By that I don’t mean I have no work/life balance. Rather, I mean that I am now able to bring my whole self to work. My kids have dropped in on more calls than I can remember and my oldest daughter makes PowerPoints on her iPad alongside me so often she should be on payroll.

Much of what I’ve learned in the year since Studios was launched is about life, not just business. North Sixth Group Chairman Matt Rizzetta, the original visionary behind Studios and one of my major inspirations, often talks about working and living for the eulogy, not the resume. While Studios has amassed an impressive resume this past year (rebrands, website launches, animated videos, white papers… seriously incredible resume-building stuff), my main takeaways can be applied to all facets of life. 

This may not be the typical “what we learned in our first year” post (apologies to Jeff, our content manager, who prescribed me just that) but when work is such a big part of your life, it is only natural that the lessons learned extend beyond the 9 to 5.

These are the adages that capture the lessons I’ve learned during Studios’ inaugural year:

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.

As the Head of Studios, I am consistently blown away by my team. I know most people say that—maybe it’s trite as a boss—but the team I am lucky enough to work with each day is driven, smart and truly cares about the work they do. Better yet, we complement one another in all the right ways. That’s the foundation of a great team and a well-rounded service offering. 

When I am in the room with the Studios team… I am very much in the right room.

The days are long, the years are short.

This adage rings particularly true as a parent of kids who have seemingly grown up overnight. It’s also true as an agency leader. 

The days and the projects can seem long. As an attention-driven team, we labor over every element. As a new business, the work can literally be endless as we grow our team, our roster and our processes. The year though? The year feels short. As we prepped for the Studios anniversary, someone remarked it feels like both yesterday and 10 years ago that we launched our logo into the world. 

The takeaway is to not get bogged down in the individual day or the individual tactic but to always look at the big picture. As an Outcomes-driven agency, we do this with our clients regularly. Sure, you want us to manage your social media—but why? It isn’t about any individual post’s performance; it’s about your company’s overall performance. 

Taking a step back from the day and looking at the year makes you realize you’re playing for the end game and releases you from the tunnel vision that comes with the short term.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

To me, this is true as both a vendor and as a boss. Our clients want to be treated just as I expect my vendors to treat me: with honesty that is rooted in mutual success. During our kickoff calls, we tell clients that we are straight shooters with the best of intentions. We don’t sugar coat it. If the service you’re seeking isn’t going to make the impact you want, we’ll tell you. 

As the manager of a PNL, I don’t want my budget wasted. We aren’t in the business of wasting yours. 

As a boss, I do the same thing: work from a place of trust and honesty. We work a lot and it’s truly important to me that my team enjoys it. And not just in a virtual happy hour way, but in a way in which each person is challenged and heard. Their preferences for projects are respected to grow their skill sets and align with their professional interests. They have flexibility to take their dog to the vet or to go on a run in the afternoon. I know the work will get done and be better because of it.

These are the good old days.

These are the days we’ll look back on and say “Remember when?” Mike and Erik will be employees 2 and 3 of hundreds. The “newbies” won’t remember selecting the logo, building the website, figuring out service packages or selecting the best project management tool (we’re big fans of ClickUp, by the way). 

It’s easy to get caught up envisioning the future or the next big revenue milestone instead of enjoying the business as it is now: a hands-on, tight-knit team that delivers impactful marketing and has fun doing it. 

I want to enjoy the now. You all should too, no matter what you’re growing. 

I am so grateful for every member of the team—across Studios, N6A and North Sixth Group—who supported us this past year. More importantly, we are humbled by the clients who we’ve had the privilege to create with.

So here’s to Year 1 of Studios, a year of growth personally and professionally.

The post Year 1 of Studios: Life Lessons From a Year at Work appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

Search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing are like peanut butter cups — chocolate and PB are great on their own, but put them together and you get an unforgettable pair. Though these terms are thrown around a lot, and people assume they understand the basics of each, they’re really an essential symbiotic pair for companies looking to capitalize on content for ROI.  

So, about those basics: SEO refers to taking advantage of certain search engine-friendly keywords to increase the amount of traffic and quality visitors to your preferred digital destination — in this case, it’s usually your company blog; content marketing focuses on showcasing valuable company insights and perspectives via channels like blog posts, video strategies, and other tools to boost your entire marketing plan, which drives profitable customer engagement.

