Do you react or respond?  That question felt like a stab to my heart and almost made me fall off the treadmill one evening.  Why? Because in the heat of the moment I react far too often, and later wish I had just kept my mouth shut.

The stress of the pandemic has only made the challenge of providing a “measured response” harder for everyone. We have seen it with clients who have employees responding in highly emotional ways to the surprise of both the supervisor and even the employee.  We have seen it in the news media with raging soundbites.  We have watched it at the grocery store when someone accidentally gets too close or goes the wrong way down the cereal aisle.

Even if we don’t realize it, the pandemic has pushed many of us to our tipping points. And unfortunately, we can shove others over the edge if we burst out with an emotional reaction. What can we do to help this situation?

Reflect on the difference between a reaction and a response
The first is emotional with little thought or consideration. The latter is controlled, thoughtful, and intentional.

PAUSE
When the next offense or sticky situation occurs, commit to pausing – even if only for a second – to ask yourself, “react or respond?” This quick pause could save you the heartburn of firing off hurtful words that may feel good at the moment, but cause heartache long after they are said.

Draft a “deferral” line
Determine a canned response that fits your personality and allows you to exit a sticky situation before you blast off a reactive chain of words. For me, I’m going to use something like, “I have so much on my mind right now that I need more time to think about this. I hope you understand.” Then I’m going to zip my lips and exit like the building is on fire.

Discipline your face
One reason I was a news reporter out in the field – and not an anchor behind the desk – is my face too often reflected my thoughts. Even when I could keep my comments to myself, my facial expression gave me up. So consider how you will refrain from rolling your eyes or deploying the death stare the next time someone irritates you. And prepare to put a pleasant smile on your face as you pause to consider “react or respond?” [For some of us, it may require looking down at the ground to talk our face into cooperating.]

These simple tactics will not immediately win an argument. In fact, you might leave feeling like the other person got the last word. But in the long term, a measured response wins every time. You avoid the regret of reactive remarks, and you leave the door open for restoring a relationship or showing grace to a stranger who likely needs it today.

When thinking about client feedback, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the possibilities; perhaps this is why we often wait until the end of a project to solicit feedback. But why not get ahead of it? To help alleviate the anxiety that can come from client feedback, set the stage by surveying clients at the beginning. What better way to meet and exceed expectations than to know upfront how you’re being evaluated? You’ll know firsthand what your clients’ needs are, and therefore have a better chance to exceed their expectations.

Ask questions such as, “How often would you like updates? How do you prefer to communicate – by phone or email? How much detail would you like? What should I know about you and your company as we move forward?” The strength of your business partnership relies heavily on your relationship dynamic – which is often fueled by good communication.

To enhance this relationship, start by understanding expectations and finish by building trust. Express genuine interest in getting to know your client. Consider how your client is being evaluated. If you have a single point of contact, think about what you could do to make that person and their team successful in the eyes of their organization. When the client succeeds, you succeed. It’s that simple!

Hopefully, your shared success will lead to a long-term relationship. Remember that seeking client feedback is important whether you are starting your first project together or have been working together for a decade- you can still continue to grow and strengthen each other.

I continue to read stories about the demise of the working mother. Every night I scan my Facebook and Twitter feeds before going to sleep, a routine you’d think I’d stop since the news is more anxiety ridden then comforting, and since COVID started I’m constantly reminded about the hardships of working mothers during this unprecedented times.

And don’t get me wrong, it’s hard. Really hard. My emotional rollercoasters are reminiscent of my post-partum days rather than the typical summer months. And it’s not just me. My kids have been struggling too. They clearly miss their friends. They ask why they can’t go to school and they loudly lecture strangers in public who don’t wear masks. The last one, actually makes me proud.

But as we embark on our first days of virtual learning for the 2020/2021 school year, I’m reminded of the positives that have come out of the last six months:

• I’ve spent more time with my kids than I normally do.
• I’ve stopped traveling so I’m home for dinner and bedtime every night.
• I’m not rushing out the door each morning.
• We talk more.
• I hear about the imaginary storylines going on in their heads and they peak into my work life by dropping into Zoom calls every now and then.

