Advice Unlimited has been selected as one of the “Top Businesses” in the United States by DiversityBusiness.com, one of the nation’s most prestigious and leading business internet portals. Over 750,000 businesses in the United States had the opportunity to participate in the 11th annual "Top Businesses in America" survey.
The naming of Advice Unlimited as one of the top businesses in the country is a huge honor, as the award is the basis of DiversityBusiness.com’s annual “Top Business List,” which is seen by over 15 million people and is used by Fortune 500 companies and large buying organizations to find new business partners.
This list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the United States economy – America’s privately held companies. The list has become the most recognized and respected compilation of companies that truly differentiate themselves in the marketplace in a time when doing so has never been more important.
As a small business, we focus on delivering consistent outstanding results and superior customer service for our clients, and our reputation has grown through that dedication to exceeding expectations. Please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net for more information.
Advice Unlimited
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
How are contractors adapting their pr/marketing strategy in a tough government market?
As we approach the end of 2010, one thing is certain: it’s been a turbulent year. Amid White House plans to eliminate potentially billions in spending on underperforming technology projects, Secretary Gates’ $100-billion budget cut across the DoD, and talk of increasing insourcing, there was plenty of reason for concern.
How are contractors adapting their marketing strategies – and dollars – for the greatest impact in these changing times?
Advice Unlimited, a small, women-owned strategic communications consulting firm, is conducting an anonymous survey in December to find out. Once our survey is completed, we’ll post the final results in a group discussion for your benefit, to assist in your planning for 2011.
Please share your opinion! Take the brief, 11-question survey yourself, which we’ve made available on Survey Monkey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/contractor2011strategies
Survey entries must be submitted by January 08, 2011 in order to be included.
How are contractors adapting their marketing strategies – and dollars – for the greatest impact in these changing times?
Advice Unlimited, a small, women-owned strategic communications consulting firm, is conducting an anonymous survey in December to find out. Once our survey is completed, we’ll post the final results in a group discussion for your benefit, to assist in your planning for 2011.
Please share your opinion! Take the brief, 11-question survey yourself, which we’ve made available on Survey Monkey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/contractor2011strategies
Survey entries must be submitted by January 08, 2011 in order to be included.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Social Media Can Help You Communicate Faster in a Disaster
The following article, written by Sandy Levine, recently appeared in Government Security News. View the article here: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/article/21921/social_media_can_help_you_communicate_faster_disas
Do you use social media to communicate with your public? Have you updated your disaster preparedness communications plan to include social media? If not, add that to your priority ‘To Do’ list!
Information about practically everything -- both factual and wildly inaccurate -- now travels around the globe literally in minutes, through new communication tools -- Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to name a few. In a natural or manmade disaster, if you don’t reach out to the public with the facts quickly, someone else will get there with a rumor -- and as we all know, misinformation can cause havoc, create panic and potentially increase danger to those at risk who we want to protect.
As communication tools change, government communicators have to keep up. This is important always; however, in a disaster, it is critical. How are you going to inform the public about the problem? What tools do you use to make sure they get the crucial instructions they need that could keep them safe? We must not only inform, we must persuade, secure trust, calm, reassure -- and get people to actually follow the procedures we detail -- or lives will be lost. The tools used to reach out in a disaster must integrate today’s communication tools -- you must go where your public is to ensure they get your message. And more and more of your public is online.
A recent national survey from Arbitron and Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2010, (April 23, 2010) provides insight into some of the changes occurring in communication tools in the U.S. According to this survey, the percentage of Americans age 12-and-older who have a profile on one or more social networking Web sites has reached 48 percent of the population in 2010, double the level from two years ago.
The new study reveals that consumer use of social networking sites is not just a youth phenomenon. Personal profile pages are maintained by:
Do you use social media to communicate with your public? Have you updated your disaster preparedness communications plan to include social media? If not, add that to your priority ‘To Do’ list!
Information about practically everything -- both factual and wildly inaccurate -- now travels around the globe literally in minutes, through new communication tools -- Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to name a few. In a natural or manmade disaster, if you don’t reach out to the public with the facts quickly, someone else will get there with a rumor -- and as we all know, misinformation can cause havoc, create panic and potentially increase danger to those at risk who we want to protect.
