OPTIMIZING YOUR APPROACH TO BRAND AWARENESS AND TALENT ACQUISITION

Casey Stengel, the legendary manager of the New York Yankees, having retired after winning eight World Series, decided to come back with the expansion New York Mets for another try.

The lowly Mets were not the mighty Yankees and proceeded to lose a record 120 games. When asked if the Mets needed more players or better players for the next season, Stengel replied, “We need more better players.”

And that is the situation many companies find themselves in today. Companies need “more better” employees and “more better” customers. But the question becomes, where to find them? And where to find them before anyone else? The best answer may well be in your pocket right now.

Social media provides a computer web-based technology to create and share user-generated content. Facebook is probably the best-known social media site, with more than 1.2 billion members— 1 out of every 6 people in the world. LinkedIn, the largest social network for business, is much smaller—its membership is only 467 million, or 1½ times the population of the United States.

If the numbers alone do not get your attention, the fact is that workers in the generation now entering the workforce are receiving almost all their information from these interactive providers. If you want to get your business known to potential customers, or if you are looking to hire your next generation of workers, sales staff, and managers, your message must be digital, and it must be compelling.

And not just compelling as in telling a story—it has to resonate. In the noisy world of the internet and social media, you have to create content that will catch and hold someone’s attention. Topics such as environmental impact, sustainability, and community activities should not be overlooked. Short videos, interactive content, and constantly updated articles are some of the keys to a successful effort.

You want to create “stickiness” to your products and your message. If your message goes stale, your audience leaves and is rarely likely to return. Content not only has to be informative and compelling, but it must also be fresh—fresh as in updated constantly, and fresh as in new and inventive. Nothing goes stale faster than content, and you need to serve two masters at the same time, creating new and compelling content without creating a financial or operational burden.

A major factor in targeting your market is to be very clear about what market you are in, and to tell a compelling story as to your involvement. People want to know the who, what, where, and why of your business, and more importantly, how your company can help solve problems or find opportunities for a potential client. Case studies, testimonials, digital plant tours, and employee interviews are some of the avenues available to you to help drive your message home. At all times, never lose sight of the fact that a primary reason for your marketing efforts and social presence is to drive customers new and old to the commercial side of your business.

The transition to digital printing provides a perfect segue to rethink not only the converting side of your business, but how you are going to find workers with a “digital” mindset rather than an “analog” way of thinking. It would be hard to imagine anyone older than 50 who would think of customizing every single box with a personal message. But if you are Birchbox or Dollar Shave Club, that thought may present intriguing options. As an example, you could print a code on the inside of the box for grooming tips, food and drink recipes, or even puzzle pieces. Today, customizing a container for a single consumer is cost-prohibitive. In the digital world, it will be commonplace.

And as always, knowledge is power. Growing awareness of your brand can really be proven only if you’re measuring what matters. Many platforms will provide engagement statistics—Facebook Page Insights will show the likes and shares your content enjoys. Take a look at your web analytics, too, to see which platforms and other sites provide the most referral traffic. Using these insights, you can learn what works and what doesn’t, and respond with appropriate action to continually optimize your approach