Buzz Off: Why buzzwords are killing your business

By Kia Jarmon of MEPR Agency for 12th & Broad     

It’s safe to say that as a society we have gotten very buzzy in our general speaking; everything from talking in hashtags to using the terms marketing and branding to cover everything within the ‘connect with an audience’ realm. What I have found in speaking to the layperson is that they have their own definition for buzzwords. The problem with using industry or hipster jargon is that it is either 1) being oversold and oft not computing to actual outcomes or 2) a person doesn’t even get to the purchasing stage because they can’t understand the tangible end result.

The question really boils down to, are you selling a shiny object no one knows how to use?

And about three years ago it was killing my business to have people only call me for what they perceived as public relations versus what I truly offered. I would get endless calls like, “I have an event coming up, can you get XYZ media outlet to write about us?” Or “can you create my Facebook page, manage it and get us 1,000 likes within the month?” Or “can you get me in the top of the search engine in the next two months?” I realized that small and large companies alike were having a difficult time seeing beyond buzzwords like branding, marketing, SEO, social media, blogging, and so on.  

I didn’t get into business to set businesses up to fail. It felt like they were asking me to fix their finger but their arm was about to fall off. I knew I needed to be managing the comprehensive communications for a company, not just the tasks—they were taught by television personas—was to be relegated to a PR firm.

So I had to do something different.

I began speaking a different language. Businesses were coming to me like people go to the ER, to get a band-aid or at least to feel better until they could get better care. I didn’t enjoy being a quick fix for someone. Instead, I wanted to be like my cousin who is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine—the combination of modern medicine and the holistic approach to caring for the whole person. I needed to teach them that social media wouldn’t work until they dedicated a person to it internal to their organization, created a strategy, and were prepared to have their staff engaged just as much as their outside audience.

What I know is that businesses have a pain and they want help fixing it. But they don’t always know the questions to ask or the answers they should be receiving. So when they say “can you create me a brochure?” it is our job to dig deeper and ask the use of this document, who will see it, how it will be distributed, and what is the desired result after its distributed. Otherwise, you are a robot. Churning out widgets. I like to say that I will talk you out of just as much business as I will get you to sign on for. That’s how I educate you.

I learned to start asking questions but I also began calling things as they were. How do you go beyond being a graphic designer selling logos and business cards to the creative genius behind every designed piece that an organization has?

Here are a couple of processes that I have installed in my company culture and it works.

Initiate a discovery phase. When you first sign a client, no matter the service you provide you should get an overall sense of their business. Don’t just take their word for what they say is wrong, you have to dig in. Listen for what they are not saying just as much as what they are saying. Do you notice that there is some tension among staff in the discovery meeting? Ask if they have staff meetings. Usually the answer is no. In my business I would share with them how the staff is their first audience and we can facilitate a healthy dialogue to get the internal communication where it needs to be. Gauging the good and the bad in the discovery process will help you get a sense for the company culture, if they are a fit for your business, and the list of skills you offer that will help them.

Create case studies. Start by writing out of the all the actual tasks your business implements. For instance, we have gotten into more annual reports, brand audits, community engagement programs, culture shifting, internal communication tools like employee manuals and policies and procedures, and storytelling strategies (traditional and digital). But this didn’t happen overnight so I had to begin creating the story of how we offer these services; what was the outcome, who was on the team, and a testimonial from the client. I must admit, we are still working on these. It is a task but it is so worth it and helps me express what we provide beyond the list of services on the website.

Think of the simplest way you can explain what you do and share that. Leave the buzzwords for your colleagues and industry event.

Cheers to losing the words but getting the buzz. 

You get what you pay for and pay for what you get!

You get what you pay for and pay for what you get!

By Kia Jarmon of MEPR Agency for 12th & Broad

Recently I was working on a marketing and communications audit campaign. During our process we reviewed all materials—flyer, website, swag, and overall design. It looked like the printer had spewed stuff of every color and font type all over the room. The colors in the logo were all different. The fonts were inconsistent. The brochure paper was every shade of the rainbow. After asking an uncomfortable amount of questions about brand standards and why this was different than that, we received a cringe-worthy answer. Most of the materials were gifted, aka free. My response very simply was, “there is a cost to ‘free’!”

I truly believe that nothing in life is free. Just when you think you have gotten a heck of a deal on that free item, here comes the catch.

It’s all a matter of psychology really. We enjoy the deal and get excited when we see buy one, get one. But at what cost do you participate in the ‘deal’? Where do you draw the line and review physical and opportunity cost?

To be most successful I had to determine my philosophies regarding money, discounts, bartering, and free pretty quickly so that I could happily stay in business. Allow me to share them with you.

I don’t traditionally barter, except in one occasion (see point #3): I believe that 99% of the time bartering can become a bad overall practice for business. (Didn’t say it couldn’t work but out of the dozen or so people I know, it hasn’t).  Here are my sentiments: most every person I have chatted with about bartering their services has expressed disbelief when the deal goes sour. Most people value your time and services just not as much as a product and it never fails that our value becomes unequal from what we are receiving in return. You don’t barter at the gas station so why barter for my writing or social media services? My suggestion: pay for what you need and you will get what you want!

Strategically plan promotions. Don’t just do them when you need a buck. For any type of business, promotions can be an ingenious way to build your audience base and strengthen your brand. And yes I understand that you can’t plan for every type of promotion. But you can have a strategy in place that speaks to how to set it up, tools to make it effective, and desired outcomes. Just remember, slashed prices don’t always attract your ideal client. Be thoughtful in attracting those who you want to build loyalty with.

I am not against pro-bono work at all. As a matter of fact I think there are two really great times to offer your services at no financial cost; when you first start in business and when you have been extremely successful in business. I believe that every client you work with should articulate the type of client you would like to do business with or that you currently do business with. But here are some parameters. Have an agreement for a set amount of hours and length of time like fifteen hours over the next six months. As someone who works with a ton of nonprofits I will say that being specific helps them to manage their own expectations. And additionally you may consider asking them in return to introduce you to their network where you can pick up another paying client or two.  I also think, especially if you are new in business, they should be able to write a recommendation or personally refer your business to others.

And here is my last thought!

Consider removing FREE from your vocabulary:  The day of social media has completely diluted what people want to pay for, particularly in PR and marketing.  I realized that it was partly because many people reference publicity as free advertising and social media as free publicity.  The word free creates a false sense of the work that goes into these tasks.  While the platform of social media is without charge on many accounts, the countless hours creating the page, drafting the editorial calendar, managing the content, engaging with people, adding, liking, commenting, monitoring, and measuring all take a great deal of time. Remember that your value usually far outweighs the cost that you charge. Be sure to use proper verbiage and educate clients of the process so they understand your value and why they pay the cost for it!

Cheers to creating more profitable business practices!