A lot of very successful people know that both are important to have, and they spend a lot of their marketing budget trying to incorporate each. But often, realizing that successfully rolling out a marketing strategy requires a coherent blend that overlaps SEO and content marketing remains elusive.

Photo by Caio from Pexels

Running each as separate methods isn’t going to provide your company with the results that combining them into one strategy will. If your company wants to grow search traffic, you can’t simply smash the SEO button in your CMS. If you want to generate more client leads, you can’t keep posting random blog posts without a unifying message. 

Think of it like a big success-focused marketing venn diagram. There are unique details on either side, but the true meaning lies in the area where they converge.

Optimized Optimization

SEO on its own is a narrower and more technical concept that can be applied within the broader content marketing strategy. Conversely, the more holistic techniques of content marketing can only be successful when companies implement precise SEO strategies. 

SEO techniques are the rules, while content marketing is the game.

The essential component of SEO is about finding relevant keywords to surface particular posts and rank them higher on search engine pages. All the keywords, buzzwords, and optimized terms don’t mean much without a contextual basis for the search engine to pull from — not to mention enhancing metadata, maintaining proper tags, and a good UX design. 

It’s important to utilize those key phrases in a way that follows an overall approach that syncs well with marketing. The SEO and content need work in a near-perfect balance. 

Top-Notch Content

Technical stuff aside, for SEO to truly work there needs to be legitimate content. Thankfully, the word “content” is right there in the phrase content marketing. 

When you have keywords, you need to use them strategically across your content. Good content marketing consists of top-notch posts that utilize targeted keywords and topics that are relevant to the brand as well as industry

Fresh creative content that does this indexes more rapidly and ranks higher across search engines, as well as attracts new client prospects given each piece of content’s high-value perspective. Matching your creative ideas with embedded keyword strategy is the key to this very important motion of a company’s overall marketing strategy.

SEO and content marketing should not be seen as different departments, instead they’re essentially different employees working on the same team. They need each other to truly differentiate — content marketing is only successful if it has appropriate SEO and vice versa. Your SEO strategy will fail unless you integrate it across content marketing and amplification channels, and your content is going nowhere unless people are able to search and find it. 

The post Why SEO is Actually All About Content Marketing — and Vice Versa appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

If you’ve clicked on a blog post in the last month, odds are you’ve been greeted with some variation on “In these unprecedented times…” or “Coronavirus has changed everything.” You don’t need to be reminded about how weird this all is; we live in a time where we actually look forward to video meetings because they’re human interaction.

Right now, every life and business decision is marked with uncertainty. And in times of uncertainty, c-suite executives tend to panic; the focus of action tends to be marketing, with marketing departments being the first cut and the last restored. Not only are jobs on the line, but in times when revenues are slow, marketing spends are halted.

This is the rote part of the post where we tell you not to panic. It’s going to be okay. And then we go a step further, in a move that seems almost tone deaf, we suggest that this pandemic is an opportunity. Because the reality is, not only are people starved for content, but while other companies are freezing ad spends, they’re leaving a vacuum for content marketers to fill.

Keep That Content Coming

The inclination in times of crisis and unpredictable revenue is to slow communications and wait to see how situations play out. It’s an understandable reaction to the unknown, but it may not be the best one, especially in response to a disruption like COVID-19, which has left millions in their homes, staring at screens, looking for ways to spend their time.

Content marketing isn’t built on the immediacy of direct response; rather, you’re building connections that may not see dividends for weeks, months, or even years. And, whether it seems that way or not, the market continues to operate. People are still buying things, there is still a demand for goods and services. And, even if the markets were somehow completely shuttered, they would reopen at some point. Slowing or halting content at this stage removes your company from the conversation entirely. So, not only will potential customers not have you on their radar, but once the markets jump back to full capacity, you’ve sacrificed your visibility for short-term cautiousness.

