Patterson/Bach Communications, Inc.

Like most Americans, this Sunday I will spend the day celebrating the woman who raised me. It is the one day a year everyone stops and thanks these women for the time and effort they put into supporting their families. Due to my economic status—broke, college student—I usually make my mom a nice dinner and offer to do chores she spends her “spare time” accomplishing. After all, it is about giving our moms a special day, not necessarily the money spent.

However, others must feel differently or be in better economic standing than I, because Mother’s Day is one of our nation’s largest gift-giving holidays.  According to National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend $18.6 billion on the holiday this year, with the average consumer spending $150.

As a brand, standing out among your competition is one of the most important Mother’s Day marketing strategies.  This can be achieved through various tactics, but the key is to be creative and avoid falling into a typical advertising routine. Make sure to take advantage of the emotional appeal the holiday holds and the relationships the day celebrates.

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to use the social media sites your company—hopefully—already has.  Never under estimate the power of social media. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can be just as helpful as any advertising campaign.

As part of your social media marketing strategy, hosting a contest is a tactic that connects all your various forms of social media and can increase company exposure. Mother’s Day contests can vary depending on the product or service provided by your company, but there is a perfect contest out there for everyone.

Try hosting a ‘Why We Love Mom’ video contest. Spouses can help their children create videos sharing why their mom is so special and upload the entries to YouTube. Urge your following, on both Facebook and Twitter, to comment on their favorite video. Those participating in the contest will also be encouraging their own friends and family to comment. These friends and family members could be an audience your company has never reached before. The video with the most comments at the end of the contest wins and receives a special gift for their extraordinary mom. This gets your brand extra attention during the holiday craze. And depending on the scale of the contest, it may even generate media buzz.

Mother’s Day is a great holiday to start making use of the newest social media trend, Pinterest. People who use Pinterest most are females between the ages of 25 and 54—sounds like moms to me. If your company sells items or services moms would love, start pinning pictures of your offerings. Make sure each picture links users back to your company website. Mothers will then be able to like and repin your pictures for all of their followers to see.

Additionally, an inexpensive, subtle way to attract Mother’s Day shoppers is to create a blog featuring mothers. This can be done on your company’s website. By highlighting some of the mothers within your company and sharing what they want most out of the holiday, it will not only show customers your company honors moms, but it also gives shoppers extra ideas and showcases what your company has to offer moms.

Mother’s Day may only come around once a year, but that doesn’t mean you should use the same old marketing campaign. Utilizing social media outlets will provide your company with an inexpensive approach to reach your target audience. Take the advertising money you’ll end up saving and spend it on the special mom in your life.

I often forget there is such a thing as “reading for pleasure.” High schoolers stack their lockers and bedside tables with fraying copies of “How to Read Literature like a Professor” and various borrowed “Spark Notes.” Liberal Arts students are dragged through the dusty halls of libraries, falling prey to tactical explanations of AP Style and Robert’s Rules of Order. Once you’ve freed yourself from structured academia, it’s common to fall into a professional routine. When are you supposed to have time to sit down and read for fun?

Luckily, for those of us in the communication sphere of the business world, we can enjoy reading for both pleasure and profession. Inspired by Gini Dietrich’s article, “Reading Fiction Helps Your Career” and Geoff Livingston’s “Nine Books for Communicators,” I decided to put together a short list of reads I think are helpful to those in the PR, marketing, communications, and advertising fields. Whether fiction or nonfiction, these books are both enjoyable and informative.

The Dragonfly Effect – Jennifer Aaker, Andy Smith, Carlye Adler

“The Dragonfly Effect” is a written model that takes concepts from social media, marketing strategy, and consumer psychology to help readers accomplish a solitary, tangible goal. The effect is named after “the only insect that can move swiftly in any direction, and even hover, when its four wings are moving in harmony.” The book flutters around the four “wings” of the model – Focus, Grab Attention, Engage, and Take Action. While the book seems like a straightforward approach to marketing tactics, it wraps the reader into a concept that leads to change – for the better.

The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” orbits around the thought that ideas, behaviors, products and messages spread through society like viruses. The book selects “three rules of epidemics” or “agents of change” that are visible in all major tipping points of change. If you look beyond the message of the book itself, Gladwell’s writing is a model for communicators. He does a wonderful job connecting with the reader, making you feel aware and eager to learn more.

