepperoni and honey. ? It’s. ?So. ?Good.

    What music is playing in heavy rotation right now?

    Paul Schmidt: According to Spotify: Tame Impala, Frank Ocean, Kacey Musgraves, and the playlist “Pollen.”

    Pauline Wegman: I have to admit that I have a pretty bad habit of listening to songs on repeat until I get sick of them. I’d say my top three songs right now are: “PDLIF” – Bon Iver; “Crazy” – James TW; and “Neon Fools” – Adam Doleac.

    What song do you know all of the lyrics to?

    Paul: “Money Maker” – Ludacris ft. Pharrell

    Pauline: Probably every song on the Maroon 5 “Songs About Jane” album. It’s really stuck with me throughout the years…

    What is the top travel destination on your bucket list?

    Paul: I’d like to explore Germany and Lebanon and trace some of my family’s roots.

    Pauline: Australia and New Zealand.

    OK, two truths and a lie.

    Paul:

    I’m vegan. My great grandmother was kicked off the Titanic. I drew my own tattoo.

    Pauline:

    I’ve traveled to Italy. I had chickens growing up. I own a motorcycle.

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  • Tips While Working From Home

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    The most recent Gallup survey on telecommuting (released in 2017) revealed that 43% of Americans occasionally work from home (WFH). This seems reasonable, as enabling technology, family responsibilities, and the constraints of commuting have made telecommuting a favorable option—from time to time.

    But with the current COVID-19 health crisis affecting workers everywhere, time-to-time has transitioned to all the time. Employees versed in casually finishing up some work on the couch are now faced with doing an eight-hour shift on the couch, five days a week. Mothers and fathers who exhaustingly juggle professional responsibilities with parenting are now attempting to do both simultaneously—while moonlighting as homeschool teachers. The idea of home—traditionally established as a respite from the chaos that exists outside its door—has now been repurposed as part-office and part-daycare, all while existing as our shelter from an ongoing storm of sickness and social distancing.

    It’s a lot to handle. But just like we’re managing lifestyle changes day-to-day, the transition to working from home—and all that comes with it—can be managed with a handful of helpful tips.   

    Get dressed

    Is it a lot easier to roll out of bed, set the kids up for the morning, then transition to your workspace in your incredibly comfortable pajamas? Yes—but this working-from-home routine is no longer a short-term situation. This could go on for some time, so dressing like it’s a workday can help make this new normal a little like the old normal, all while facilitating a focus that can waiver within the relaxed confines of home.

    Tip from the trenches: Once my two- and four-year-old are on their second bowl of Cheerios—and third wrestling match over who gets the Magna-Tiles—I shower and change into what I’d regularly wear to the office, including a collared shirt, jeans, and shoes. (And note: GQ agrees with me.) 

    Devise a workspace (that enables work)

    If you don’t regularly work from home, then it’s likely you don’t have a set-up that’s conducive to hosting 10-hour workdays—or one that’s sequestered from everyday distractions. Now you need one. It doesn’t have to replicate your office, but it also shouldn’t be too comfortable. (See: Your bed.) It just needs to be a setting that enables productivity while affording you privacy to get the demands of the day done.

    Tip from the trenches: For the last two years, my wife and I have used an old high school desk as my daughter’s changing table. She’s now potty-trained, so we’ve repurposed the desk—as a desk. For this WFH period, we moved it into our bedroom, and now split time at the sunlit space throughout the day.

    Create some playlists

    Music can motivate—and insulate. Depending on your mood and genre choice, the right run of tunes can keep you on track, hold your attention on a series of assignments, and block out distractions from roommates—or little roommates. To start, try devising a lengthy playlist on Spotify (for free or paid accounts) full of songs that can elicit creativity, calm your nerves, and carry you through the day.

    Tip from the trenches: Over the years, my eclectic playlists have both facilitated writing and blocked out distractions from working in remote locations like loud coffee shops. Now at home, they keep me on task—and keep out the noise from the toddler battles happening on my wife’s watch.

    (Some albums I listen to when I need to get work done: “Break It Yourself” by Andrew Bird, “American Hearts” by A.A. Bondy, “Devils & Dust” by Bruce Springsteen, “The Fox Confessor Brings the Flood” by Neko Case, “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison, and, oddly enough, “OK Computer” by Radiohead.)

    Connect with coworkers

    We all need time to ourselves, but isolation (or time spent solely with family) isn’t for everybody. Communicating with your coworkers—whether on actual work or news of the day—is a necessary exhale for the extrovert in all of us. Being deprived of that can affect our overall well-being, so find an opportunity to hear a live voice or see a face, whether through Zoom meetings, FaceTime or your standard iPhone.