As communication tools change, government communicators have to keep up. This is important always; however, in a disaster, it is critical. How are you going to inform the public about the problem? What tools do you use to make sure they get the crucial instructions they need that could keep them safe? We must not only inform, we must persuade, secure trust, calm, reassure -- and get people to actually follow the procedures we detail -- or lives will be lost. The tools used to reach out in a disaster must integrate today’s communication tools -- you must go where your public is to ensure they get your message. And more and more of your public is online.
A recent national survey from Arbitron and Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2010, (April 23, 2010) provides insight into some of the changes occurring in communication tools in the U.S. According to this survey, the percentage of Americans age 12-and-older who have a profile on one or more social networking Web sites has reached 48 percent of the population in 2010, double the level from two years ago.
The new study reveals that consumer use of social networking sites is not just a youth phenomenon. Personal profile pages are maintained by:
- 78% of teens
- 77% of 18-to-24 year olds
- 65% of 25-to-34 year olds
- 51% of 35-to-44 year olds
The study also shows that 30 percent of Americans age 12-and-older, who have a profile on at least one social networking Web site, use those sites "several times a day," compared with only 18 percent one year ago.
Bill Rose, senior vice president of marketing at Arbitron Inc, said, "The use of social networking sites has expanded beyond younger consumers, with substantial numbers of Americans over the age of 35 now using social media.”
Also, for the first time, more Americans say the Internet is "most essential" to their lives when given a choice along with television, radio and newspapers:
- 42% chose the Internet as "most essential"
- 37% selected television
- 14% chose radio
- 5% said newspapers
While television still leads among those over the age of 45, Internet dominates among younger persons, aged 12-to-44 years old.
The key is to know who your audience is, and to take the time to research what communications tools they use and trust. There are still certain areas where radio is king; other areas where religious centers are going to be the most important communication tool in your arsenal. But, social media cannot be ignored -- especially when speed matters. Integrating the “basics” -- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, online postings of press releases, online links with appropriate media -- and making sure processes are in place so that these communication tools get accurate information immediately -- will help ensure your public gets the right information as quickly as possible, minimizing confusion and improving understanding in a difficult situation.
Integrating social media into your communications plan ensures you will reach a broader pool of people faster. The flow of accurate information will go more smoothly, the public will be informed appropriately and efficiently, and answers will be delivered swiftly. It can make the difference between a bad situation and a calamity.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
3 case studies in social media experimentation -- Federal Computer Week
Interesting article in FCW this week - if you're looking to integrate innovation into your outreach, we can provide proven techniques to engage your audience and boost interest! Contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net to discuss how we can work together to ensure your venture into social networking and other innovative communication tools deliver the results you want!
http://fcw.com/articles/2010/11/08/feat-government-social-networking-experiments.aspx?s=fcwdaily_051110
http://fcw.com/articles/2010/11/08/feat-government-social-networking-experiments.aspx?s=fcwdaily_051110
Monday, November 8, 2010
Choose Communication Tools Wisely
There are constantly new tools and techniques emerging in the marketplace that can help you communicate with your audience. It’s important to understand what’s out there, and new tools are fun, but you also want to be sure any new tool will actually help you reach your target audience and get your message across. Quick Response (QR) Codes are one of the most recent tools to come into play – following is some basic information on this new tool to help you determine if it’s right for your audience....
Developed by Denso Wave in 1994, a QR Code is a two-dimensional code (meaning it contains information in both the vertical and the horizontal) that is readable by QR scanners, cell phones equipped with cameras, and smartphones. The code is made up of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data. As implied by the name, the information can be decoded at high speed.
QR Codes were initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing. The use of QR Codes has expanded to include commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at cell phone users – this is known as “mobile tagging.”
The idea behind mobile tagging is that when you see a code, you take a picture of the code with your cell phone. Your phone will decode the information, and you will be automatically directed to, say, a company’s website. These QR Codes can be displayed in a variety of ways, including magazines, signs, buses and business cards.
To be able to scan the codes, users must download an application to their phone. The Android Market and iTunes App Store offer some applications that can decode QR matrices. Decoding can result in the display of contact information, text, connection to a wireless network, or the opening of a web page in the phone’s browser.
QR Codes were widely used at SXSW (a film/music gathering in Austin) in March of this year. They had QR Codes on flyers, postcards, business cards and stickers. One of the more memorable examples was a QR Code embedded in a t-shirt, which directed scanners to a Twitter feed.
