Indianapolis PR Agency

 by Ashlea Alley

Four Benefits to Open Work Spaces

When stepping into the Dittoe PR office, you’ll notice we set things up a little differently than the traditional corporate office setting. We believe collaboration helps our team improve and excel by encouraging group brainstorms, team meetings, tactical collaboration efforts and more. So, we specifically designed our office space to be open concept so we could better serve our clients and each other.

 

According to American Express Forums, people are 12 percent more likely to report being happy with their job when they have freedom and autonomy in their work environment. We believe that in order for creative companies to flourish, an open work environment or combination of open and offices should be available to employees. There are several advantages to providing this type of environment for employees.

 

Breaks down the silos of a traditional working environment.
When organizations get into a silo mentality, it means most employees or groups aren’t sharing information or acknowledging each other. This can lead to reduced employee morale and lack of collaboration and teamwork, which negatively impacts operations and the overall wellbeing of the business. But, when the office is shifted into an open environment, the silos are lifted. Employees are able to interact more and share a unified vision, allowing the workplace to achieve success in the highest capacity through collaboration. Dittoe PR hosts regular team brainstorm sessions, as well as provides various collaborative working spaces for employees.

 

Minimizes rigid work schedules.
Not only do open workspaces invite collaboration, they also instill a greater belief in being flexible while we work. We learn to move with the ebb and flow of the day when we’re closely working with our peers. Open workspace helps us create a balance between head-down work and light-and-fun engagement with fellow team members. If you’re easily distracted in a way that negatively impacts your work, this may not be for you, however.

 

Invites collaborations in real-time.
When reviewing new hire applications, it’s common to see the phrase, “works well with a team,” but with open work spaces, it will be put to the test. Granting employees the opportunity to collaborate at any given time allows creative ideas to flow without the need to set up a formal team meeting. In PR, things can unfold quickly and require a speedy response. Having a sounding board visible and present allows the team to collaborate in real-time and quickly deliver results to the client.

 

Builds closer relationships between employees.
From recapping what happened over the weekend, to supporting one another through difficult times, the Dittoe PR team uses its open work spaces to build a strong foundation of friendship between its employees. With an open work space, your company can grow closer, creating a “we’re in this together” mentality.

 

Although open work environments have its share of cons, such as workplace banter and noise, the opportunities it holds outweighs the cons, in our opinion. Dittoe PR is relentless in the pursuit of excellence for our clients and prides itself on exceeding expectations every day with custom PR strategies, innovative ideas, flawless execution and results. We owe most of that to our daily collaborations, relationships with each other and, of course, the dedication to our clients.

 

Interested in seeing how a strategic plan could benefit your business? Contact Lauryn Gray at lauryn@dittoepr.com or request a consultation today.

in Communication / Public Relations 0 comments
 by Kasie Sturm

Why Setting a PR Strategy Makes all the Difference

Public relations has the power to build platforms of perception, influence, credibility and prominence. At its cornerstone is strategic planning, which provides a foundation for all actionable communication activities. It also establishes clear-cut goals and builds upon realistic expectations for each client to guarantee success while simultaneously increasing brand awareness.

 

At Dittoe PR, we firmly believe that a one-size-fits-all approach to strategic planning does not exist. They’re built on similar formats of interrelated components, but take different forms, serve specific needs and possess varied purposes. That’s why we work with each client closely to determine the best action plan to meets their business goals and objectives.

 

For those still skeptical on the importance of strategic planning, here are a couple of reasons why setting a PR plan makes all the difference.

 

Analyzes the situation.

Before assembling the plan, the team should complete an audit of the client’s needs to help craft the strategy’s foundation. This process incorporates research to understand the current marketplace landscape as well as the client’s previous PR and marketing efforts and results.

 

When drafting an insightful situation analysis, make sure the client’s position in the marketplace, marketing strategies and public perceptions to market conditions are clear and an analysis of stakeholder communities is included. This will help outline the various tactics when determining the best strategies to implement on behalf of the client.

 

Defines goals and objectives.

It’s impractical to begin activating on any PR ideas without formulating a clear strategy, so the next step is to outline SMART goals. These goals should be:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Time-bound

 

After the goals are established, consider the actions plans, ideas and objectives to help work toward these goals. These strategies should include methods of communication, key messages and other activities related to reaching your goal. This also means outlining various tactics to secure media coverage, such as newsjacking, evergreen story ideas, thought leadership campaigns and more.

 

Helps understand audiences.

Knowing your target audience and determining which group to communicate with is important for an effective PR plan. For instance, if your client’s core group of customers are baby boomers, there is less productivity targeting them through channels like Instagram. It would be more effective to communicate to this audience through print newspapers or television segments.