    Tip from the trenches: Since the start of The Martin Group’s WFH period, much of our communication has happened through Microsoft Teams—and not just for work-related meetings. We’ve also hosted an office-wide Happy Hour, allowing coworkers to share a drink and some laughs amid the ongoing solitude; and the early April introduction of Snap Camera by VP|Creative Director Michael Tsanis has certainly added some extra entertainment.

    Defend against distractions—big and small

    There are plenty of distractions at home without a worldwide pandemic dominating your news and social media feeds. If you’re tending to any number of children at home, those disruptions can multiply exponentially—depending on the energy level of said kids. It’s an ongoing challenge, but it takes a stern commitment—and one that will be continuously tested—to tune out these interruptions. 

    Tip from the trenches: For news, establish two times per day to check your source of choice for updates, then let it go. For the kids, let your partner take the reins for his or her shift, and barricade yourself in your space. For me, I put two free weights at the base of my bedroom door to stop any intrusions. (Note: The maniacs still try to break down the door, but that’s where the music comes in.) 

    Schedule an escape

    Working in this confinement can be depressing, so you need a daily release. While social distancing and various other measures are limiting our outdoor activity options, we can still take walks, runs, or bike rides, so be sure to schedule one (whether alone or with the family) for at least 30 minutes per day. It’ll not only provide a necessary exhale in a constrained day, but it will always give you something to look forward to. 

    Tip from the trenches: Since the start of WFH, I’ve either taken a neighborhood walk with my family, a three-mile run—or dependent on my anxiety levels, both—every day. Adults or kids (especially kids) are not meant to be confined like this, so it’s an absolute necessity to get out, even if it’s for a short time.

    Go to sleep

    When you work from home, there’s no quitting time. No one says goodbye or turns out the lights, and no one tells you to go home—because you’re already home. Outside of time-senstive obligations, you set your own parameters, and this can be quicksand for those who can’t close their laptops. Set a time to end your day, then stick to it. You’ll need rest for tomorrow—and the weeks we’ll continue to do all of this. 

    Tip from the trenches: Since my work day is now split up with childcare and my wife’s work responsibilities, I’ve established a three-hour block to work after my kids are asleep. Once it expires, I retire—and since I’m working at a desk next to my bed, I can roll off one and into the other. 

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  • Instagram Marketing Trends: Changing With the Times

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    smartphone recording a video

    It isn’t news that Instagram is becoming the preferred social channel above all others, but what about the growth of features and opportunities on the platform? One billion people use Instagram every month; this means marketers and brands alike have a lot of power to harness with the mobile app. Instagram is no longer only for teens and millennials following their favorite celebrities. In fact, 37 percent of American adults now use Instagram, and that number is on the increase.

    There is a massive, engaged audience to reach on Instagram. Brands, influencers, and marketers are all taking advantage of new trends and updates on the channel, but the question is: are you?

    Instagram trends to consider

    Bye-bye likes

    While Instagram is testing hiding likes on its platform, many accounts have already seen the update go into effect. Business pages will be able to review back-end analytics for their posts, but users will no longer be able to see the number of likes or views a post has. Is this the end of marketers and influencers on Instagram? Not quite.

    Instagram reports hiding likes is for the mental health of its users, which is surely true, but it also will contribute to the likelihood of more feed posts. With the risk of poor engagement, many brands and influencers have limited their post frequency on the platform.

    Quality over quantity is a sound strategy, but when 500 million people use Instagram Stories every day, this change seems like more of a balancing act between stories and feed posts. Should you sacrifice quality for more reach now that users can’t see the performance of your posts? Probably not, but it makes things a lot less intimidating when posting to your feed.

    Influencers + e-commerce

    Rolling out to only a handful of brands in 2019, Instagram Checkout and Shopping from Creators will likely be available to everyone in 2020. Both features allow users to make purchases from their favorite pages directly in the mobile app.

    While offering an e-commerce feature with Instagram Checkout, celebrities and influencers can add product tags to their photos with Shopping from Creators to sell products. Will in-app shopping make it more enticing for users to complete purchases while browsing their feed? We think so.

    TikTok won’t stop

    You can’t really get through browsing on Instagram without seeing content from TikTok; the video-sharing app has surged its way to being one of the most downloaded apps in 2019, making it a vital platform to consider in conjunction with Instagram.

    While you may not have the capacity or interest in reaching teens and millennials with short-form video on TikTok, you are probably aiming to create viable content for Instagram Stories, which is in a very similar format.

    TikTok videos are incredibly real and unfiltered, which is leading other platforms, specifically Instagram, to produce more authentic content. Even if TikTok doesn’t make sense for your target audience, it’s beginning to greatly influence the type of content functionality we see on Instagram.