Again, this isn’t easy. And I’m extremely lucky to have a job that allows me to work remotely, when needed. But I don’t want working moms to give up. I don’t want the negative headlines to overwhelm your emotions and cause you to second guess your choice to strive to “have it all.” I’ve always believed that women can “have it all” but “all” is different to every person. It’s not one size fits all. And you may not have “all” every day of the week but as long as you have it sometimes, that’s what matters.

You are stronger than you think. Pause and commit to overcome the challenges of the current time we’re in. You are not alone and I hope this reminds you that you have the strength to not get defeated.

I strongly agree that working moms have been hit the hardest by this pandemic but, I know, we can take a hard hit and keep going. I want it to inspire us. I want it to be a reminder that we can land that new client at 9am but be whisked away into a dungeon of doom with dragons and trolls at 2pm (yes, my kids are boys). We can cook eggs and pancakes for breakfast but order pizza for dinner. We can cry when things get overwhelming but laugh when we gather for a zoom happy hour with friends.

All of this is part of this time we’re in. It’s scary but it shouldn’t be isolating. Don’t read into the headlines and continue to push through the hard times because, I promise, there are good times ahead.

The show must go on – global pandemic or not – and it’s essential that your company or organization’s good news is center stage.  It can be difficult to get your audience to see the most recent developments and opportunities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. All too often, press releases get stuck at stage right waiting to make an appearance.

One way to improve your chances of getting your news in the spotlight is by building rapport with media professionals in your target market area. So how can your organization accomplish building a relationship while maintaining social distancing?

Below are five tips on how you can develop a relationship with media professionals without meeting them in person:

1.) Engage with ALL media professionals on social media

The easiest way to get your name and company on the radar of someone who works in media is by following them on social media platforms. By liking, commenting, or sharing posts that you find relevant or interesting, you’ll start to re-appear in the notifications section which will help you/ your organization become a familiar face and name. Interacting with the person’s posts shows them that you are interested in and value their work, even when they are not covering “your” story. And remember, don’t just do this with reporters at the station! Assignment editors, producers, newsroom managers, and production assistants all have a say in the morning and afternoon meetings and can be the connection you need to get your story covered.

2.) Get to know the person, not just the story. 

Don’t make it a habit to only reach out to a media professional when you need something. Make an effort to build the relationship further. For example, if you’re friends with them on social media and you see it’s their birthday or maybe they announce something exciting in their career, comment and wish them a Happy Birthday or say congratulations. This small gesture will play a big part in building a long-term relationship with that individual.

3.) When possible, offer an exclusive! 

What does a media outlet like more than pizza during election coverage? An exclusive story. One of the easiest ways to get in the good graces of someone in the media is to offer an exclusive interview on a story that has yet to break… and this doesn’t have to be something huge. For example, if your organization is donating 25 backpacks to students in need, this usually would not be a first pick story for a reporter. When offered as an exclusive before the press release goes out and paired with an interview, your organization can get coverage on something that you otherwise wouldn’t. Meanwhile, you are building trust and a relationship with the reporter and the media outlet.

4.) Be organized and willing to assist in getting the reporter all resources they need. In the media world, things move very quickly. So if you make it easy on a reporter or media outlet by having the resources prepared and available when it comes time to cover a story, they are going to be very thankful for your preparation and understanding of what is needed to make a story great. Things you can do to prepare is to think about what video and still shots could be taken that would correlate with the story, where would be the best place to stand in your building for good light and limited background noise during an interview, is there any information that could require citing in the story, and are there any online resources that the reporter can push viewers to for more information.

5.) Follow-up after the story is covered. This is big. As a former reporter, I also wanted to ensure that I did a story justice and the people involved were happy with what was published. After your story has been published, reach out and say thank you! If there was something you didn’t like or maybe you think the story could have a second part, let the reporter know! Feedback is always appreciated. I still have thank you cards from 30+ individuals I worked with on stories sitting at my desk. So whether it be an email, a retweet, a call, or a handwritten letter, following up with the reporter will serve as the final step in ensuring that you have a professional relationship built.