QR Codes have been slow to take off in the U.S. market. A recent study showed that less than 10% of consumers know what a QR Code is. Their use is much more common in Japan. Many people in the U.S. seem to think that while they are visually interesting, QR Codes are gimmicky and clumsy. The use of QR Codes does not seem to make sense (at least at this point) for the government marketplace. Many people will feel as though they create an extra step. For example, a QR Code on a panelist card used at SXSW will take you to the SXSW website, which requires login and password information, and then you will eventually reach a small blurb about the panelist. This whole process takes much longer than it would to simply exchange a business card.
There is also the issue of user responsibility. This technology requires people to distinguish between a regular barcode and a QR Code. It is impossible to differentiate with the naked eye. It is also heavily dependent on the user wanting to interact with it. They have to pull out their phone, download an application, scan the code and follow the prompts.
Another problem, especially for use in the government marketplace, is that the QR Code obscures the destination it intends to send the user to. That creates the potential for the user to unknowingly click through to a malicious or unwanted site via QR Code.
Call us at 301-924-0330 or email me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net so we can help you wisely choose the communication tools and techniques that best fit your purpose. No gimmicky or clumsy tools here – just tried and true methods, ready to help you on your way to success!
Developed by Denso Wave in 1994, a QR Code is a two-dimensional code (meaning it contains information in both the vertical and the horizontal) that is readable by QR scanners, cell phones equipped with cameras, and smartphones. The code is made up of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data. As implied by the name, the information can be decoded at high speed.
QR Codes were initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing. The use of QR Codes has expanded to include commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at cell phone users – this is known as “mobile tagging.”
The idea behind mobile tagging is that when you see a code, you take a picture of the code with your cell phone. Your phone will decode the information, and you will be automatically directed to, say, a company’s website. These QR Codes can be displayed in a variety of ways, including magazines, signs, buses and business cards.
To be able to scan the codes, users must download an application to their phone. The Android Market and iTunes App Store offer some applications that can decode QR matrices. Decoding can result in the display of contact information, text, connection to a wireless network, or the opening of a web page in the phone’s browser.
QR Codes were widely used at SXSW (a film/music gathering in Austin) in March of this year. They had QR Codes on flyers, postcards, business cards and stickers. One of the more memorable examples was a QR Code embedded in a t-shirt, which directed scanners to a Twitter feed.
QR Codes have been slow to take off in the U.S. market. A recent study showed that less than 10% of consumers know what a QR Code is. Their use is much more common in Japan. Many people in the U.S. seem to think that while they are visually interesting, QR Codes are gimmicky and clumsy. The use of QR Codes does not seem to make sense (at least at this point) for the government marketplace. Many people will feel as though they create an extra step. For example, a QR Code on a panelist card used at SXSW will take you to the SXSW website, which requires login and password information, and then you will eventually reach a small blurb about the panelist. This whole process takes much longer than it would to simply exchange a business card.
There is also the issue of user responsibility. This technology requires people to distinguish between a regular barcode and a QR Code. It is impossible to differentiate with the naked eye. It is also heavily dependent on the user wanting to interact with it. They have to pull out their phone, download an application, scan the code and follow the prompts.
Another problem, especially for use in the government marketplace, is that the QR Code obscures the destination it intends to send the user to. That creates the potential for the user to unknowingly click through to a malicious or unwanted site via QR Code.
Call us at 301-924-0330 or email me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net so we can help you wisely choose the communication tools and techniques that best fit your purpose. No gimmicky or clumsy tools here – just tried and true methods, ready to help you on your way to success!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Use contests effectively!
Alice Lipowicz of Federal Computer Week wrote an interesting article about different government contests going on – some very successful, some not so much: http://fcw.com/articles/2010/10/04/low-participation-ssa-contest-remedies.aspx?sc_lang=en
I expect we’ll be seeing more of this trend, so if you’re planning to try this approach, I’d like to offer some advice on how to ensure your organization’s contests fall in the ‘very successful’ category.
The trend didn’t come out of thin air. Last September, the Obama administration released the ‘Strategy for American Innovation,’ which, as part of its recommendations for integrating more innovation into our efforts to improve sustainable growth and quality jobs, called on agencies to use prizes and challenges as a different way to engage the public and get input and ideas from a broader pool. The obvious advantage of the prize approach is that the government only pays the winner - the competitors invest their own money in research and development.