    IGTV

    With a shift in users seeking more authentic content, starting an IGTV series for your brand is as easy as pressing record. We recommend a well-planned strategy and creative concept behind your videos, even if they’re short. IGTV series will be a huge trend on Instagram in 2020 and with the right strategy, brands of any size can succeed.

    Augmented reality (AR) in stories

    Augmented filters, or “features,” have taken off in 2019 to practically take over story content on the platform. It’s hard to swipe through Instagram stories and not see at least one celebrity or influencer using an AR filter of their own.

    Story filters on Instagram range from colors, style effects, and quizzes that can be customized with branded content. Viral quizzes like “Which Spice Girl Are You?” catapulted to the most popular form of filters that insist the feature isn’t going anywhere; this trend is bound to grow in 2020 and your brand can easily join in on the fun.

    Platform updates to utilize

    Social platforms change almost weekly with updates. It can seem overwhelming to master each new feature, but with Instagram users producing more authentic content, that makes things a little less intimidating.

    GIF reacts to stories are a new feature to test when communicating with other pages. If you want Instagram to show your stories to other users, make sure to interact with them yourself! In addition to responding to stories with the six original emoji options, you can now search GIFs to react with. Personalized content always makes a difference!

    A list of story mentions now helps brands manage accounts that have mentioned their page, lasting 24 hours (as long as the story); this new feature is housed at the top of the Activity tab and is helpful for listening to your audience and keeping them engaged.

    Age limits for accounts is a helpful new feature for Instagram pages that sell products like alcohol or vape products. Since it’s new, it’s hard to say if Instagram will still have certain content restrictions even if a page has age limited, but it’s going to be fun to find out!

    New inbox organization helps organize inbox messages by “Primary” or “General” distinguishers to sort user messages by importance or priority. When your page gets a lot of messages, this can be a useful tool to stay on track and respond in a timely fashion.

    Optimizing paid ads and boosted posts

    Whether you’re just starting to tinker on Instagram or a seasoned content curator, having a paid strategy is essential to your content being seen by your target audience and to growing your following. Since Instagram’s purchase by Facebook in 2012, Instagram adopted Facebook’s newsfeed style switching from chronological order to rewarding posts that get the most engagement, regardless of when they were posted.

    So with the immense competition for space in user’s newsfeeds, how can we guarantee that our content will be seen? The answer: a paid social media strategy and budget.

    Statistics show that 83 percent of Instagram users discover new products and services on the platform, so it’s important to make sure your content is being shown to (and seen by) your audience.

    Not only has Instagram adopted Facebook’s newsfeed approach, but they also use Facebook’s sophisticated advertising platform and first-party data to guarantee your content will reach your exact audience.

    Targeting capabilities include, but are not limited to: location, age, gender, language, interest, demographic, financial, industry, behavior, retargeting, CRM lists, and more.

    Having the ability to boost your organic content on your profile to your audience will help grow your engagement and following, and additionally reach users and potential customers where they’re already consuming media on a daily basis.

    Social media marketing on any platform can be a lot to digest. If you’re looking for a comprehensive social strategy to elevate your Instagram marketing, contact us today to figure out what’s going to work best for you.

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  • People don’t give to universities. They give to people.

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    college students graduating from university

    Giving is changing.

    In a time when everything is changing, that might not be a surprising statement. But it is more than people giving with a smartphone rather than by dropping a check into a reply envelope. A fundamental change is taking place in philanthropy—and it impacts colleges and universities and the way they go about their fundraising campaigns.

    Let’s blame the millennials. That seems to be the thing to do whenever there is a shift in the way we have always done things. Of course, they aren’t solely responsible, but they epitomize the transformation that has been going on for a while. There was a time when people were content to give to the “community chest” and trust that an organization would make sure their money went to a good and worthy place. No longer. Younger donors prefer to give to an individual or group than to trust an organization to channel funds to those in need. Trends also show that millennials are not driven by an attachment to organizations or institutions. Rather, they are passionate about specific causes and helping people. These factors are evidence of the millennial desire for involvement, which also sees their support taking the form of volunteerism more than any previous generation.

    So what does this mean for higher ed institutions and their efforts to solicit financial support?

    More and more, even with the deeply held attachments many people have for their alma mater, supporters want to channel their dollars to areas where they feel an emotional connection. And that is difficult to feel for a new building or an endowment fund. This is why scholarship support is often met with the most enthusiasm, because the result of their giving is tangible, emotional…and human.   

    But what does that mean to the marketing campaign that supports the comprehensive or capital campaign? It illustrates the wisdom of choosing and highlighting people to represent the pillars and priorities of any fundraising efforts. Suddenly a campus expansion becomes a young woman from Brooklyn who is the first in her family to go to college. A scholarship becomes a young man from Kenya who used to gaze at a map of the U.S. in his childhood bedroom. An endowment becomes a beloved professor who has taught three generations of students that the best way to learn to write is to sit down with a good book. 