When’s the last time you thought about your social media privacy settings? If you’re like most people, it probably hasn’t crossed your mind since you set up the account. Lately, though, we hear more and more stories about social media platforms gathering our information, or even potentially selling our data. This, however, is not that kind of article. (Sorry, I cannot help with your TikTok account – that is the shadowy place beyond our borders. We do not go there.)

Surely, I can’t be the only one who looks up people online, right? If you’re about to walk into a pitch, your presentation better not be the only thing you studied; it’s important to know the room, too. If you get a cold email from a contractor or prospective client, their online portfolio isn’t the only thing that you’re scanning. Sometimes, it’s just nice to know there’s a real human on the other side of that email.

So, do you know what strangers see when they browse your social media accounts?

Take Another Look

On some platforms, like Instagram or Twitter, it’s obvious when an account is locked down. There, a stranger will only see your name, profile picture, and a few basic metrics (how many people you follow, how many follow you, and how many times you’ve posted).

Facebook, on the other hand, is a totally different beast. You may think your account is private, but a stranger may still have access to your photo albums, your friends list, or even see certain posts. Often, if you share an article from another website (especially news sources), that post will be public. Likewise for Facebook stories – your Instagram stories might be synched to Facebook, too. Review your settings closely to ensure that only the people you want seeing your information are the ones who can!

That Didn’t Age Well

Everybody seems to love the Memories feature on Facebook – it’s a fun bit of nostalgia that people enjoy sharing. But, did you know that you can filter out certain people and dates? If you don’t want Facebook to remind you of particular memories (perhaps a painfully awkward phase), make those adjustments in the preferences on the Memories page.

Many people don’t know that Twitter has an advanced search feature. For early Twitter adopters who may have shared every random or unsavory thought, thinking it would be lost to the Twittersphere forever, you may want to give advanced search a try. Simply input your (or anyone’s) handle, along with key words or hashtags, to see all tweets that apply. You can filter by post engagement, hyperlinks, and more. Trust me, this tool is great for a Twitter cleanse.

Finally, I’d like to reiterate that you, yourself, are the ultimate privacy filter. Do you have some strong opinions to share, or maybe some photos or videos that appeal to your dark humor? Think twice before posting – social media doesn’t have to be forever, but damage to your reputation can last a lifetime.

There’s something comforting about numbers, whether it’s the way they gently guide us to sleep as children counting sheep in our beds or the feeling you get when a big purchase clears your account. Numbers equate to practically anything in our lives from financial decisions to our performance metrics at work. In business, numbers give us a foundation to make decisions about who we do business with, what products to buy and what organizations to support or invest in.

In essence, numbers have the ability to tell a story about what a company values and how it’s grown over the years. Data combined with compelling imagery, such as with an infographic or social media post, is an impactful way of showcasing who you are as a business and why people should stay engaged with you as a brand.

An organization’s statistics are one of the easiest ways to create engaging content for your digital outlets and promotional collateral. Gathering statistics about your employees, philanthropy efforts, and the company as a whole will give you ready-to-use content for showcasing the numbers in an easy to digest graphic which creates a quick and easy way to promote your business visually across a multitude of media.

Employee Statistics

Employee numbers are a great way to both humanize your organization and shine a spotlight on the backbone of your organization – your workforce. Some of the statistics you could share include:

• Number of employees who reside in the direct community in which your organization serves.
• Number of employees who are current or former military professionals.
• Current number of women employed
• Number of interns who go on to have full-time jobs within the company

Philanthropy Statistics

Breaking down your philanthropy efforts into bite-sized statistics will bring to light your organization’s commitment to the community and promote your values as a company. Suggested topics for philanthropy promotion are:

• Dollar amount raised during a fundraising campaign
• Amount donated over a specific number of years
• Hours employees have volunteered their time over a specific time period
• Number of people impacted by your company’s charitable efforts

Company Growth, Goals, and Impact Statistics

Lastly, focusing on your company as a whole, determine what numbers you want to promote that deal directly with data pertaining to the evolution and investment of your organization and its employees. Some ideas include:

• The company’s economic impact on the local community
• Jobs created over a certain number of years
• Number of new locations/offices opened during a specific amount of time
• Data showing company goals that have been reached. This could include things such as:
  • Environmental goals – How much did you reduce your carbon footprint over the past 5 years?
  • Health goals – How many employees got involved in the company weight loss competition or sporting event this quarter?
  • Learning investment – How many employees is the company currently investing in through enrollment in outside learning programs to improve upon their skills and help them move to the next level within the organization?

