City of Hurst’s Post

Our team at the City of Leduc recently shared the Communications and Marketing Q1 2024 Report with City Council, senior leaders and the community. It outlines information related to divisional projects requiring communications support, work that has a direct tie to the City’s Strategic Plan and/or Corporate Business Plan, channel performance and an update on progress made to advance the 2024–2026 Municipal Communications Strategic Plan. Highlights include: ◾ 91% increase in social media engagement in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023 ◾ 55% higher open rate on email marketing campaigns than industry standard ◾ 35% increase in views on Leduc.ca news items in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023 ◾ 33% increase in media reach in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023, totalling 136 million people ◾ Meaningful progress on seven Communications and Marketing projects I am incredibly proud of our team for their hard work day-in and day-out. This really just scratches the surface and doesn’t even begin to delve into the strong communications outcomes we’ve seen at the project level. Check out the full report: bit.ly/3yIdTgx

A United States of America Perspective on the IPREX State of Communications & Marketing Report 2023 by Ashley Wilemon, LDWW This year’s State of Global Communications and Marketing report by IPREX comprehensively surveys the communications landscape and breaks it down regionally, identifying fault lines and pitfalls that are both universal and geographically and culturally influenced. The Americas, and specifically North America, hold the distinction of being the region in which most global organizations are conducting business. The breadth and depth of the market encourages agencies and communicators operating within North America to be more innovative, more agile and more tapped into the ever-evolving media landscape in order to compete. Read full piece here - https://shorturl.at/uALMN

Great leadership here:

As a communications professional, how do you keep up with trends and changes in world of corporate communications, marketing, and PR? What tools do you use?

Back in 2019, with a new baby and a supportive wife by my side, I embarked on an exciting journey. We were living in a one-bedroom apartment on 73rd Street in Manhattan, and that's where the dream of Press Record Communications began.   Those early days were a whirlwind of late nights, new fatherhood, and the thrill of building something new. Over the past five years, Press Record Communications has thrived. We've built a successful track record of helping clients to connect with key audiences in meaningful ways and create opportunities for growth. But our vision has grown, and it's time to take the next step.   That next step is transitioning Press Record Communications to PR73, an integrated communications firm that helps to develop insight, strategy, and content that fortifies trust across internal and external audiences.   Why the name change? Public relations and marketing make a powerful duo, but often operate in separate silos. The ‘PR’ in PR73 acknowledges the need to break down those walls, and to showcase how critical of a role public relations plays in developing and maintaining a thriving brand. PR and marketing should establish a symbiotic relationship, with PR serving as more of a partner than subordinate to its counterpart.   We also want to pay homage to where our firm began on 73rd Street.   What's new? We can now provide a more holistic suite of public relations and marketing services, including advanced content development and leveraging content for CRMs like Hubspot.   We’ll be aligning with new industry experts to provide these services which will offer clients even more brainpower to tap into.    What stays the same? Our core values and commitment to our clients. You can still expect: Passionate and experienced partners that will bring a wealth of knowledge and dedication to achieving your goals. Popular services like broadcast media relations – outreach to television, radio, and podcasts – that will continue to drive valuable global, national, and local media placements.  Measurable Results that are quantitative and qualitative. Collaborative relationships, especially with our agency partners. Trust matters This rings especially true across the communications industry. Our first research report, "Building Trust: Insights and Strategies for Communications Teams", that was covered in AdAge, details exactly how - https://lnkd.in/g7CBnGGq   Trust impacts everything, from sales and recruitment to perception externally AND internally. PR73 will help to create or enhance brand trust for individual thought leaders and smaller and larger organizations.   Day 1 starts now; we’re excited to jump in! Please visit the new PR73 website to learn more about the firm, and contact us if you have any questions or comments - www.pr73.com #publicrelations #marketing #business

Your brand ambassadors are closer than you think. With clear and effective internal communications, you can foster a positive work environment and turn your employees into trusted brand advocates. Employees who are well-informed and engaged are more likely to project a positive image of the company to the outside world. Developing internal communication strategies that ensure messages are consistent across all levels of the company, whether it’s through regular newsletters, intranet updates, or town hall meetings, we must keep everyone in the loop to build a unified culture and promote a positive brand image externally. That is why we align internal corporate communications with external PR goals. When employees understand how they contribute to the company's public relations objectives, they become active participants in the brand's success. Have you turned your employees into brand advocates? Enhance your internal communications for a stronger, more unified company culture!