    It isn’t always easy. Identifying the right representative requires a great degree of care to ensure inclusivity in many senses. If you choose a young Latina woman from the School of Nursing, perhaps you should also choose an African American graduate student from the School of Management. The instinct is to attribute this to diversity, which is of course, quite valid. But it also allows a school and their marketing partner to tell the full breadth of their story and to connect with the widest range of people looking to make a difference—because if there is a truth in philanthropy, it’s that donors tend to direct their support to causes and people close to their heart. Those affected by diabetes give to the diabetes society. Those who suffered a loss to cancer support cancer research. By putting a human face on institutional initiatives, a donor can see their own story in the plucky student or remember the love and dedication of a parent in the tireless teacher.

    The impact is dramatic. It enables emotional storytelling in video, print, social media, and beyond that hits the right buttons with not only millennials, but anyone with a wallet, a heart, and a desire to use them in concert.

    That’s where giving is headed. And while it is far too simplistic and presumptive to do it…let’s thank the millennials for a change.

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  • Digital Marketing Trends You’ll Want to Include in 2020

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    As we move into the new decade, the digital landscape continues to evolve to meet the needs of consumers. It’s up to marketers to be innovative and reach people on the channels they’re using, and to engage with them in the way they prefer.

    Lead generation and traffic are still top-of-mind for marketers, which means the importance of understanding the digital realm cannot be overstated. Here are some of the top advertising trends as we head into 2020.

    Shoppable posts for social media

    With more than 500 million users on Instagram every day and 74 percent of them having made a purchase on the app, that’s a massive audience of engaged users for brands to tap into. While it’s no secret that social media is a necessary channel for brands and businesses alike, creating shoppable posts helps users along the buying process.

    Social platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer e-commerce features that allow users to buy products without ever leaving the app. We saw strong results for our clients using this functionality in 2019, and think it will only get more effective in 2020.

    Still, you’ll want a consistent, authentic social presence with an engaged audience before you try to sell your entire product line via Instagram posts. Strategy and execution on social media are an essential foundation if you expect to sell products using shoppable posts.

    Native ads

    Blending into the media format where they appear, native ads create the look and feel of content by showing up as recommended posts, articles, or blogs. Native ads are designed to integrate into social newsfeeds or websites to avoid being intrusive like a banner ad or pop-up.

    Native advertising was the fastest-growing advertising segment, with 35 percent growth between 2017 and 2018. With users wanting control over the content and ads they consume, it’s no surprise that the lowkey style of native ads has grown so much and continues to make a stand moving into the new year.

    This type of branded content is shaping many brands’ communications strategy heading into 2020, as more and more marketers are thinking about adding value, educating, and entertaining their audiences first before pushing sales messages down their throats.

    Mobile

    If you’ve doubted the need for mobile-friendly content and ads, now is the time to change your point of view. Consumers spend over five hours a day on their smartphones. That’s a lot of quality time to reach and connect with audiences who are ready to engage.

    Not only is thinking of mobile for your content necessary, but you should also be thinking of it for every channel and placement. Almost every report on email open rates concludes that mobile is responsible for at least 50 percent of all opens. When planning strategically in 2020, how your content displays and interacts on mobile should be a vital part of the discussion.

    Video Content

    The popularity of video marketing isn’t a new trend, but it’s surely not going anywhere. A trend that has quickly become an industry standard is the length of videos. Short videos or bumper ads are frequently used to draw users in quickly and effectively. For example, brands on YouTube often use bumper ads to raise brand awareness in a very creative, six-second time frame.

    When more than 50 percent of consumers prefer video content over blogs, social, and emails, video content should be a huge piece of your 2020 content strategy puzzle. It’s always important to remember the medium as well; short teaser videos on social media can point people to longer content on your website or YouTube.

    Micro-Influencers

    Influencers aren’t new, and they’re at the top of the social media food chain when it comes to marketing. Nowadays, instead of competing with top-tier influencers who have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, businesses are linking up with “micro-influencers” with more narrow audiences and oftentimes more authenticity.

    Influencers with smaller audiences are more affordable to recruit, even accepting product as payment depending on the brand or industry. The ease of working with smaller influencers who have niche audiences that want to hear about their partnerships has become a huge trend that will continue into 2020. 

    In fact, categorized as accounts with around 30,000 followers, micro-influencers had 60 percent higher engagement than influencers with more followers who have gotten so big that a lot of them have undercut their relatability. If your brand is an appropriate fit for an influencer campaign, it’s a trend you’ll want to consider.  