Ultimately to create the best content you must focus on not only what data will interest your audiences, but also what data best illustrates who you are as an organization and the image you wish to project to the world.

If there’s one thing we can all agree on (there doesn’t seem to be much these days), it’s that we want answers. We want to know when the ‘new normal’ will look more like the old; when – and how – we can safely send kids back to school; when our favorite restaurant will re-open for business. None of those questions have easy answers.

But consider the questions you can answer. If you’re a business owner, non-profit group or even a government entity, there’s something about your specialty that can answer someone’s question. As a video producer, I’ve spent a lot of time during this pandemic helping several clients do just that: answer questions from possible customers or just casual observers. In doing so, we’ve helped elevate their brand and showcase their expertise. The videos explain a process or make suggestions on dealing with life during a pandemic. And while tutorial-style videos are far from new, they’re finding a renewed utility during COVID-19.

Businesses who have been forced to slow down, or those in professional services with more time on their hands, have started producing “Top Tip” style videos to maintain a presence and, hopefully, keep their brands top of mind. To get started, consider these tips:

Start with the Basics

Unless you’re producing content for a very targeted (and advanced) audience, choose a topic that will get the most viewers ‘into your tent.’ Find the easiest access point for someone who might be unfamiliar with your business – for example, a caterer may do something as simple as a video series on basic cooking techniques – and save the advanced material or in-depth discussions for later.

Get to the Point

We’ve all searched for recipes online only to find entries that lead off with five-paragraph essays on why the author has such a deep, emotional bond to beans. Just give me the recipe! For video, introduce yourself and your company, but do it fast, and deliver on the viewer benefit you promised in your video’s title. Speaking of timing…

Be Brief

We all know attention spans are non-existent these days, and no one wants to sit through a commercial for your company (especially if they’ve just seen an ad before your video played!) before getting to the reason they clicked in the first place. Keep it simple and communicate clearly. Think in a framework of “Top 3” tips to help keep your message tight and watchable.

I’ve noticed that people most frequently stumble over the brevity. It’s ok to simplify your message – just make it clear that what you’re presenting is the tip of the iceberg, and that there’s much more to your brand or mission (i.e., ‘watch the next video!’)

Executed well, these videos can be an affordable and effective tool to do a little advertising and make some new connections. If you’d like to talk more about getting started with a video series like this, give me a call. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Due to social distancing recommendations caused by COVID-19, virtual meetings are the new platforms to replace in-person interaction. Clients, stakeholders and employees are all using this tool to operate businesses, make new connections and maintain relationships. With everyone using this tool, how do you make sure your company isn’t causing virtual meeting burnout for attendees? Consider these three tips the next time you plan a virtual meeting.

3 Tips to Avoid Virtual Meeting Burnout:

Keep Your Meetings Short

Have agendas for your virtual meetings to ensure efficiency and keep them under 45 minutes. The average attention span for a meeting attendee is much shorter on virtual calls compared to an in-person meeting.

Use Interactive Tools

Virtual meetings are great to engage, but just seeing people on a call does not always equal true engagement. Consider adding interactive tools, visuals or even music intros during your next virtual meeting. Many virtual meeting platforms offer live polling to encourage attendees to provide feedback. Whiteboard features are also available for interactive team brainstorming sessions. A brief 5-minute interactive exercise can provide a memorable experience for your attendees

Go back to the basics

Conference calls are still a useful tool to connect with clients, stakeholders, and employees. Before sending out your meeting invitation determine your goals for the meeting. Can you achieve your goals without sharing a screen or seeing your attendee’s face? If the answer is yes, host a basic conference call. This will provide a break for the potentially numerous virtual meeting requests that clients and employees receive daily.