R+A’s Vice President Josh Balber reflects on why communications and marketing leads should be at the table when important strategic decisions are being made at an organization:   “All too often, communications and marketing teams have been called in to implement a plan rather than be a part of its development, whether in selling a season, filling a house, driving engagement, or responding to comment on social media. Communications teams are on the frontlines, articulating mission and programming, and are the ones hearing from the public, whether ticket buyers, social media posters, volunteers, media, and many other audiences. It’s imperative to have a communications professional’s voice as part of the planning, to bridge the internal vision with external response.”   Read more on why communications should have a seat at the executive table from the Communications Council at Forbes:

As a corporate communications leader, how do you apply your well-developed skills to your personal brand? Today I presented on this topic for the Forum-Group. We had a lively conversation about how to build an authentic and engaging personal brand. The Forum-Group is roundtable association of senior communications and corporate affairs executives at major companies and large nonprofits. Years ago, I was a member as a Fortune 100 corp comms exec. Today I returned to share what I've learned about personal branding. Thanks to Forum-Group leader Ted Matthews for the invite! Highlights: SHAPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND. Being seen as an authority in your field gives you options. You are pulling or attracting people to you, rather than pushing your ideas on them. It's similar to a leadership concept expressed by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. "Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all." You can start by creating a personal brand statement. Touch upon who you serve and how you serve then, so they can accomplish a specific goal. For example, my personal brand statement is, "I'm Caroline Leach, and I serve corporate professionals and business owners with expertise and inspiration through personal brand consulting and executive coaching so they can achieve their career goals and dreams." It relates to my life purpose: "I am the light giver who inspires and empowers human potential." Your life purpose is why you are here on Earth. A personal brand statement helps you focus on the people you serve, connect with, and create content for. BUILDING YOUR NETWORK. Always be connecting, and grow your network. With personalized invitations, connect with everyone you know on LinkedIn. This includes: 1. Relevant contacts on your phone 2. Everyone you work with 3. Professional association members 4. Fellow industry leaders and C-Suite leaders 5. People you meet a conferences 6. People you meet with each week in the course of your work CREATING CONTENT. Posting on LinkedIn helps people see your expertise in action. Sharing your knowledge and advice is what the LinkedIn community is looking for. And you already have that, at any stage or level of your career. Here's your homework, if you choose to do it: 1. Commit to post once a week for the rest of the year 2. Pick a day of the week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are good 3. Keep a note on your phone of content ideas 4. Posts don't have to be long 5. Scroll through your feed and see what types of posts appeal to you 6. Think about what you’re doing and observing, your perspective on current news, and any contrarian views you have. Write or record a video about that. At first, you may feel like no one is engaging with your content. Keep going, through the "trough." Commit to posting, even if you don't see "progress." You never know who's viewing your content. What are your personal branding tips or questions? #personalbranding #communication #leadership

In this article, members of Forbes Communications Council share different projects that their teams have opted to collaborate with an agency partner on and the reasons why. Check out their insights and results below to learn how certain internal communications projects can be bolstered and elevated with the help of dedicated agency experts. https://ow.ly/jHVm50PXqEb

Help My Sister Ann Stawski Find Her Next Adventure! Hello LinkedIn community, I have an incredible sister, Ann Stawski, who is on the hunt for her next communications leadership role, and I couldn't be prouder of her journey so far! Ann is an award-winning communications leader, a masterful storyteller, content creator, and experience maker. She's not just any marketer; she's a strategic creative marketing communications & brand principal who has an outstanding track record of generating leads, retaining customers, and surpassing KPIs. With companies like Caterpillar Inc., Pierce Manufacturing, Oshkosh Corporation, and BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products), and Passport, Ann has consistently upped the "WOW" factor. One of her standout achievements? Ann was at the forefront of marketing the largest new product launch event in Oshkosh Corporation's history, leading to a jaw-dropping $750 million in sales within the first three years! Ann is not just about numbers; she's an experienced communicator who excels in creating successful global communications, DEI&B programs, events, and promotions. She's the driving force behind launching corporate culture and employer brand programs for notable organizations like Oshkosh Corporation, Passport Labs, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system. With over 20 years of experience, Ann has developed and managed global marketing and communications programs and teams, notably as VP Marketing & Communications at Oshkosh Corporation, a Fortune 500 company. Her expertise spans across various industries, from tech (SaaS), heavy industrial equipment, manufacturing, boating & recreational vehicles, medical equipment & services, higher education, to government. Ann's career is a testament to her dedication in building and maintaining successful programs, consistently delivering results through strategic planning, goal setting, and results reporting. Her leadership revolves around branding, business strategy, corporate and employee communications, data analytics, event management, public relations, research, dealer/sales support, new product development, social media campaigns, and multimedia/video production. Ann is also an accomplished award winner, having received accolades like the Awards of Excellence from Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a bell from the Business Marketing Association, and recognition from the League of American Communication Professionals. As a creative outlet, she's also an author, having published several short stories. You can explore more at www.ann.stawski.com. If you know of any opportunities or if you're looking for an extraordinary communications leader to join your team, please reach out to Ann. Her dedication, creativity, and track record of success speak for themselves. Let's help her find her next adventure in the world of communications leadership! #CommunicationsLeadership #Marketing #BrandStrategy #JobSearch #Storytelling #Leadership #Networking