Some government organizations are incredibly successful with this approach – for example, NASA has solved several unusual challenges through successful public contests, such as the NASA Astronaut Glove Challenge in 2009 – where entrants competed for $400,000 in total prize money for creating a new astronaut glove design that allowed for more movement and increased flexibility. They truly pulled from disparate sources, ensuring the result was something different than what their researchers could have come up with in their lab. (According to a NASA spokesperson, the first prize winner in the astronaut glove competition was an engineer, who built his first glove on his kitchen table; and the second place winner was a Brooklyn costume designer working in the theater industry). Other contests, such as the SSA recent video contest drawing only 10 entries, aren’t doing so well.
So what makes a successful government contest (or for that matter, a contest sponsored by anyone – company or government organization?) The answer is amazingly simple – just as with any effective public relations campaign, you must think strategically, define your goals and objectives, and then define the actions that will help you achieve those goals and objectives.
First up: what are you trying to accomplish with this contest? What is the ultimate goal? Then: who is the target audience – who do you want to respond and submit an entry for this contest? Once you define who your target audience is, you can think through what are the communication tools that would be most effective in reaching this audience, and what kind of prize would entice them to participate? Money isn’t necessarily required, though it can be a great incentive – especially when it’s coupled with significant or prestigious recognition. Most people don’t enter contests just for the money, but a good prize definitely helps people take it more seriously, and helps to pull in a larger pool of entrants.
A crucial step is to think through the communication tools you use to inform people about the contest, and inspire folks to enter. Just issuing a press release or posting the information on your website is not enough – we can help you match the communication tools with your target audience, to ensure you’re reaching – and enticing – people who can contribute innovation, inspiration, and winning entries to your contest! If you’re planning a contest or game-changing open grant program or challenge, call us at 301-924-0330 or email me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net – and let us help you make sure your contest is a winner!
I expect we’ll be seeing more of this trend, so if you’re planning to try this approach, I’d like to offer some advice on how to ensure your organization’s contests fall in the ‘very successful’ category.
The trend didn’t come out of thin air. Last September, the Obama administration released the ‘Strategy for American Innovation,’ which, as part of its recommendations for integrating more innovation into our efforts to improve sustainable growth and quality jobs, called on agencies to use prizes and challenges as a different way to engage the public and get input and ideas from a broader pool. The obvious advantage of the prize approach is that the government only pays the winner - the competitors invest their own money in research and development.
Some government organizations are incredibly successful with this approach – for example, NASA has solved several unusual challenges through successful public contests, such as the NASA Astronaut Glove Challenge in 2009 – where entrants competed for $400,000 in total prize money for creating a new astronaut glove design that allowed for more movement and increased flexibility. They truly pulled from disparate sources, ensuring the result was something different than what their researchers could have come up with in their lab. (According to a NASA spokesperson, the first prize winner in the astronaut glove competition was an engineer, who built his first glove on his kitchen table; and the second place winner was a Brooklyn costume designer working in the theater industry). Other contests, such as the SSA recent video contest drawing only 10 entries, aren’t doing so well.
So what makes a successful government contest (or for that matter, a contest sponsored by anyone – company or government organization?) The answer is amazingly simple – just as with any effective public relations campaign, you must think strategically, define your goals and objectives, and then define the actions that will help you achieve those goals and objectives.
First up: what are you trying to accomplish with this contest? What is the ultimate goal? Then: who is the target audience – who do you want to respond and submit an entry for this contest? Once you define who your target audience is, you can think through what are the communication tools that would be most effective in reaching this audience, and what kind of prize would entice them to participate? Money isn’t necessarily required, though it can be a great incentive – especially when it’s coupled with significant or prestigious recognition. Most people don’t enter contests just for the money, but a good prize definitely helps people take it more seriously, and helps to pull in a larger pool of entrants.
A crucial step is to think through the communication tools you use to inform people about the contest, and inspire folks to enter. Just issuing a press release or posting the information on your website is not enough – we can help you match the communication tools with your target audience, to ensure you’re reaching – and enticing – people who can contribute innovation, inspiration, and winning entries to your contest! If you’re planning a contest or game-changing open grant program or challenge, call us at 301-924-0330 or email me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net – and let us help you make sure your contest is a winner!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Taking the Next Step: How Public Relations Can Help Your Organization Succeed in a Competitive Government Marketplace
Public Relations has long been regarded as the foundation for successful marketing. Effective public relations can build your company’s brand recognition, your company’s exposure in key markets, and can help establish your credibility on issues that are important to your customers. Using targeted, strategic press placements, public relations can help you reach the right people in government, sharing your organization’s story and educating them about your unique value proposition.