    One thing to be aware of, though, is that with Instagram testing the removal of public likes from their newsfeed, brands need to be extra careful when analyzing influencers’ analytics. It’s always best (for both parties) to establish relationships with influencers and build long-term partnerships.

    Voice Search

    Who wants to type when you can ask something out loud? Whether it’s on a smartphone or smart home device, people are searching the web with the sound of their voice. What does that mean for marketers? There will be an estimated 21.4 million smart speakers in the U.S. by 2020. That’s a lot of voice answers your brand has the potential to be involved in. Depending on your target audience, you may want to include voice search in your strategy for 2020.

    It’s not necessarily just about getting your audience to find your brand using voice search, but how your brand is reflected within voice answers. About 30% of all searches will be done without a screen by 2020, so implementing voice search into your search engine optimization strategy should not be overlooked.

    Interactive Content/AR

    There’s a lot of content coming at consumers from every angle. To cut through the masses, marketers are looking to interactive content to reach consumers in a new way. Marketers must provide new experiences to consumers that make them want to stay on a page longer and interact with a brand or business.

    How is this accomplished? Aside from producing content that is shareable and exciting, brands can go the extra mile with augmented reality (AR). Not to be confused with virtual reality (VR), AR involves overlaying computer-generated information onto existing real-world views.

    Augmented reality is about as interactive as content can get, with businesses such as garage door companies providing computer-generated imaging to show what your own garage will look like with a whole catalog of garage door styles to see and choose from. This year, 68.7 million people in the U.S. will use AR at least once a month—that’s a huge opportunity for brands to engage their audiences in an extremely creative way.

    An impactful marketing strategy can require a different brand of thinking. For a comprehensive look at your marketing goals and the trends that can elevate them in 2020, contact the experts at The Martin Group.

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  • Fundraising for Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations

    You searched for new era cap – Page 24 of 31 – The Martin Group

    Fundraising for Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations

    The holiday season is upon us. And for many individuals and organizations alike, this means the giving season is upon us, too.

    Here at The Martin Group, we’re blessed to be able to help some of the most important nonprofits in Western New York raise the funds they need to fulfill their community-enriching missions. This is especially true within our healthcare vertical, in which many of our clients – from major hospitals and healthcare networks to local community clinics – rely on continued financial support from the community to advance their critical, lifesaving operations.

    Along the way, we’ve learned a best practice or two.

    Here are some essentials for those in the healthcare nonprofit space looking to bolster fundraising efforts through proactive marketing communications.

    Know your audience

    Most established fundraising organizations will segment their donor bases into several key constituencies. These often include, at a minimum:

    • Major gifts
    • Corporate partners
    • Local (or, in some cases, regional or national) foundations
    • Core stakeholders
    • The broader community

    Major gifts from high-level donors will always be a critical piece of the fundraising pie, and for many healthcare organizations, this slice can make up half or more of all dollars raised on an annual basis. But how to engage the broader community? It starts with knowing who’s most likely to give, and how to reach them.

    Looking at Scarborough audience research of the Buffalo-Niagara DMA, the total universe of those who contributed money to a healthcare/medical organization in the past 12 months amounts to approximately 227,000 Western New Yorkers. Geographically, this audience is most abundant in Cheektowaga (14225), Lancaster (14086), Hamburg (14075), and Orchard Park (14127).

    Heatmap

    Heatmap showing the ZIP codes containing the highest audiences numbers of those who contributed money to a healthcare/medical organization in the past 12 months. (Source: Scarborough)

    While this audience profiling is valuable for showing who has contributed to any given healthcare nonprofit in the past year, it provides only a partial view into who is most likely to donate to your particular organization. This audience is most concentrated at the intersection of the general giving population (above) and those who have been personally impacted by your organization. This latter group of core stakeholders typically includes:

    • Patients (past and present)
    • Staff (past and present)
    • Board members (past and present)
    • The families and friends of each

    These groups are what you would call the “low-hanging fruit.” But relying too heavily on core stakeholders year after year can run the risk of donor fatigue. To mitigate this, an effective development operation should draw from a highly diversified audience that includes groups that are often overlooked, such as younger professionals and expats.

    Clarify the need

    Before you can ask the community to contribute to your cause, you must first make an effective case for why your cause needs, and is worthy of, financial support to begin with. You should never simply assume that the community understands your need to raise money and will line up to give it to you; rather, you must be proactive and specific in communicating the need for ongoing financial support.

    One great example of communicating the need is the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation. After years of construction, planning, and (of course) fundraising, the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital officially opened in November 2017. This beautiful, state-of-the-art children’s hospital was a $270 million project in the making. But what’s not as clear is the reality that the shiny new hospital is no less dependent on the ongoing financial support of the community than it ever was. So a major focus for the organization when appealing to the broader public for contributions is to make clear that even after crossing the finish line of opening the new hospital, the need for community support continues. (Consider supporting the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation by making a contribution today.)