The truth is, investing in content marketing strategies now could yield much more substantive results when normalcy returns than before the crisis hit. By choosing to ramp up content, even though it’s a bit riskier because revenues are less consistent, your investment goes further because it’s standing out in opposition to companies who have slowed operations. A ramp-up in content marketing is a smart investment not only from a brand-building standpoint, but also from an SEO standpoint: targeting specific keywords and building traffic around them could help you leapfrog competitors in similar positions who have given content a backseat for the time being.

What Kind of Content Should I Be Creating?

The billion-dollar question around content marketing is always, “What type of content should I be creating to get the most for my investment?” The truth is, answering this question is a bit like fortune telling: there are some context clues that can lead you in a general direction, but there’s no exact right answer, and there’s no one answer for every company. So let’s get it out of the way early: we do not have the single right answer.

Generally speaking, however, there are strategies that are proving more effective than others given the nature of the crisis. The common thread that connects everything is the attempt to replicate the loss of human connection that everyone is feeling.

Content marketers have been espousing the virtues of video for decades now, and if there’s a better time to witness it’s efficacy we’d like to see it. Video content brings words to life, and puts a human face on the content you’re distributing. Again, replicating human connection. The addition of short, easily digestible video in lieu of longer written content will make clients feel seen, and puts an identifiable face on your brand.

One of the major ways Coronavirus has impacted marketing, is the postponement and cancellation of countless trade shows and in-person events. On average, 30-40% of marketing budgets is dedicated to trade show sponsorships, booths, collateral, travel, and other conference-related expenses. Finding new ways to innovate that in-person experience is a major challenge for content marketers. Webinars, digital events, leveraging live social media are all options as ways you can put yourself in front of clients

Additionally, replicating human interaction through interactive content is a great way to boost engagement during this crisis. Polls, surveys, quizzes, or shoppable posts are great ways to engage with customers to stimulate an in-person response.

How Do I Speak to Customers?

Content marketing can take on countless forms, but how you express yourself through your content is just as important. Coronavirus has caused a huge influx of brands and companies speaking in conciliatory tones (how many times have you read “We’re in this together”?), to the point where some consumers are seeing these messages cynically.

Of course, it’s important to remain positive. Speaking to customers, you always want to present an air of optimism. But it’s important to be more than platitudinal during times of real crisis. Telling customers that you feel their pain is one thing, but demonstrating meaningful action is how you build those long-term relationships with customers that will resonate beyond this epidemic. Taking this opportunity to mobilize employees towards charity, or offering charitable contributions is a real-world action that fuels content marketing and helps bolster long-term goals.

Additionally, take this time to look internally. While everyone is in sort of a purgatory, use this lull as an opportunity to improve through dialogue. Answer customer questions, communicate directly with clients on how you can improve your business, and take it all to heart. This dialogue can not only build strong content, but it can improve your overall communication strategy and customer knowledge which can have long-term implications.

Build to the Long-Term

As we’ve said, content marketing isn’t a short-term solution; it’s a way to build your brand over time, engaging and influencing customers by forging relationships through your brand voice. In the beginning of this article we talked about how you’ve read “in these uncertain times” a million times in the last few months. Well, the fact of the matter is, you can be that voice of certainty for your clients right now. By regularly contributing to the conversation in sincere, honest dialogue, you bolster relationships and reinforce pipeline goals that can see major dividends when the dust settles.

Want to learn how N6A can help you develop and amplify compelling content? Contact our team at [email protected]

The post Why Content Marketing Matters More Now Than Ever appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

Since 2006, Magnetik has established itself as a premier integrated marketing agency, combining cutting-edge technology, award-winning creative and strategic best practices. Having serviced more than 100 brands, from disruptive start-ups to global enterprises, Magnetik has now partnered with N6A to integrate the agency’s suite of services into our Outcome Relations offering for clients.

Magnetik will be integrated into our in-house amplification team, which provides clients with a range of digital media and demand generation services to amplify and align PR efforts with business outcomes. Through the venture, we’ll now offer services that enable clients to amplify their Outcome Relations campaigns like never before! 

To find out some more about our joint venture, we spoke to Magnetik CEO Doug Steinberg about extending our agencies’ already successful relationship, business differentiators, our mutual approach to client services, and more. 

N6A CEO Matt Rizzetta (left) and Magnetik CEO Doug Steinberg (right).

What about N6A made you feel the agency was the right fit for Magnetik?

