MARCOM MINUTE

Helping You Achieve More   

 

Subscribe To Marcom Minute

Email Address:  
   

Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone, anywhere - unsubscribe anytime.

 

Newsletter Archives

- Jun 2007 Newsletter

- Apr 2007 Newsletter

- Mar 2007 Newsletter

- Feb 2007 Newsletter

- Jan 2007 Newsletter

- Oct 2006 Newsletter

- Aug 2006 Newsletter

- Jun 2006 Newsletter

 

Prefer to subscribe to Marcom Minute as a blog? Now there is an easy way to insure you get each issue - click here

 

QUICK LINKS...

 

http://BestEzines.com/

 

Doing Well By Doing Good
By Wendy Marx

 

Spectators at this year’s Nutmeg State Games, Connecticut’s largest amateur sporting event, saw an eye-catching opening ceremony. Marching alongside the athletes who were holding the American flag were some 40 employees of Health Net Northeast, of Shelton, Conn., decked in T-shirts and baseball caps sporting the company logo and holding a Health Net banner.

Chalk one up for corporate communications smarts. Not only did Health Net, a sponsor of the Nutmeg Games, get spectators at the games to know of the health insurance company, but it also was able to boost awareness of the company through subsequent TV coverage. The following day Health Net’s President Steve Nelson was interviewed about its sponsorship on Connecticut’s Channel 8 as images of Health Net’s “marching employees” flashed across the screen. Health Net provided the TV station with broadcast-ready coverage of the event.

Besides getting a lot more people to know about it, Health Net also got an additional payoff in employee satisfaction. Between 2005 when Health Net increased its employees’ involvement in community events to 2006, the company saw its employees' morale jump 100%, according to a company survey.

“We get a much greater return on investment by getting our associates involved, “ says Alice Ferreira, Health Net Director of Corporate Communications. “We look at any event as a way not only to get high visibility for the company but also to create a memorable experience for associates.”


Health Net’s high level of employee satisfaction has also led to more applicants for internship positions. From 2005 to 2006, Health Net saw a quadrupling of internship applications generated by employee referrals.

For Health Net, community involvement starts at the top. “Our president Steve Nelson doesn’t just help make the community work happen but actively participates himself,” says Ferreira. “When we do work for Habitat for Humanity, he is side–by–side with our employees hammer in hand. That makes a big difference.”

Here are some tips from Ferreira for companies wanting to increase their return from community involvement: 

  • More than money. Don’t just donate money but get employees involved whether you are donating $1,000 or $100,000.

  • Employees first. Think about employee involvement from Day One as you plan your sponsorship. 

  • Make it worthwhile. Make it a memorable experience for employees besides making your participation have high impact and visibility.

Wendy Marx is president of Marx Communications, a public relations and marketing communications firm that helps B2B companies and individuals build their brands through innovative promotional strategies. For more information, wendy@marxcommunications.com or (203) 445-2850.

 

Keeping Employees Informed
By Martin Arnold

Keeping Employees informed is not an easy task but it’s worth the effort.

Employees are your ambassadors to your customers and the wider community. That’s why keeping employees informed is a Number One priority. In our last issue we listed five tips to help you do just that. Briefly, they included knowing what your legal responsibilities are, understanding that a communicative culture pays off, how the “grapevine” works, learning to listen and making sure employees understand business goals.

Here are a few more ways to help make your employees informed ambassadors:

-- Begin the easy way. Start by using bulletin boards, an office newsletter, payroll stuffers, e-mail or an internal Intranet. Be sure to get employees involved in pulling together items for your new media and you will be further ahead.

-- Don’t stop. Once you begin to communicate, keep going. A communications program, even as modest as one on bulletin boards, represents a commitment. If you stop you send an unintended message that communication is not that important. Also, don’t start communicating just because you have an important upcoming event like a bargaining election or a customer open house. You need to begin well before you have an obvious need -- and continue on after that.

-- Don’t forget the folks at home.The breadwinner may be your employee but the spouse or significant other at home would like to know what is going on too. That is why an occasional letter to the home is effective.

-- Benchmark. Are there organizations you admire that do a great job communicating? The answer is probably “yes.” Find out what they are doing and how they do it and don’t be afraid to “borrow” a few of their ideas.

-- Don’t think “wandering around” is a substitute for a communications program. Recognize that “communicating by wandering around” may work for some, but for most people it is not effective. For one thing it is occasional and not consistent. For another you can’t reach everyone. And employees will often tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to know. The wandering around approach has gone the way of the “open door policy” of the 1950s and while both may supplement whatever else you are doing, neither can be relied on to motivate and energize your workforce.

 

Martin Arnold is principal of PR Services, a public relations and marketing communications firm located in Trumbull, Connecticut. For more information, mharnold@sbcglobal.net or (203) 452-7971.

 

Make Your Web Site Attractive to Future Employees

By Melissa Wall

In the last issue we discussed employee communications relative to employee retention. This time, our focus is on future employees – the people you want to recruit, and the importance of having a Web site that creates the right impression.

Today, most potential employees are Web savvy. They regularly use the Internet to conduct due diligence on a company. So it’s important that when a potential employee visits your Web site that it creates a positive impression and conveys a professional image. 

Sounds obvious, but unless the company has someone dedicated to managing the site, it’s not uncommon to find a company’s Web site filled with old information, poorly-written text, hard–to–see or hokey graphics, typos, links that don’t work, or a myriad of other issues that would make someone think twice about working for you.

A good site does not have to be expensive to create or maintain; nor does it need flashy graphics. But it does need to be created by someone who understands your business, your customer base, and the value of your products and services. Employees, like customers, want to be associated with successful companies. Your Web site creates a lasting first impression.

Here are some helpful hints to make your web site attractive for future employees:

  1. Clarity. Publish clear and concisely written information about your company, its history, management, business philosophy and the importance of its products and services to your customers. Answer the five “W’s”: who, what, when, where and why.

  2. News. Include news releases about new hires, new products, milestones, achievements, customer tips and initiatives. This information showcases your company as one that’s on top of its game and customer-focused.

  3. Financials. Post quarterly earnings and a PDF version of your annual report if you are a public company. It helps future employees understand your business.

  4. Careers. Create a “careers section” on your site. Post openings and encourage anyone to send their resume regardless of the openings you have – you should always be seeking out exceptional talent. Illustrate a potential career path. Showcase employees with successful career paths and highlight how working for you will enhance an employee’s personal growth and career.

  5. Graphics. Use graphics that are clear, modern, simple and easy to read.

  6. Proof. Check for typos, grammatical errors and non–functional links.

Melissa Wall is a business consultant whose company focuses on B2B marketing strategy and executive search. For more information, melissa@distinctmarketing.com or (203) 888-9995.