    Similarly, a great example of communicating the worthiness of the cause is ECMC’s campaign to support the construction of its new trauma center and emergency department. As Western New York’s only Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, ECMC is at the forefront of emergency care in our region. Indeed, they currently treat 70,000 trauma patients annually in a space built to accommodate just 45,000. This rising need demands a new facility with state-of-the-art technology, more space and privacy, and optimal patient- and family-centric design.

    This is the case they’ve successfully laid out to the community through ongoing multichannel campaigning as well as a dedicated microsite, www.suppportecmctrauma.org. And the community has responded in kind, as ECMC is currently closing in on its $15 million fundraising target. (Click here to consider making a donation to support ECMC in their building of a new destination for lifesaving care.) 

    Establish an emotional connection

    Making some kind of emotional connection with the audience is mission-critical for just about any marketing communications strategy, but nowhere is it more relevant than in persuading the public to open their pocketbooks in support of a nonprofit.

    In the healthcare space, this emotional connection comes most effectively from shining a spotlight on the inspirational stories of healing that happen every day at these organizations. Testimonials are authentic, powerful, and earned. They also force the audience to put themselves or their loved ones in the subject’s shoes, which is where that emotional connection takes hold.

    The stories are there, and the key is in telling those stories in a way that resonates and deepens the relationship between key donors and the organization. As one Chief Development Officer from a healthcare organization in another market explained to us recently: “Pull back the curtain and invite [donors] in for a unique experience. For example, testimonial videos we make: before we make them public, we share them with our big donors for a ‘sneak peek.’ And people really love this. They love being able to be the first to see this unique clinical story we are featuring in a new ad.”

    Provide multiple opportunities to contribute

    Much like the point above about the need to diversify the audience, it is equally important to diversify the means through which audiences can engage with and contribute to your organization.

    To this end, the importance of digital tools and channels continues to take center stage. The targeting capabilities of digital paid media (namely search, social, and display), in tandem with the nurturing of audiences offered by tactics like email campaigns, are powerful tools for reaching the right audiences and guiding them down the path toward making a contribution. This is especially true of organizations whose websites are optimized to accept online contributions, allowing the action of giving to be quick, convenient, and often just a click away from the emotional message that drew them in initially. 

    But offline tools have an important role to play, too. Fundraising events are important enough for collecting contributions, but they’re also important opportunities to build community and comradery with donors. Ideally, a consistent schedule of events that range in variety should be leveraged to get the public engaged. Events also provide valuable opportunities to develop relationships with new audiences through volunteerism.

    Looking for help connecting with donors? Contact us today!

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  • What We’re Thankful For In 2019

    You searched for new era cap – Page 24 of 31 – The Martin Group

    We have a lot to be thankful for this year at The Martin Group. From exciting projects and awards to onboarding new teammates at our growing offices, things seem to just keep on moving! To slow things down, just for a moment, we asked our team to share what they’re thankful for this year. As expected, many of them do not disappoint in their responses:

    Kate Chokshi: I am thankful for my awesome kids and my amazing team at The Martin Group –  both of which challenge me and make me laugh every day.

    Kate Wilcox: I’m thankful for my little boy due in January!

    Kristina Robinson: I have many things to be thankful for, but I am especially grateful for all the wonderful people in my life – I’m thankful for the older relationships that have strengthened and for the newer ones that have sprouted and are growing. I am also thankful for my family. Without their incredible love &and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Lastly, I am thankful for my two fur babies, whose love and goofiness always bring a smile to my face.

    Mary Bonomo: I am thankful for my friends, family, and Shawn Mendes.

    Alexander Dean: I’m thankful to be employed at an amazing agency like TMG only months after graduating.

    Anna Hofer: I am incredibly thankful for my beautiful & healthy (growing) family. I’m also thankful to be working with so many amazingly smart & talented people at TMG.

    Melissa Ortiz: I am thankful to be part of TMG2 (as of July 2019). My co-workers have demonstrated appreciation for what I have been able to bring to our agency, and everyone has been so welcoming and accepting. I felt like a family member immediately upon joining TMG2. I am thankful for the packaging team, that I am so lucky to be part of, for sharing what they know and teaching me so much on a daily basis. Because of that, I know I will grow so much as a designer.

    Dima Maddah: I’m thankful for my family, my boyfriend, and my sweet sleepy puppy Peanut. I’m also thankful for all my coworkers that keep me sane, laughing, fed, and pushing me to constantly learn and push myself, even when my letterboard and headshot reflect my true feelings. Finally, I’m thankful for the people and companies that make clothing in tiny dog sizes because COME ON.