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

Published in 1936, before Twitter, Facebook, and even the Internet itself, Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a classic self-help manual for business professionals. What I really like about this book is the fact it’s rooted in a personal, face-to-face approach that is truly the best way to go about building a network. People got along just fine without social media for decades, maybe it’s about time we get back to the past and see what an old-fashioned handshake has over a “friend request.”

For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway

Besides the fact I have an outstanding appreciation for Hemingway’s work, I agree with Geoff Livingston in his recommendation of this novel. While yes, this is a fictional novel, the beauty of having this on my list goes beyond literary content. Hemingway was essentially the first tweeter. His style is short, sweet and to the point, much like the 140-character personality of Twitter’s posts. See what you can learn about fitting so much thought into so little space while engrossing yourself in the story of main character Robert Jordan’s experience as a dynamiter during the Spanish Civil War.

I hope you’ll take the opportunity to grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair and dive into a book that will open your mind to new business concepts and put a smile on your face.

Who would you look to for up-to-the-moment insights about social media—an experienced ad agency Creative Director whose company is totally immersed in social media? Or a pair of 14-year-old, middle school students?

The answer is obvious. So, now I share with you a recent conversation I had with my daughter Camille and her friend, Esly, as they discussed social media: when they use it, how they use it, and why they use it.

Q: What do you primarily use social media for?
A: Mostly to socialize and to plan outings with friends. Sharing photos is another cool thing. With Facebook, it’s like having all of your best friends together in one place. We couldn’t fit all our friends in a single room, but with social media, they’re all right there on the computer screen.

Q: How often do you engage with social media?
A: A couple times a week.*

Q: Do you learn about or recommend products through social media?
A: Sometimes. Facebook is a good place to share thoughts on books, movies, and TV shows, but we pay less attention to other products like clothes and electronics—those things get more attention through word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, along with the product maker’s website. We’re Facebook fans of different products, but our interest level is still pretty casual.

Q: What are some of the products and services you follow through social media?
A: Harry Potter, How I Met Your Mother, Pirates of the Caribbean, Twilight, Nike, and Claire’s Jewelry.

Q: How many of your friends are on Facebook?
A: 99%. However, a few of them have dropped it because they don’t like “Facebook drama.”

Q: “Facebook drama”? What’s that?
A: Arguments, put downs, and people thinking they’re funny and clever when they’re not. That sort of stuff.

Q: Gotcha. So besides Facebook, what other sites do you use?
A: Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter. You can participate on them without the drama you get on Facebook.

Q: What do you see as the future of social media?
A: It will get bigger and better—more sites, more choices, and more ways to interact. But social media will always be first and foremost a place to socialize. When you want to learn about products, Google and company websites are as important as Facebook.

So there you have it, the present and future of social media as seen by Camille and Esly. As you can see, it’s a tough audience out there and reaching them takes skill and creativity. If you’re wondering how to use social media strategically in your marketing mix, here’s a suggestion – give Patterson/Bach a call at 407.645.1880.

*I actually believe “a couple times a day” would be a more accurate answer.

As a P/B intern, our team expects top-notch performance day in and day out, and we offer a unique opportunity to work hand-in-hand with some of our industry’s most accomplished professionals. Our Fall 2011 intern, Anthony Rouhana, was the definition of an ideal intern with quick wit, engaging ideas, professionalism, and most importantly a recognizable passion for marketing. It is with great pleasure and support that P/B congratulates Anthony as he has been hired as a full-time marketing coordinator.

“Interning at a full-service agency gave me insight into all aspects of a campaign, from creative concept to execution and measurement. Being a part of international media buys, social media campaigns, and public relations outreach served as a powerful opportunity to gather real-world experience in my field. My six months at Patterson/Bach Communications reinforced my college education and helped me develop the skills I am using today as a marketing coordinator.”

Patterson/Bach is currently interviewing motivated and interested candidates for Summer and Fall 2012 internships. If you or someone you know is interested, please send a cover letter, resume, and three writing samples to erin@pat-bach.com.