Steinberg: Over the years, we worked with a lot of PR agencies but were never able to find a valuable partner that truly understood the modern digital customer the way N6A does. 

Over the last few months, through various projects we worked on together, we discovered that N6A was a kindred spirit in their customer-centric model. We certainly have a similar philosophy on how to take advantage of technology to drive business and efficiency.

What is the biggest Magnetik differentiator?

The biggest differentiator that separates Magnetik from other digital agencies is our comprehensive background. 

We have been around for a long time and have done it all — from direct mail campaigns to developing the modern CRM funnels. We are in a unique position to apply all of that historical learning to stay on top, or ahead, of trends in the industry.

Another differentiator is the way we treat our customers as a part of the team —  they’re actually more like family. We give each the utmost individual attention and a laser-focused approach to their goals, which is another piece we felt aligned well with the N6A mission.

Give us a sense of  your approach to client services and what are your primary guiding principles?

We built the entire agency on a completely different approach than the quote-unquote traditional path. Some members of our team have been with us for over a decade — we are genuinely a family. We bring in new talent like all agencies, but the vast majority of our team has been through the trenches together.

At Magnetik, everyone is accessible — there should be no communication barriers, and we always encourage open dialogue and open doors regardless of whether we’re in the office or working remotely.

Respect and trust are mutual, both within our team and with our clients. We see ourselves as guiding their business, and to do that in a truly successful and impactful way they have to trust us in a way that’s fostered through streamlined communication and total transparency.

Also, we like to say that we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take our coffee very seriously. We’re actually one of the few agencies to have a CCO — chief coffee officer! We get freshly roasted beans delivered from Irving Farm twice a month, and we are even having beans delivered to our team’s homes during quarantine so they can have a “taste” of the office.

What can clients expect now with adding N6A to the mix?

It is a huge value-add to a lot of our clients! For the past few years we have seen the importance of a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy, but we didn’t find a partner we could confidently recommend in the way we do with N6A. 

The OR model matches with what our clients are looking for and we are excited that this integration will lead to even better outcomes!

Do you have a favorite agency project to date?

I can’t single anything out! That’s like picking a favorite child. My favorite thing is working with a brand for years and watching them transform their brand and the impact they make with their digital presence. 

I will say we don’t view what we do as projects. Instead, we think of it as  a meaningful relationship. 

What are you most looking forward to with N6A in the months ahead?

We’re eager for our team to work closely with the N6A team because it’s  a great and mutually beneficial opportunity for us to broaden our skillset. 

We love to learn and explore new things. We have been working with N6A for quite some time, but formalizing the partnership means being able to provide a smoother integration, and that is so exciting because it’s a big advantage for brands. 

Really, it’s the endless possibilities we are most excited about.

Read more about our exciting new joint venture!

The post Our New Joint Venture Drives More Outcomes for Clients Than Ever appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

But the growth-at-all-costs mindset isn’t in vogue like it was a few years ago. Customers care more than ever about the brands they support. Whether you’re pitching the board or just getting buy-in from your boss, here are nine ways to justify spending on PR.

1. PR Means Credibility

Did you know 84 percent of people trust online reviews as much as recommendations from a friend? For better or worse, most people believe what they read. And when you invest in PR, customers are reading about you instead of your competitors.

A single press release won’t win over your customers. But a perfectly placed mention of your brand in a thought-provoking article on a trusted industry website is a great start. Gaining confidence and credibility in the eyes of your target audience takes more than a swipe right.

Like any successful relationship it takes time. Investing in PR means playing the long game. Of course, you can always try and get lucky on the first date, but it’s exactly that—luck. If you want customers to know, like, and trust you then you have to invest in a mutually beneficial relationship.

2. PR Drives Business Outcomes

The days of promising performance without an ounce of data to back it up are over. It doesn’t matter how clever your presentation is or how perfect your pitch, if it doesn’t drive real world results, nobody cares.

 Savvy marketers know every dollar in their marketing budget has a job to do. You can’t afford to invest in anything that’s not going to work. That’s why our agency is built around driving measurable outcomes. In the high-growth technology sector alone we’ve launched more than 100 startup brands, raised $2B+ in strategic investments, and lead over a dozen IPOs.

