PerkettPR’s April MVP: Johanna Cappello

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At the end of each month we give each PerkettPR employee the opportunity to call out and recognize their fellow colleagues by voting for them as our “Most Valuable Player.” Traditionally, we’ve only shared the honors and accolades amongst ourselves during our first internal meeting of the new month – but why not share it publically?

Each MVP is clear an example of the many top-notch, talented individuals we have at PerkettPR, and sharing the announcement here is a way for you to get to know them a little better. So without further ado, here is PerkettPR’s MVP for April 2010:

Johanna Cappello

JohannaCappelloWhat is your role at PerkettPR?
I am an Operation Assistant—I assistant the Account and Executive teams with research, coverage reports, or managing speaking/awards databases. Also I help with the PR for PerkettPR and more recently have spearheaded a few client driven design projects.

How long have you been with the company?
Over 2 years.

What do you like best about your job?
The variety—each day is different. The work is always fresh, and I love being part of such a motivating, inspiring team—who are continuously pushing me to work harder.

Who inspires you?
Boma (my grandmother) and my Mom—independent, passionate, resilient women.

How do you inspire others?
I am an eternal optimist— and in moments of adversity have used my ambition, my motivation, of course, my optimism to rise above.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Writing. Cooking. And beach-ing.

What did you want to be when you were little?
Singer on Broadway

How do you stay motivated?
I surround myself with positive, honest, and inspirational people. Also, I love reading and considerate myself a lifelong student. Learning more (and more) is continuously fueling my motivation.

What’s your favorite quote?
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way and not starting.” (Budda)

How did you go above and beyond to win this month’s MVP?
I worked diligently on a client project involving designing numerous materials, coordinating estimates, and delivery for a client product launch at a conference.

Editor’s note: Johanna is being modest here. In every company, there are people who stick to their To Do list and then there are employees who proactively go above and beyond. Johanna has some talents that she isn’t required to apply in her every day job. However, when she saw a need for these talents, she proactively stepped up and stepped in – surprising us all by unveiling additional strengths that we weren’t aware of, and working above and beyond what she’s required to do in her current position. Not only did she provide some new ideas and content, but she showed managers her ability to grow in a way we hadn’t thought of before in regards to her future here at PPR. Today, she’s MVP, but she also carved out a new path for her career here – one that will benefit our clients from both the PR and content creation and design perspective – and benefit her by allowing her to do what she loves. Johanna is a great example of how stepping up and stepping in can benefit both your employer and you!

Connect with Johanna on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

What is Value? It Depends on Who You Ask

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The word value might seem like a straight forward term but in
reality, it’s very subjective. Those of us in the PR agency business
can appreciate this as we balance multiple clients and work hard every
day to provide value to them – which can be, and often is, very
different from client to client. You  may experience this in your own
job if you’re a part of a larger division or company where multiple
decision makers need to see what you do every day as valuable. As you
look up the hierarchy, what constitutes as value can differ from layer
to layer, person to person. So how do you ensure that you are providing
the best value you can – and to the right people (the ones that
ultimately make the decision on your job, your future, your daily work
life)?

Even
when you do figure out what each person in the decision tree sees as
valuable, it can change. For example, often times PR agencies are
replaced when a new addition  – usually a VP or Director of Marketing –
is hired by a client. Alternately, you may get a new boss who has been
assigned to come in and “shake things up.” Although you may have met
all of the objectives of value for your previous contact, the new one
will hold you to their own standards of value and ROI. If someone’s
been assigned to come in and do more than fill some shoes – but rather,
make change and find problems – they will be looking very carefully at
everything you do. And while a more experienced person wouldn’t make
sweeping changes without first truly understanding what needed to be
fixed – and wouldn’t make changes just for the sake of making changes –
often times no matter how hard you’ve worked or how many goals you
previously met, they just won’t meet the new boss’s expectations of
value and your job will change (or, worst case scenario, be eliminated).

So what can you do to ensure you are always adding value to the
myriad of decision makers in your work life? First – and most obvious –
is to communicate. Sit down with each person who is responsible for
providing input or making decisions about your job (or firm) and ask
them, “How do you define value?” and “What can I do to be more valuable
to you on a daily basis.?” More importantly, be ready to express some
of your own ideas on how you have provided value in the past – tie it
to specific ROI such as sales, customer retention or effective company
policies. Secondly, don’t stop asking. Do this often and repeat. Change
happens in the corporate world at a rapid pace (or sometimes, a snail’s
pace… which can mean you’re thinking and acting before your company
or client is ready) and you need to have your pulse on the pace. Tie
your performance to previous discussions and outlines of value provided
to you by your former client contact or boss – and ensure that they
clearly correlate “This is what I was told was valuable and needed;
here’s how I achieved it.” Next, ask questions – “If this value is no
longer important, what is? What changes are you making and why – I want
to understand so I can also make the appropriate changes and continue
to deliver the right value to this organization.”