P/B has been selected by H. J. High Construction, an iconic Orlando company, to provide public relations services, including media relations and social media management, among others.

“We selected Patterson/Bach based on their innovative approach to public relations and experience in the architecture and construction industry,” says Robert High, president, H. J. High Construction. “We also feel their philosophy on strategic planning and development will bring great value to H. J. High.”

Since 1936, H.J. High Construction has been a leader in Florida’s construction marketplace and dedicated to building only the highest quality buildings that inspire, educate and further people’s lives while enhancing their communities. H.J. High Construction specializes in general contracting, pre-construction services, design-build, construction management and preventative maintenance services for education, industrial, commercial, and religious facilities. For more information, visit www.HJHigh.com.

Patterson/Bach is kicking off its P/B Gives Back Challenge, a social media contest, scheduled to run April 9 – May 11. The contest challenges Facebook followers to answer a series of trivia questions for a chance to select a Central Florida nonprofit organization to receive one free service from a menu of select Patterson/Bach advertising, marketing, or public relations offerings.

“The contest idea is similar to a game of Jeopardy,” says Tim Bach, president, Patterson/Bach Communications. “To prepare, followers should brush up on the history of advertising, public relations, and marketing.”

The contest is open to everyone, including employees and volunteers of Central Florida nonprofits. To enter the contest, simply “like” Patterson/Bach’s Facebook fan page and go to our “Trivia” tab each week until the contest ends May 11. The more questions answered correctly, the better your chance to win.

The Facebook follower who answers the most questions correctly by the end of the month-long contest will have the opportunity to nominate a deserving Central Florida nonprofit organization to receive a free advertising, marketing, or public relations service. The nominated organization will be contacted and offered the choice of one service, free of charge, from a select list of offerings, including a custom Facebook page, creative development of an advertisement or logo, social media activity review and recommendations, one press release with distribution to Orlando-based media, or one 30-minute public relations consulting session!

Most organizations are searching for social media strategies that engage users and create a substantial following. In November 2011, Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) announced a partnership with Tampa Bay Times Forum, and Patterson/Bach crafted a strategy to turn to their partnership into a social media sweepstakes success.

P/B took hold of THEA’s Facebook fan page and began giving away tickets to Tampa Bay Lightning games throughout their 2012 season at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Using a customized-Facebook application, P/B increased THEA’s fan base by 100% in the first 24 hours of the sweepstakes!

Check out THEA’s official Facebook fan page to see the customized sweepstakes tab for yourself, and contact P/B if your company is in need of a successful social media campaign by calling 407-645-1880.

Normally, when an advertising agency presents a client with several new advertising campaigns, the hope is the client will love at least one of them enough to say, “Let’s run with it.” Recently, however, we had the pleasure of hearing one of our clients say, “We love’ em all—let’s run ‘em all!”

That client is Kissimmee Gateway Airport, which plans to run each of the three campaigns we presented to them recently. Having run a previous P/B campaign for several years, the Airport felt it was time for new messaging and new advertising, especially with the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) annual meeting coming to Orlando in October. Our newly created campaigns (with one ad from each campaign pictured here) range from business-like to fun-and-clever in their approaches, but each touts the Airport’s primary selling points to corporate pilots, schedulers and dispatchers, and private plane owners:
• The Airport’s close proximity to Orlando’s attractions, the Orange County Convention Center, and other top Central Florida destinations.
• Exceptional service and amenities the Airport offers through its four fixed-base operators.
• A historic Warbird Museum, adventure flights in WWII-vintage aircraft, and an 18-hole golf course adjacent to the Airport.

“With three great campaigns to choose from, we figured we may as well run them all,” says Director of Aviation Terry Lloyd. The plan is to run each campaign for a year, giving the Airport a nice stockpile of fresh marketing materials. “The different graphic approaches of each campaign will hold the attention of readers, while the consistent messaging will drive home our sales points without seeming old or stale,” says Lloyd.

Naturally, we’re pleased and proud to get such an enthusiastic reaction to our work. And we look forward to helping our client land (pun alert!) more business as the airport “Closest to the Magic of Orlando.”

Call Patterson/Bach for creative, effective solutions to your advertising needs at (407) 645-1880.