3. Customers Care About the Brands They Support

In 2018, Casper opened The Dreamery, a whimsical storefront filled with private sleep pods, complimentary PJs, and an “outrageously comfortable bed.” Now I don’t think Casper is abandoning their business model. Instead, they realize that in order to win customers you have to connect with them on a more personal level.

If you’re wondering where the ROI is of opening a nap bar, the launch was covered by Business Insider, Fast Company, and AdWeek garnering more than 115 million impressions. In the world of direct-to-consumer shopping, brands are the business. From Casper to Quip, D2C brands are finding novel ways to win over their customers.

4. PR Improves SEO

PR outcomes have a halo effect not just on your brand, but also on your website. The number of referring domains (aka backlinks) to your website is a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. This means every time your brand is linked to from another domain, your own website actually becomes more valuable.  

How valuable you ask? Search engine optimizers pay thousands of dollars for high quality backlinks from authoritative sites. According to Brian Dean, Founder of Backlinko, “The number of referring domains is one of Google’s most important ranking factors.”

Search-engine-optimized articles aren’t known for their quality. Instead of paying for backlinks in guest posts you didn’t write, on websites nobodies ever heard of, invest in a solid PR strategy.

5. Good PR Opens Doors

Public relations professionals have been called a lot of things like spin doctors and liars. The truth is good PR doesn’t rely on misdirection. It’s telling the right story to the right people in the right place at the right time—and then amplifying that story to expand its reach and impact.

Good PR puts you in front of the people and publications you need to grow your business. Whether you’re selling to Main Street or industry-leading enterprises, PR will help you get your foot in the door until the deal is done.

6. It’s Easier than Ever to Measure the Value of PR

Traditionally, it’s been difficult to tie PR to revenue, leads, or even website traffic. But that’s not the case today. UTM parameters attached to backlinks on websites make it easier than ever to understand the impact of PR efforts.

In addition to UTM parameters, multi-touch attribution models, cross domain tracking, and event-based analytics platforms have all helped PR professionals measure and optimize their impact across the entire marketing funnel. Although not every placement is going to lead to (trackable!) net new revenue, tracking ROI will show just how valuable it is.

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash

7. PR Helps You Stand Out from the Competition

Reporters are always looking for a scoop. However, it’s unlikely they’ll give you too many opportunities to make your pitch. If you’re not ready, your competitors will be.

If reporters do call, and you’re up against a tight deadline, it pays to have your press kit in order. A complete press kit includes logos, headshots, brand photography, and typically a few company descriptions.

When it comes time to IPO or getting acquired, every press mention could mean more money for your business. Defining your desired outcome and ensuring all of your efforts are aligned ultimately to that goal enables you to be prepared and march forward in support of that goal.

8. PR Grows Your Audience

A constant stream of good press can help your brand become a thought-leader. It can also help you establish an audience on social media.

If your newsfeed is anything like mine—it’s messy. There’s never been a greater need for curated content. People are desperate for reliable sources of information. Turning your business into a trusted industry source will have a massively positive impact on your business in terms of friends, followers, and funding.

9. PR Creates Branded Evergreen Content

When it comes to content, everyone has a different definition of what “good” means. The creative team wants it to have a catchy headline, the demand generation team wants it to have a form, the product marketing team wants to see a framework or flowchart.

Branded content from PR can easily meet all of the above goals and then some. In addition, long-form PR content can live on long after it’s published in the form of evergreen content. If you know how to pitch a reporter, you can position the article to be relevant long after it’s bumped off the homepage.

In the early days of marketing it was more art than science. In the last decade we’ve seen a seismic shift back to science. While they’ll always be some art to it, today you can’t convince your boss, let alone a boardroom, without some numbers to back it up.

As marketing has become more data-driven, so has PR. Anyone that tells you differently is living in the past. If you’re more interested in outcomes than impressions, then I invite you to explore our KPI-driven model for accountable PR.