    Bill Hoffman: I’m thankful for my new position here at Martin (Holy Cr_p!). So many talented people! I’m thankful that Dion found me on LinkedIn and that Monica and Andrea decided to hire me… Very Thankful, Yes.

    Victoria Wixson: I am thankful for my significant other who is always my biggest supporter and best friend, our dog who gives me endless cuddles, friends who never fail to make me smile and laugh, and our families who I’m beyond grateful for — I get to spend the holidays with, making lasting memories.

    Mike Farrell: Thankful to have an energizing workplace—if only as a locale where I can hide from these lunatics. (Note: Guess I’m thankful for them, too.)

    Liz Lewin: I’m thankful for this new professional chapter in my life and all of my amazing co-workers at TMG that have welcomed me with open arms since day one. Change can be scary, but lucky for me, change was the best thing that happened!

    Eric Wright: A loving family, close friends, and a great team that I get to work alongside!

    Amanda Clark: I’m thankful that I work with a group of dedicated, funny, smart, and motivating colleagues! Also thankful for my sweet child, Pippa.

    Pat Sandora-Nastyn: I’m so very thankful for anyone who has ever canceled a meeting. Or canceled any plans in general. Not all heroes wear capes.

    Lisa Strock: I am thankful for all the days of my life for the unconditional love Dave, Elliana, and Grayson show me.

    Ca-rin Miles: I’m thankful and blessed that my mom’s two– years cancer-free! I’m thankful for my health, family, and friends! I’m thankful that our daughter was blessed with an amazing opportunity to return to Africa and I’ll be spending the holidays with her!!! I’m thankful and blessed to be a part of a great team with TMG! My home away from home!

    Caitlin Higman: I’m thankful for my beautiful niece!

    Haley Skomra: Every year, I have a lot to be thankful for, but this year, I’m especially thankful. I’m thankful that I started working at TMG, where I have the most supportive, kind, and encouraging colleagues. I am thankful that I married my best friend while being surrounded by all of our loved ones (our dog included). I’m thankful for my health, happiness, and the friends that I call family. Lastly, I’m thankful that my husband and I grew our family by four paws, making that fur baby #2.

    Colin Volker: I’m thankful for botox. And my tattoo artist.

    Pauline Wegman: I’m thankful for the opportunities and growth of this past year; I traveled to three countries, bought a house, and started a new career here at The Martin Group. I’m also very thankful to have such a wonderful support system – my family, friends, boyfriend, and dog.

    Jenny LePore: I am thankful to join the TMG team – making new friends and reuniting with old friends! And of course, for my tiny toddler army because look at those faces. Come on!

    Lianne Coogan: Motherhood definitely makes you count your blessings. I’m thankful for our sweet and healthy daughter, who has taught me a whole new level of love (and responsibility). I’m grateful for such an amazing and supportive husband, who turned out to be the best dad ever. And for both our families – who helped teach us how to be good parents, and who give us a break when we need one!

    Andrew Scutt: I’m thankful that my partner is finally going to put a ring on it. Also, Thursday night trivia, silent discos, Sean Evans, and La Davina opening in Expo.

    Joseph Phelan: I am thankful for the many wonderful moments I shared with my family and friends.

    Michael Tsanis: I’m thankful for my creative team. The most talented and hardest working group of delinquents in Buffalo. P.S.: Do your timesheets.

    John Jiloty: Thankful that we’re proving world-class work for global clients can come out of Upstate New York. And of course, these goofs…

    Monica Alescio: I am thankful for my growing family and their continued support, both at home and at work. This little guy is my world!

    Happy Thanksgiving from TMG!

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  • Meet The Team: Shannon Specht and Melissa Manley

    You searched for new era cap – Page 24 of 31 – The Martin Group

    Employee Spotlight - Shannon and Melissa

    What music is playing in heavy rotation right now?

    Melissa Manley: Either the latest country tunes or my all-time favorite – Billy Joel! <3

    Shannon Specht: Lots of Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, and The Eagles. Also love jamming to one- or two-hit wonders like Natalie Imbruglia, Jewel, and Carly Simon.

    How did you get started in your profession/the industry?

    Melissa: I knew I wanted (and my dad wanted me) to go to school for Business. After a treacherous semester of Accounting, Economics, and Finance, not to mention the very regular cram study sessions and subsequent stress-induced breakdowns, I thankfully discovered Marketing. I love that I could apply business knowledge to real-life situations without getting too caught up in the numbers and could still express my creative side.

    How I knew I wanted to pursue a career in Marketing and Advertising, was after studying abroad in London and working in an agency style curriculum, coupled with meeting with Tod Martin for an informational interview later that year. While I did not work directly for The Martin Group or an agency until more recently, I was always intrigued to one day do so and am so glad I now do!   