What’s the ROI for your social media effort? That’s the million-dollar question every business and organization would like to answer. It can be difficult to measure whether or not the time and resources spent on developing, building, and maintaining two-way communication actually produces quantifiable results for your organization. Here’s what you need to know…

First, understand what you are tracking and why. Do you want more people exposed to your message, product, or service; therefore, the number of likes or followers is important? Do you seek to increase audience engagement so more people have a greater understanding of your product or service, so comments and re-tweets are important? Are referrals and testimonials critical to your organization, so re-posts, check-ins, or pins are most important? Are you monitoring upticks in all areas during a promotion with specific start and end dates? Making sure you align your social media goals with your business goals helps you define what to track and why.

Second, identify the best methods to track the social media metrics you’ve chosen. This might require a third-party social media analytics resource, of which there are many with a range of costs, but it might not. For example, if you just want to track followers and interaction from posts, there are free sources that might be all you need. Ultimately, social media measurement is possible to fit within your budget, so you can be sure that whether your organization is at the level of social media novice, veteran, or somewhere in between, you are sure to measure ROI with an understanding of the most effective ways to do so.

At Patterson/Bach, we’re dedicated to finding the best and most cost-efficient ways to track your social media success, and sometimes that doesn’t mean spending big bucks!

Call Patterson/Bach for your social media needs at 407-645-1880.

Now you might expect me to follow-up with an assessment of the changing figurative “face” of the industry, but this is a literal reference to the rapid changes of the faces I knew for so long and now they are no longer. I feel as though I don’t know anyone in media anymore, and after nearly 15 years of managing media relations for dozens of clients in diverse industries, that’s hard to believe. There was a time when you could name a publication and the beat, and I could tell you the name of the reporter and probably his/hers dog’s name. The last five years, however, have shown me “times they are a’ changing.” And I was reminded of this even more so recently during a string of head-shaking events (and that’s shaking side to side in an “I-can’t-believe-this-insanity” sort of way, not up and down in an “I-agree-with-this-insanity-and-I’m-liking-these-changes” sort of way):
1. We researched every expensive third-party vendor that provides media contact database services to dig into how they research, aggregate, and KEEP UP TO DATE their media contact information, and not one has a better mouse trap than another, so we’ll stick with the one we have (not naming names) because it’s better than nothing, but ultimately we’re really doing their job for them as we constantly submit new contact information we identify, which helps make their database current, and I’m sure their others clients are doing the same. Maybe we should just all get together and develop a media contact sharing site, where PR professionals constantly submit new media contact information as we learn about changes, we maintain it as a community of professionals, and there’s no $5k-$10k cost to our agencies annually.
2. I called on an assistant editor with a well-known and still reasonably respected publication to pitch him on an incredibly relevant, timely issue for an upcoming edition of his publication specific to the affected geographic area – a no brainer, right? Only to be told the specific issue would be mostly charts and graphs (no doubt compiled by an unpaid intern) and published as high-level, valuable content to readers – with little to no editorial and certainly no thorough, insightful discussion of the elephant in the room. Where’s an investigative journalist when you need one?
3. I contacted some outlets around the state that had outdated contact information in our database system (did I mention already that we do their job for them?), and 70% no longer have a human who answers the main line and, get this, 50% do not have a human who answers the NEWS ROOM phone – seriously, I feel as though I’m in the Twilight Zone. So, I guess I’ll leave a message with my breaking news.
4. Of the people I do get to answer the phone, 75% of them don’t know who the reporter is for the beat I’m seeking, and these, mind you, are not international news outlets. So, I’ll hold while he/she asks the one other person who’s working in the news room, so he/she can come back and tell me the name of the poor person who’s covering 19 beats or the generic email to send all news so it can be farmed out to an intern or recent grad who’s never covered this beat before, then post the story online so we have no idea who wrote it, his/her background or how to contact him/her – just call the general phone number and leave a message for the person with no name.
5. Lastly, and I saved the best for last, is the assignment desk manager who never fails to be the rudest person you’ll ever speak to by phone who also has the nerve to tell you they make things up and call areas of town whatever they want, because basically, “what are you going to do about it?” – well, with the rapid decline of journalists and some accountability, I guess I’ll get back to listening to elevator music while I wait to leave a message with my breaking news.