The bottom line – don’t assume you know what’s valuable in the minds
of all decision makers. It takes constant communication, consistent
measurement of your own performance (don’t just rely on others to do
this for you) and a certain tact for tooting your own horn to ensure
that your value is clear to all decision makers. Don’t leave it up to
others to communicate how valuable you are – and don’t ever look at it
as a job that’s complete.

How do you ensure that  you understand the value expected of your
agency or your position, and how do you juggle the expectations of
multiple audiences?

 

Persuasive Picks for the week of 04/26/10

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Social Media Strategy Before Tactics
TopRank’s Lee Odden expands on the idea of strategy versus tactics first and shares responses on the topic from dozens of the top minds in social media and social marketing.

The key to catching a reporter’s eye? Pitch like one
Ragan.com’s Jessica Levco shares five useful tips to keep in mind when pitching reporters gathered from Danielle Cass, communications manager for Kaiser Permanente

Social media war rooms (and why you need one)
This iMediaConnection post by Ari Newman provides valuable advice on being prepared to act when a media crisis strikes.

What to Do When a PR Disaster Strikes Your Startup
This ReadWriteWeb post by Audrey Watters continues the theme of online crisis management and highlights the highs and lows of Blippy’s response to their recent media woes.

Why Small Businesses Fail on the Web
Abe Mezrich from Didit shares this episode of Marketing Obsessions on MPDailyFix.com featuring Jason Teichman from Register.com who discusses where small businesses fail with their online digital presence.

Persuasive Picks for the week of 04/19/10

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prwire_iphone PR Newswire Launches App for iPhone, iPod Touch
PR Newswire announces the launch of their new iPhone app that allows easy access to their enormous database of press releases and multimedia content. The app also allows users to share the content back out via email, Facebook, LinkedIn an Twitter.

Twitter kicks off Promoted Tweets
Dianna Dilworth from DMNews explains Twitter’s recent rollout of their Promoted Tweets service and includes some examples of how brands have started using it.

Creating a Social Media Analytics Action Plan – Part 1: Defining KPIs
A 2009 Bazaarvoice survey that revealed (on average) how businesses have no idea what their social media ROI is. Taylor Pratt from Raven Internet Marketing Tools expands on the results and provides tips on defining KPI (Key Performance Indicators) in this first post of his new Analytics series

How to be a PR rock star in a social media world: The changing face of public relations
Rich Brooks from Flyte New Media recently asked his LinkedIn community the following question: “The role of PR is changing, and I’m curious to know what do you need to do to be appreciated at your job? What are the expectations, what new roles do you have, and how do you look like a hero to your boss at the end of the day and year?” He shares some of the interesting responses via this post.

Social Media Turns Tiny Mistakes Into Big Headaches for Delta Airlines
BNET’s travel industry blogger, Brett Snyder shares the account of Delta Airlines most recent online media blunder that clearly shows the importance of paying attention to every detail when it comes to your brand’s online presence. Someone is always watching.

Happy Earth Day – Tips on Running an Eco-Friendly Business

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$200 billion productivity gains

$190 billion savings from reduced real estate, electric bills, absenteeism & employee turnover

100 hours per person not spent commuting

50 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions cut

276 million barrels of oil saved

1500 lives not lost in car accidents

$700B total estimated savings

…so says Inc Magazine about virtual companies. As a virtual agency since we were founded in 1998, PerkettPR is proud to spend every day contributing to the improvement of our environment. Not only do we reduce our agency’s carbon footprint – less gas, less real estate, lower electric bills, less emissions, etc. – but we improve the satisfaction of our employees as well, as their “commutes” allow for successful careers and happy home and personal lives. Being able to work a full day and still fit in time for dinner with the family, or an outdoor run before dark, provides PerkettPR employees with the opportunity to fulfill both career and personal aspirations. We’re proud of our positive culture from both an eco-friendly standpoint and an employee-happiness standpoint.

Like any smart company, we’re certainly always looking for ways to improve. Recently, several of our employees shared additional ways that they contribute to a green environment. Without further ado, here are our tips.