The post Responsible for a Marketing Budget? 9 Ways to Justify ROI Spend on PR appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

• Uber spent half a billion dollars to distance the company from its rocky past few years, launching a series of national campaigns pledging a commitment to inclusion and its overall company mission, and attempted to reinforce new in-app safety tools.
• Wayfair had to deal with a wave of employee activism brought up by the company’s decision to sell beds to the US government for Texas border detention camps.
• Boeing’s slow and confusing responses following the deadly crashes of its 737 MAX airplanes rattled many.
• WeWork’s IPO imploded over the excesses of the company’s now former CEO, Adam Neumann.
• And so on…

Who’s PR disaster was “the worst” of 2019? We conducted a survey to find out and the results were surprising. Read on for our for the biggest takeaways and what brands can learn from 2019 to not lose in 2020.

“Mark Zuckerberg” by jdlasica is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Companies Need to Own Their Crises

Despite the high profile and flashy falls from grace belonging to the Ubers and the WeWorks of the world, a third of respondents named Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg as the biggest PR losers of the year (in Academy Award speak, they swept the major awards for “worst film” and “worst director”).

As opposed to pinpointing specific debacles like Boeing — it was the gradual revelation of Facebook’s questionable privacy standards, inaction with regard to potential political propaganda, and election meddling by foreign entities that sank the company and its leader in the minds of the American public.

As much as the coastal elitists of Gotham and San Francisco were shocked by the incredibly rapid meltdown of IPO-bound WeWork and its well coiffed, charismatic CEO, cybersecurity was top of mind for the rest of the country. Calling reports that Russian agents influenced the 2016 presidential elections via Facebook a “pretty crazy idea” or claiming that he didn’t know about Cambridge Analytica’s data breach made Zuckerberg look as out of touch as George H.W. Bush at a grocery store check-out counter circa 1992.

Do What Your Company Does Best, But Know Your Limits

For every polarizing PR crisis, there’s an equal and opposite success story. Respondents highlighted brand stalwarts Amazon and Apple as the PR winners of 2019. This is primarily because each (mostly) stayed out of any significant controversies and continued to do what they do best.

Both Amazon and Apple increased brand power by branching off into entertainment — the former by continuing to produce award-winning programming on its streaming service, Prime Video, while the latter introduced a streaming platform of its own in AppleTV+. And their CEOs stayed the heck out of any serious trouble, even with Jeff Bezos’ divorce (it was 2019 — it happens).

Most importantly, these household brands innovated in the red hot content creation space, inching into new territory, while continuing to focus on their core product lines and strongholds in their respective industries. Amazon stayed an e-commerce giant and Apple remained a global tech behemoth.

This point for brands is to try new things, but don’t forget where you came from.

The ultimate takeaway is that brands win when they are transparent, stay true to themselves and own up when they stumble– just as any mere mortal would be expected to. And that is a lesson we should all bring into 2020.

Cheers to a prosperous and crisis-free New Year! But if you do find yourself in a pickle, you know who to call.

The post What the Biggest PR Losers in 2019 Can Learn in the New Year appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

There are many misconceptions about public relations. It’s an industry with fundamental parts that haven’t changed much, but one that is ripe for innovation. That urge for potential disruption is probably what fuels those misconceptions. Brands must ask themselves: our industry is moving rapidly and changing every day, so why isn’t PR keeping up the same pace? 

The reality of public relations is tricky. Gone are the days where professionals can simply call in a favor to the media and get coverage on behalf of a client. That old school approach worked when there was less competition. The current landscape is much busier, and more confusing for some. 

[Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash]

But here’s a quick primer on how PR professionals can navigate the expectations versus reality of the industry:

Communicate Realistic Plans

Clients sometimes automatically assume media coverage will happen right away, and often expect to see huge results within the first month or so of on-boarding. While some big splashes might occur depending on the client — a notable funding around or high profile hire, for example — that isn’t the case in general. One big name publication won’t always yield the highest ROI. 

A thorough PR strategy enables you to be able to make communicating a message as versatile as possible in the best way possible. It also helps maximize the success of PR efforts and helps to grow your client’s business.

With a strong and well-thought-out plan, PR professionals can undercut clients judging effectiveness based solely on media hits. Placements, and the media relationships that facilitate them, are a fundamental piece of the PR puzzle — but not the endpoint.

Think Beyond the Quick Hits

By taking the time to plan, PR experts will guide a company’s story to the public willing to listen. And the public that ultimately supports their goals as a company. 