Effective public relations is best accomplished by retaining the services of a public relations firm that specializes in your target market. Especially in the government marketplace, where government decision makers and influencers rely heavily on government trade publications for information, insights, and education to help them make buying decisions, choosing a firm with years of government expertise will help you maximize the value of this investment. Because of its complexity, government is often considered a “high-barrier-to-entry” market. Retaining a firm with solid depth of knowledge in government can help ensure that your organization gets consistent, positive press coverage – delivering your message to your target audience appropriately and effectively.
Why Government-Focused Public Relations Works
Trade press carries much greater clout in government; government-focused public relations can leverage this to your advantage, helping your company tell its story, champion its successes and customers in this highly credible forum.
Unlike advertising, which is recognized as a “paid-for” opportunity, earned publicity has much more credibility, is far less costly, and can yield significantly greater ROI. Particularly in the government space, where procurement rules are so different, government trade publications carry a lot of weight with decision makers faced with buying decisions. They need information, education and understanding of the many options available to help them solve their IT challenges. Government-facing public relations can help you position your organization to take advantage of this opportunity.
How Can You Use Public Relations in the Government Marketplace?
Launch a targeted media campaign for a specific sales effort or contract opportunity.
Many government organizations face similar types of challenges. By highlighting a successful implementation of your solution that solved a problem at one government agency, you build credibility with other agencies. Focused PR can help you tell this success story, through the publications your prospects read and trust.
Retaining the services of a government-facing public relations firm can be instrumental in promoting your involvement with certain contracts – regardless of your organization’s size or your status within the contract hierarchy. How? PR firms that focus specifically on government often have stronger relationships with government public affairs officers and have a deeper understanding of the strict approval process that must be followed.
Since 1983, Advice Unlimited has helped businesses selling to the government tell their story to the audience that matters most: government decision makers and influencers. Through our strategic approach, our extensive understanding of the government marketplace, and the relationships we maintain with tier-one government editors, reporters, publications, and government organizations, we consistently secure positive press coverage that tells your company’s story in the publications your customers read and trust – month after month after month. Working with startups and industry leaders, we have always delivered consistent, positive coverage for all of our clients – for more than 27 years!
Effective public relations is best accomplished by retaining the services of a public relations firm that specializes in your target market. Especially in the government marketplace, where government decision makers and influencers rely heavily on government trade publications for information, insights, and education to help them make buying decisions, choosing a firm with years of government expertise will help you maximize the value of this investment. Because of its complexity, government is often considered a “high-barrier-to-entry” market. Retaining a firm with solid depth of knowledge in government can help ensure that your organization gets consistent, positive press coverage – delivering your message to your target audience appropriately and effectively.
Why Government-Focused Public Relations Works
Trade press carries much greater clout in government; government-focused public relations can leverage this to your advantage, helping your company tell its story, champion its successes and customers in this highly credible forum.
Unlike advertising, which is recognized as a “paid-for” opportunity, earned publicity has much more credibility, is far less costly, and can yield significantly greater ROI. Particularly in the government space, where procurement rules are so different, government trade publications carry a lot of weight with decision makers faced with buying decisions. They need information, education and understanding of the many options available to help them solve their IT challenges. Government-facing public relations can help you position your organization to take advantage of this opportunity.
How Can You Use Public Relations in the Government Marketplace?
Launch a targeted media campaign for a specific sales effort or contract opportunity.
Many government organizations face similar types of challenges. By highlighting a successful implementation of your solution that solved a problem at one government agency, you build credibility with other agencies. Focused PR can help you tell this success story, through the publications your prospects read and trust.
Retaining the services of a government-facing public relations firm can be instrumental in promoting your involvement with certain contracts – regardless of your organization’s size or your status within the contract hierarchy. How? PR firms that focus specifically on government often have stronger relationships with government public affairs officers and have a deeper understanding of the strict approval process that must be followed.
Since 1983, Advice Unlimited has helped businesses selling to the government tell their story to the audience that matters most: government decision makers and influencers. Through our strategic approach, our extensive understanding of the government marketplace, and the relationships we maintain with tier-one government editors, reporters, publications, and government organizations, we consistently secure positive press coverage that tells your company’s story in the publications your customers read and trust – month after month after month. Working with startups and industry leaders, we have always delivered consistent, positive coverage for all of our clients – for more than 27 years!
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