Easy Ways to Be an Eco-Friendly business:

  • Recycle paper products, e.g., mail, container boxes, etc.
  • Recycle ink/toner cartridges
  • Use only recycled paper
  • Re-use paper by printing on both sides – for internal documents
  • Use sleep mode on electronic devices to consume less energy when not in use. You can also turn off the power on your surge protector (energy saving practice)
  • Use CFL light bulbs
  • Use mobile phones or a VoIP provider (like Skype) as business lines to save on cost/use of energy
  • Be paperless whenever possible (e.g., review documents on computer screen instead of printing out, use email instead of paper delivery, keeping files on computers.)
  • Use a free conferencing and web meeting service for meetings, like client Powwownow, instead of traveling to meetings
  • Use a dry erase or chalk board to take notes instead of using Post-Its or order recycled Post-Its
  • Utilize instant messenger services versus phone calls to save energy; money
  • Promote the use of filters for tap water instead of buying costly (and damaging) water bottles.
  • Re-use file folders and boxes.
  • Cut down on personal newspaper or magazine delivery and use online options instead.
  • Purchase software online (SaaS) – save on packaging materials, costs, etc.
  • When ordering corporate-logo gear, order non-toxic products from US-based manufacturers, when possible. Safe and eco-friendly stainless still water bottles are made in China, but both Klean Kanteen and SIGG have fair-trade manufacturing environments.
  • Offer flexible work schedules (e.g. 3x day) or telecommuting to cut down on emissions, traffic caused by your employees’ commuting.
  • Offer incentives to take pubic transportation or to carpool if telecommuting is not an option.
  • Reduce (strive to eliminate) the use of disposable and toxic products and practices
    • Use stainless steel reusable water bottles and reusable travel mugs that don’t have a liner made with harmful BPA (if it doesn’t say it’s BPA-free, then it’s not) or other eco-friendly containers
    • Use VOC-free paint in the office, such as Benjamin Moore Aura.
    • Strike a “corporate discount” deal with a “green” dry cleaner.
    • Do not use non-biodegradable plastic bags (the type many grocery stores offer), instead use biodegradable bags as office trash liners and reusable bags for shopping

What are your tips for becoming a green business? What do you do around your office each day to contribute to a healthier Earth? Please share!

 

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Persuasive Picks for the week of 04/12/10

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lifestream-icons Social Media Marketing Overload? Some Tips for Startups
This post by Audrey Watters in ReadWriteWeb’s “ReadWriteStart Channel” provides 4 solid tips to help businesses avoid being overwhelmed when first engaging in social media.

4 Reasons Why PR Agencies Are Taking Over Social Media
Jason Keath provides great food for thought in this post that provides four concrete reasons why PR will eventually rule the social media space for big brands and of course, we have to agree!

How web analytics can help you avoid a PR disaster
Eran Savir, co-founder and VP business development at Kampyle, explains the importance of pursuing and maintaining a high level of customer service and interaction in the online space.

The Engaged User: Bridging Your Web Site And Social Networks
JanRain CEO, Brian Kissel expands on the importance of ensuring there’s a strong bridge between your online social presence and your corporate website that can enable users to become strong proponents of your products, services and content.

Hubspot’s Foursquare Cops
Hubspot’s new video spoof of the TV show “Cops” made its debut this week and is definitely worth a watch.

Persuasive Picks for the week of 04/05/10

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How Can SMB Owners Learn Social Media?
Lisa Barone provides some concrete ways SMBs can begin learning the ins and outs of social media on their own without the help of one of the gazillion “social media experts” out there. (Of course, it’s all about having the time to do it!)

Making the real-time Web relevant
The future of online search includes getting information in “real-time.” This CNET post from Tom Krazit gives a great overview on the new direction in search and the struggles that search engines like Google and Microsoft Bing are working through to provide information as it happens.

7 B2B Social Media Tools you haven’t heard of
This SocialMediaB2B.com post from Adam Holden-Bache provides seven new tools that are worth checking out. I’m impressed to finally come a across a list of tools that are all new to me!

10 Tricks For Getting Inspired to Write
Have you officially launched your blog, but have found it difficult to continually come up with fresh ideas for creating content? This Copyblogger post by Jonathan Morrow provides great tips and techniques for writing inspiration.

Will It Blend? – iPad
The long-lasting popularity of BlendTec’s “Will it blend” videos continues with the demise of a shiny new Apple iPad.

Mobile apps, free conference calls, online health, kids with cameras, free iPads and more – it’s a busy week!

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It’s a big, busy week at PerkettPR and I’m acting as our own reporter because I’m so excited to share some client developments taking place. We’ve got product launches, mobile apps, a “kid’s cam” and more. Take a look and let us know what you think. Thanks for reading!

Powwownow – Europe’s largest free conference call provider launched today in the U.S. and unveiled its first iPhone app. You can download it for free here, or at the iPhone App Store or on iTunes. We’re at Think Mobile in New York City today and celebrating the launch with a fun contest where we’re giving away three iPads. Folks here are having fun with our “Powwownow app rap” video contest – check them out (including, embarrassingly, yours truly – although I can’t win!) and click here to learn how to enter for your own chance to win through April 23.

HealthLeap – a free and effortless way for patients to schedule health appointments (ex: doctors, dentists) and stay on top of their health. In turn, it also empowers doctors who want to increase their visibility and interactivity among a new breed of Internet-savvy patients in a measurable and effective way. The net net – HealthLeap makes  scheduling appointments a breeze for the patient, and helps doctors to showcase their practice, extend their brand awareness, fill available appointments and last minute cancellations, and more. Read the full news release for details.