    Shannon: I graduated with a degree in journalism and political science from St. Bonaventure University (go Bonas!) and after deciding to drop out of UB law school before classes began, I started looking for public relations-related jobs. I had the good fortune to meet my current supervisor, Dick Shaner, and joined Travers Collins as a PR coordinator, and was thrilled to come back and join Dick at The Martin Group after taking some time off to raise my kids.

    How did you come to be so involved with healthcare clients and what do you think is the next trend to watch in the healthcare industry for 2020?

    Melissa: I worked in the healthcare industry prior to working at The Martin Group, so I had some background in the industry and marketing within it. I now work with ECMC and Samaritan Medical Center (located in Watertown, NY) on a daily basis, as they are two very large fully integrated marketing clients. With many industries, but especially in healthcare, I think the digital side of things is only going to continue to grow and evolve. Healthcare companies, in general, are focusing more and more of their efforts on social media, both organically and in the paid sector. Personally, I am very interested in and practice holistic health and natural path of healing (when possible) and am interested to see how the health insurance companies and traditional medical providers begin to evolve their practices to mirror more of a whole being, functional medicine model.

    Shannon: I’ve worked with Independent Health for several years and had previous experience with other healthcare clients at Travers Collins. Since joining The Martin Group, I’ve continued to work with Independent Health, along with Mental Health Advocates of Western New York, the Kaleida Health Foundation, TCD Medical, Samaritan Medical Center, Buffalo Medical Group, and others, building on the experiences of each client. It’s an exciting time to work with the healthcare field. Our clients are committed to making strides on the local level to help fix the problems of our broken healthcare system. It’s great to be a part of that. The biggest thing to watch in 2020 will be the politics of health care and efforts aimed toward greater price transparency, lower drug costs, and overall affordability.

    If you never had to sleep again, what would you do with all your newfound time?

    Melissa: TRAVEL! To anywhere and everywhere!

    Shannon: Same! And also maybe write a book for fun.

    What do you like most about The Martin Group?

    Melissa: I love the people! I have never worked somewhere, where everyone is so awesome on both a professional and personal level. I have built so many great friendships during my time here and continue to do so! #TMGGroupies I also love the diversity of clients and work we get to work on, on a daily basis!

    Shannon: I love working on a variety of projects with a variety of clients – it keeps things interesting and keeps you on your toes. I also enjoy the culture here. Everyone is incredibly talented and truly good at their jobs, and they’re also fun-loving and just enjoyable to be around.

    What was your first-ever job?

    Melissa: Abercrombie in high school. What I thought was my dream job to organize and merchandise my favorite apparel, quickly became my worst nightmare. I spent an hour-plus of my first shift folding an entire table of men’s polos perfectly stacked by size and color. When I proudly told my manager I was done, she came over, looked at it, knocked all the piles over and told me to look busy and do it again! Needless to say, that was my first and last shift. Sorry, I never ended up getting that discount, after all, Mom!

    Shannon: I was a lifeguard at a waterpark, and a water aerobics and swim instructor.

    Describe your ideal pizza.

    Melissa: All the white cheeses, just the right amount of spices and either loaded with veggies and/or meat with ranch dressing on the side! Oh, and on a gluten-free crust, of course. [Insert eye roll here, I knowww]

    Shannon: LOTS of olives, especially kalamata, with not too much cheese, red sauce, pepperoni, and a thick, doughy crust.

    Favorite color?

    Melissa: Green

    Shannon: Purple

    Would you be a pirate?

    Melissa: Eh, I guess I’ve never really thought about it before… but sure. why not?!

    Shannon: Depends. A pirate before they realized citrus could cure scurvy or after?

    Favorite animal?

    Melissa: Monkey

    Shannon: Koala

    Do you like blue cheese?

    Melissa: NO WAY – RANCH all the way! Forever and always!

    Shannon: Sorry, Buffalo. I’m a ranch girl.

    How do you like your hotdog?

    Melissa: With ketchup and dill relish.

    Shannon: Basic – ketchup and mustard.

    Can you do a push-up?

    Melissa: Of course!

    Shannon: Maybe one …

    Favorite cartoon character?

    Melissa: Tommy Pickles.

    Shannon: Dot from Animaniacs (quality show).

    Favorite place to go?

    Melissa: Long weekend escape to Florida in the dead of winter when you just can’t fathom another month (or three) of the Buffalo weather!

    Shannon: Ireland.

    Biggest pet peeve?

    Melissa: Loud open-mouth chewers and people who do not know the difference between your-you’re, there-their-they’re.

    Shannon: The Oxford comma.

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