For my communications and marketing friends: anyone else struggling to get excited by content lately? This year has felt like a never-ending slog of content creation, exacerbated by the need for to-the-second COVID-19 updates, blurring the concept of time as we know it.

Yes, days are flying by faster than ever (or, really, just fading from one to the next). And yet, our jobs require us to keep up with what’s relevant, be it trends or timely messaging. Do yourself a favor, and keep up by getting ahead – create structure and fuel inspired content by pulling a list of holidays that are relevant to your brand/company. Ever wonder how everyone online seems to know that it’s ‘National Generic Holiday Day?’ Well, there are websites, like National Today, that can be a resource to help you stay in the loop.

Mark your calendars, and start looking ahead now – what holiday, federal or otherwise, aligns with your brand? Are there any holidays that you could use as an opportunity to promote a member, a sponsor, or a coworker? What about holidays that help reinforce your company’s values, like commitment to workplace safety, or environmental stewardship? (If you’re looking for inspiration, I highly suggest checking out the National Park Service’s accounts.)

Planning your content calendar doesn’t need to be difficult, and holidays (big or small) can be an easy source of evergreen content. Plus, think of the endless themed graphics! Free graphic design programs, like Canva, usually have stickers or stock photos you can use to get the creative juices flowing.

Trust me: a little bit of planning now can spare you the future haunting of the Ghost of Christmas Past.

You may be wondering, “How can I reach and retain my customers outside of traditional norms?” The simple answer, though it can be complex to navigate, is social media.

In all its glory, social media can be the most powerful engine to connect you with your customers. But first, you must choose the appropriate channel to facilitate your message. There are a plethora of options to choose from, including Pinterest, Snapchat and TikTok, but the most dominant platforms are still Facebook and Twitter. These are excellent (and necessary) for growing your reach, especially at a time when networking is all but nonexistent. Consider your social page as your virtual networking hub – use it to share commentary on think pieces, share your recent wins or news, and add photos or personal anecdotes to let your flair shine through.

Once you select a social channel, it’s important to incorporate hashtags. Yes, the “pound” sign has undergone a massive brand refresh over the past quarter-century, but trust us, adding that one little symbol in front of a few keywords (no spaces, please) goes a long way to maximize your audience reach. Hashtags are powerful because they not only help people discover your brand but also act as an archive for your posts. Hashtags are a great way to help your customers find you and your message.

Another way you can use social media to reach customers is by offering discounts, amplifying promotions, and even creating incentivized contests. Who doesn’t love free stuff? The key here is to make sure you’re not just giving away free goodies, but sharing informative content and engaging your friends, colleagues and followers along the way. That way, you don’t come off as selfish or brand-centric, and instead, strive to be relatable. That’s a great way to grow vested interests in your company.

If you’re not running a promotion anytime soon – no certificates for 50 hours of pro bono work? – you can apply this same approach to sharing tips and tricks with clients, like three key takeaways from a recent case. It doesn’t have to be rocket science, but it does need to be well-written for your audience.

Now that you’ve established and grown your audience, keep them around.

Some great ways to create brand loyalty are by showcasing clients through your social media channels or giving them unfiltered access to your company. You can also give them birthday shout outs, or run a feature to showcase who they are. They are the ones supporting your work, and the best way to keep them around is by showing appreciation.

See, social media doesn’t have to be hard! But, if you still have questions, as we all do at times, NP Strategy is here to assist.

Jesica Johnson Mackey of NP Strategy joins other distinguished leaders from across South Carolina to participate in the Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI), an award-winning program of Furman University’s Riley Institute now in its 17th year.

While DLI classes are typically sorted by state geographic region, the fall 2020 class is the first-ever statewide cohort. The intensive four-month program will be held virtually due to COVID-19, a pandemic that underscores the need for such a program, said Dr. Donald Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute.

“The extreme hardship brought on by the pandemic has exacerbated the existing social and economic divisions that we address through our Diversity Leaders Initiative,” Gordon said. “The road ahead will present its share of challenges, but our new group of leaders are uniquely positioned to create real-world solutions within their own enterprises.”

DLI class members are selected through a rigorous application and interview process after being nominated by existing Riley Fellows. Participants are accepted based on their capacity to create impact within their organizations and communities.

Jesica will take part in a highly interactive curriculum consisting of case studies, scenario analyses, and other experiential learning tools that maximize interaction and discussion among classmates and facilitate productive relationships. Working alongside classmates, Jesica will also develop a capstone project that raises awareness of community need.

DLI classes are facilitated by expert Juan Johnson, an independent consultant who was Coca-Cola’s first-ever vice president for diversity strategy.

“DLI is unique among South Carolina’s leadership programs,” Johnson said. “In addition to developing new relationships and affecting positive change in their communities, participants gain deep knowledge of how to effectively manage and lead diverse workers, clients, and constituents,” Johnson said.

Graduates of DLI become Riley Fellows, members of a powerful cross-sector of South Carolinians that includes corporate CEOs, legislators, superintendents, religious and nonprofit heads, and business and community leaders.

“With more than 2,300 Riley Fellows statewide, each new class amplifies the impact of leaders willing to work together to make South Carolina a better place to live and work for all its residents,” Gordon said.

To see a full list of participants and for more information about the Diversity Leaders Initiative, visit riley.furman.edu/diversity.

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.