Also today, client St. Louis Children’s Hospital launched their first “Kid Cam” production, where an eight-year-old brain tumor patient turns the tables on his caregivers and examines them to provide an inside look at the SLCH hospital experience. The goal of the video is to offer more personal insight into the hospital from a kid’s perspective so that others in the same situation understand they are not alone. The footage shows some of of the patient’s scarier moments – like accessing the port used to deliver chemotherapy medication – as well as lighter moments such as visits from the music therapist and the adorable therapy dogs. Watch now:

Our newest client, WaveMarket, launched their Veriplace Developer Community “LocationNation” last week, as well as a Developer Contest, awarding two cash prizes of $5,000 and iPads for all second place finishers. The contest encourages developers to create location-based services and applications that can be deployed across the Veriplace platform and remotely locate over 150 million phones in the U.S. Prizes will be awarded for Best location-aware Advertising or Marketing, Best Social app, Best Enterprise app and Most Innovative. The contest runs through July 1 and winners will be announced on July 26. Check out the contest site for details.

 

Persuasive Picks for the week of 03/29/10

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Artwork: Chip Taylor10 Signs You’re a Social Media Addict
CIO.com’s Kristin Burnham shares the results of a recent Retrevo Gadgetology survey that shows how addicted people are to their online social communities. She also provides some additional survey questions of her own to help determine how addicted you are.

9 social media topics that need to die
This Ragan.com guest post by Amber Naslund from Radian6 debunks nine  ideas in social media that we’ve all heard repeated – and that at one time were practically touted as gospel. The post provides a nice wake-up call for those still new to the social media space.

Attacks Exploit Growing Use of Social Media
Michael Cheek highlights findings from the “Blue Coat Web Security Report for 2009” which shows that cyber criminals are migrating to social networks as fast as the rest of us.

Dating Advice for PR Pros
This post on Jeremy Porter’s Journalistics blog provides an entertaining read that compares media relations to the process of dating. Don’t miss this one!

What Makes Videos Go Viral – And Should Marketers Even Care?
While there’s no magic formula for creating a successful viral video, the most popular ones do share a few common characteristics. This MarketingVox post shares some of those as well as the success that Coca-Cola had with their recent vending machine viral campaign.

– Artwork: Chip Taylor

Kia Connects and Wins – An Advertising Lesson… for Marketers

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Today the Wall Street Journal ran an article highlighting the fact that the Kia Soul hatchback won the Automotive Ad of the Year from Nielsen Automotive. In the article, the reporter states, “Compared with typical auto ads, the quirky  Kia spot focuses less on the car’s technical details and more on the freedom that driving brings” and that “Kia ad’s success is indicative of a trend toward smaller, often obscure brands taking more chances and getting more recognition from consumers with edgy, unusual advertising.”

 

Consumers are doing much  more than recognizing – they’re expecting to be listened to, and not just in advertising. One of the elements that we talk about a lot with clients today is the customer’s influence on marketing and involvement in PR. Marketers traditionally think that they’re the only ones doing the influencing, but in reality, today’s consumer holds a great deal of influence, as evidenced by debacles such as the “Motrin Moms” issue and more recently, Nestle’s social media mess.

So what do a cute hamster ad, angry mommy bloggers and social-media savvy protesters have in common? A theme not only of engagement but of encouraging involvement. Especially with B2C companies, consumers want to be heard not just after your ad airs or marketing campaign is launched, but before. They want to see their influence reflected in your ad spots, your marketing materials, your messaging and your promotions. Truly connecting with customers means understanding them – you can “engage” with them on Facebook but if you’re not really listening, and assessing their feedback, you won’t understand them. If you don’t understand them, it’s difficult to connect in a way that will inspire desired actions.

Kia recognized what their customers care about and let it influence their messaging –  creating an ad that touched them emotionally (freedom) vs. intellectually (the product specs). Advertisers are no strangers to using both sentiments in their campaigns, while  marketers often assume that the technical details will elicit the desired emotional response. Marketers could have greater success if they learn to open up a bit and allow customers to participate in the direction of messaging and marketing –  even product marketing and development, as Hallmark recently did with their “Birthday Your Way” Greeting Card Contest – not just a contest for promotional purposes, but really, truly allowing consumers to influence and create products.

Marketers who recognize today’s unprecedented opportunity to easily integrate customers’ opinions and desires into the overall marketing strategy – not just a feedback loop – will see greater success. Social media tools make this particularly easy to do, although it’s not just about gathering information, but rather understanding how to use that information to make an emotional connection with your brand and create an ongoing, solid relationship with your customer.

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