 

In addition, it is helpful to discuss the audience with your client as it can critically affect campaign results. If the client has multiple types of audiences, you’ll need to ensure that messaging, tactics and channels are tailored for each group to ensure the plan is executed effectively.

 

Reaffirms scope of work.

Scope of work is extremely important as this allows clients to understand the roles and responsibilities of the PR team. Each tactic included in the plan should reaffirm how it will be executed and who will be responsible for accomplishing this goal. In addition, this also helps define success for your client and better protects the PR team from unrealistic expectations or out-of-scope demands.

 

Establishes measurement and KPIs.

Successful communicators do not wait until the end of campaign to evaluate. Therefore, an approach to measurement and reporting should be set during the planning process and taken into consideration regularly throughout a campaign in order to monitor and assess.

 

Reporting could include media relations analysis, event management metrics, social media engagement and so much more. PR professionals should also compare a client’s coverage to competitors regularly to determine growth in overall Share of Voice.

 

If possible, integrate business results such as sales, engagement results and website traffic to connect communications objectives with business objectives. This allows you to evaluate and adjust as needed to keep strategies driving toward goals.

 

Strategic PR plans executed by professional and results-driven PR teams make all the difference. If you think your business could benefit from PR, contact Lauryn Gray at lauryn@dittoepr.com or request a consultation today.

in Communication / Media Strategy / Public Relations / Strategy 0 comments
 by dittoepr

How To Use Your PR Internship as a Networking Opportunity

By: Lyndsey Isenhower

 

If you’ve ever applied for a job, you’ve probably heard the saying, “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” The more people you connect with in the company or industry that you aim to be in, the higher chance for employment. Networking is one of the most valuable tools available to get where you want to go. And internships are a great way to begin the networking process – after all, you meet and work with people that are already in your chosen industry!

 

As a former intern myself, here are a few tips for doubling your internship as a networking opportunity:

 

Do Your Research.

On the first day of your internship, walk in knowing everything you can about the company and industry. It will be difficult to connect with professionals if you have nothing relevant to say to them, so spend time researching the company history, top executives, past achievements and even client industries if that information is available.

 

The more you know on the first day at your internship, the more reliable, interested and committed you seem to the job. When presented the opportunity to speak with executives, you will already have a basic understanding of what they do and why their work matters. From there, you can dive in and ask questions that go beyond the surface level.

 

Put Yourself in Uncomfortable Situations.

Speaking with employees at your internship may be intimidating at first; however, establishing a relationship with people in the workplace will make your time there more enjoyable and worthwhile in the long run.

 

Don’t be afraid to speak up and share ideas during team meetings because this could lead to further connection and brainstorming between you and your superiors. During downtime or breaks, engage with a variety of peers and supervisors to show your enthusiasm with being a part of the team. Bonding with fellow interns is important, but they aren’t the ones offering you a job after graduation.

 

Diving into the office banter and team lunches can be a way to experience coworkers apart from the business setting, which also helps them familiarize themselves with you. You want these people to be able to speak on your behalf, so keep it office appropriate, but be yourself.

 

Connect on Social Media.

Social media is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life, but it is also becoming more useful for businesses as well. Millennials and members of Gen Z are in the perfect position to use these platforms professionally, because we’re already so familiar from personal use.

 

Connecting on these platforms – and keeping them up-to-date – also  gives you a chance to keep up with your teammates after your internship ends. Something as simple as liking their pictures can keep you on their mind, but congratulating them on a promotion, direct messaging them to grab coffee with you or just checking in with them will be sure to make a lasting good impression.

 

Another quirk to note about social media involves the timing in which you should add your coworkers as “friends.” Adding people on social media too quick can seem forced and not genuine, so it’s better to have established a relationship first before adding them on social media. While you may connect on LinkedIn early on, you may want to wait until closer to the end of the internship to become Facebook “friends.”

 

Take Initiative.

Hopefully, taking initiative has become second nature to you by this time in your college career. Being proactive in helping your coworkers accomplish day-to-day tasks can alleviate their stress, as well as make showcase your skillset and capabilities. Employers love to see interns going above and beyond what is expected of them because it (a) shows you care and (b) helps you stand out.

 

Small tasks that have nothing to do with the job itself, like unloading the dishwasher or volunteering to grab coffee for a coworker, are great places to start when you are unfamiliar with the day-to-day tasks of the job. As silly as they may seem, these simple tasks show you’re invested in your time at the company and eager to be a part of the team.

 

Getting the most out of your PR internship requires many other steps like working hard, sharing valuable ideas, following instructions and meeting deadlines, but networking could possibly be the most long-lasting and critical takeaway from an internship.

 

Interested in applying for an internship at Dittoe PR? You won’t regret it! Learn more about the program and to apply by checking out the spring internship callout. Applications close Sept. 15!

in Internship / Media Relations / Public Relations 0 comments
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