A true expert knows that the extent of their job is much more than just PR. A single piece of coverage is a nice thing to brag about in your weekly meeting, but extending the life of a pitch, angle, or placement  by utilizing multi channel tactics like email marketing and social media channels to amplify your press coverage to your target audiences exponentially increases the shelf life and value of the coverage. 

Be Accountable

Measuring the success of your PR strategy is usually a grey area. It’s one thing to offer clients vanity metrics like advertising equivalency value or readership reach (UVPMs), or even (KPIs) for what you want to achieve. For N6A, that isn’t enough.

We’ve created Outcome Relations, which reinvents PR to make it relevant to today’s generation of brand leaders. Like other marketing disciplines, the OR approach recognizes that it is the organization’s job to reverse engineer desired business outcomes by getting a company’s products and services in front of targeted personas in a compelling way.     

By specifically monitoring your plan’s success via outcomes, you’ll not only have a measurable scale for that plan, but also know how to improve on similar strategies in the future. 

•••

The expectation is that hiring a PR agency will make a brand go viral overnight, trend on Twitter, be the lead story on the evening news… the reality, though, is that a well-thought-out strategic plan with multi-channel amplification is required to reach a defined goal for that business and their goals. 

The post Public Relations: Expectations vs. Reality appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

Entrepreneur’s Top Company Cultures is a comprehensive annual ranking of the U.S.-based businesses exhibiting the best employee cultures.

In order to determine the winners, Entrepreneur surveyed employees at thousands of U.S.-based businesses with a minimum of 35 employees. Surveys were answered by over 34,000 participants, with the highest-ranking companies making it to the final Top Company Cultures list.

Rankings were evaluated across 24 factors in seven categories: alignment, effectiveness, connection, management, engagement, leadership, and basics.

“We’re honored to be ranked as one of the Top Company Cultures in America by Entrepreneur,” said Matt Rizzetta, CEO of N6A. “So many people have made career bets on N6A over the past decade, and thanks to them, we have created a culture of innovation, experimentation, and togetherness. We will work tirelessly to keep getting better every day, and to making everyone proud of the bet they made on N6A.”

Understanding that there is no “one size fits all” approach in today’s work environment, N6A has created a culture of recognition that is personalized for each employee. Earlier this year, N6A launched “Pace Points,” a points-based rewards system in which employees accumulate points for specific individual, group and company-wide achievements. The program allows employees to choose rewards across categories in health, travel, transportation and housing, quality of life, unique experiences, cash and more. Rewards were designed around employee feedback and range from a few hundred dollars to over $50,000 in value.

N6A also implemented the Summer Sabbatical Challenge, a company-wide initiative incentivizing employees to achieve specific team goals for the chance to earn a one-month sabbatical in 2019. Goals were set for each department across the agency, and if met, all N6A employees will receive one-month paid leave next year. This initiative is intended to motivate employee productivity, boost morale and reinforce work-life balance, teamwork, and personal growth.

For more information on N6A please visit www.n6a.com, follow N6A on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and click on this video to learn more about N6A’s roots and culture.

ABOUT NORTH 6TH AGENCY, INC. (N6A):
North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A) is an award-winning brand communications and social media agency based in the heart of SoHo in New York City and Toronto’s financial district. Our client roster includes emerging, mid-sized and enterprise brands from more than 30 industries. N6A has received several industry accolades, including consecutive spots on O’Dwyer’s “Top PR Firms” ranking and the New York Observer “PR Power 50” list. N6A was also included in PRWeek’s 2017 Best Places to Work.

Our “Compete and Care” culture and “Embrace the Pace” atmosphere have been lauded as one of the most rewarding, collaborative and unique to the agency world by Forbes, Monster.com, New York Post, Chief Learning Office Magazine, Entrepreneur, and others. For more information on N6A, visit www.n6a.com, and for more information on N6A’s “Compete and Care” culture and perks, visit www.competeandcare.com.

The post N6A Ranked in Entrepreneur’s 2018 Top Company Cultures in America appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

The account team BDS Analytics captured “N6A Team of the Month” honors in August. The “N6A Team of the Month” program rewards the account team that demonstrates the most impressive results, service, and collaboration for an N6A client throughout the month.

The N6A Brand Services Group took home the “N6A Golden Group” trophy as the highest-performing group for the month. At the end of the year, a $50,000 cash bonus or equivalent value in N6A’s signature Pace Points rewards program is awarded to the winning group lead, as well as an extra week of vacation for the entire group. Pace Points is a points-based rewards system allowing N6A employees to accumulate points based on specific individual, group and company-wide achievements.

N6A also announced the promotion of Jessica Chang to Account Executive. Chang will report directly to Director Gabriella Velez.

Additionally, the following N6A staff members were named “N6A Producer of the Week” in August. The “N6A Producer of the Week” program was created to reward individual N6A staff members who achieve the highest level of production and contribute the most to N6A on a weekly basis.

• Week of August 13th: Ariel Radow, Account Executive
• Week of August 20th: Eamon Levesque, Account Executive
• Week of August 27th: Sean Hutchinson, Content Manager

For more information on N6A please visit www.n6a.com, follow N6A on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and click on this video to learn more about N6A’s roots and culture.

ABOUT NORTH 6TH AGENCY, INC. (N6A):

North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A) is an award-winning brand communications and social media agency based in the heart of SoHo in New York City and Toronto’s financial district. Our client roster includes emerging, mid-sized and enterprise brands from more than 30 industries. N6A has received several industry accolades, including consecutive spots on O’Dwyer’s “Top PR Firms” ranking and the New York Observer “PR Power 50” list. N6A was also included in PRWeek’s 2017 Best Places to Work.

Our “Compete and Care” culture and “Embrace the Pace” atmosphere have been lauded as one of the most rewarding, collaborative and unique to the agency world by Forbes, Monster.com, New York Post, Chief Learning Office Magazine, Entrepreneur, and others. For more information on N6A, visit www.n6a.com, and for more information on N6A’s “Compete and Care” culture and perks, visit www.competeandcare.com.

The post North 6th Agency Announces ‘N6-Accolades’ for August 2018 appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.

The account team Ladders captured “N6A Team of the Month” honors in July. The “N6A Team of the Month” program rewards the account team that demonstrates the most impressive results, service, and collaboration for an N6A client throughout the month.

The N6A Cybersecurity & Digital Identity Group took home the “N6A Golden Group” trophy as the highest-performing group for the month. At the end of the year, a $50,000 cash bonus or equivalent value in N6A’s signature Pace Points rewards program is awarded to the winning group lead, as well as an extra week of vacation for the entire group. Pace Points is a points-based rewards system allowing N6A employees to accumulate points based on specific individual, group and company-wide achievements.

Earlier in the month, N6A announced the promotion of Lexie Gracey to Senior Account Executive. Gracey will report directly to Director Florence Lousqui.

Additionally, the following N6A staff members were named “N6A Producer of the Week” in July. The “N6A Producer of the Week” program was created to reward individual N6A staff members who achieve the highest level of production and contribute the most to N6A on a weekly basis.

• Week of July 9th: Ali Shaprio, Account Executive
• Week of July 23rd: Cristina Colossi, Senior Account Executive

For more information on N6A please visit www.n6a.com, follow N6A on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and click on this video to learn more about N6A’s roots and culture.

ABOUT NORTH 6TH AGENCY, INC. (N6A):

North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A) is an award-winning brand communications and social media agency based in the heart of SoHo in New York City and Toronto’s financial district. Our client roster includes emerging, mid-sized and enterprise brands from more than 30 industries. N6A has received several industry accolades, including consecutive spots on O’Dwyer’s “Top PR Firms” ranking and the New York Observer “PR Power 50” list. N6A was also included in PRWeek’s 2017 Best Places to Work.

Our “Compete and Care” culture and “Embrace the Pace” atmosphere have been lauded as one of the most rewarding, collaborative and unique to the agency world by Forbes, Monster.com, New York Post, Chief Learning Office Magazine, Entrepreneur, and others. For more information on N6A, visit www.n6a.com, and for more information on N6A’s “Compete and Care” culture and perks, visit www.competeandcare.com.

The post North 6th Agency Announces ‘N6-Accolades’ for July 2018 appeared first on N6 Powered by KRMA | Fully Integrated Digital Marketing.