Does anyone else have The Beatles “Here comes the sun” in their heads?
Yes, spring is in the air and we are all excited in anticipation of sunnier days and longer, lighter evenings. It’s the season of renewal and rejuvenation, making it the perfect time to apply that mentality to your marketing efforts.
If you’re energized to take on a ‘spring clean’, we have five suggestions to help you freshen up your marketing:
Audit your content: Take a moment to assess your existing content. Is it resonating with your audience, or have your sales team provided feedback on how to refine it further? Is there content that needs updating or archived. Can you find more recent case studies or gather testimonials from satisfied customers. Consider repurposing successful content in different formats or channels to maximize its impact.
Refresh your brand: Customer preferences, industry trends, and technology are constantly evolving. Spring presents an ideal opportunity to give your brand a makeover or refresh. Evaluate if your messaging, visuals, and tone need updating to stay aligned with your audience and business objectives. Remember, change doesn’t have to be drastic—a style update can breathe new life into your brand.
Dive into your digital channels: Review your website and social media profiles to ensure they’re up to date and optimized for search engines. Remove outdated information, broken links, or irrelevant content that may detract from your online presence.
Clean out your database: Over time, data accumulates in CRM systems, leading to duplicates, outdated information, and inaccuracies. Conduct a thorough audit of your CRM database to identify and eliminate redundant or obsolete records. Update your data management practices enhancing the quality of your database and resulting outreach.
Re-connect with your audience: As everyone emerges from their winter “caves,” use spring as an opportunity to reengage with your audience. Consider hosting an open day or tech event, organizing a webinar, or creating new video content. Launch targeted email or social media campaigns to reconnect with your audience and stay top of mind.
So, there you have it. Five ideas to help you spring clean your marketing and communication efforts! And don’t forget: “Here comes the sun, doo, dun, doo, doo…”!
In Hollywood the awards season may be coming to an end, but in the energy sector it’s all go!
This week the Offshore Achievement Awards took place in Aberdeen and ONS announced that the application portal for the ONS Innovation Awards is now open.
Some of our clients are previous award winners and industry accolades like this can really help highlight emerging technologies. In addition, awards can help companies:
Increase credibility Winning awards can significantly enhance a company’s credibility within the energy sector and beyond. It demonstrates to stakeholders, clients, and partners that the company is at the forefront of innovation and leading positive change in the industry.
Stand out In a crowded marketplace, receiving industry accolades can help a company stand out from competitors. Being recognized for groundbreaking developments or initiatives highlights the company’s unique value proposition and sets it apart as a leader in the field.
Create great PR & marketing opportunities Awards provide excellent material for PR and marketing campaigns, allowing companies to generate positive publicity and raise awareness about their achievements. Whether through press releases, social media announcements, or feature articles, winning awards can amplify a company’s visibility and reputation.
Boost morale internally Earning recognition through awards not only celebrates the company’s success but also boosts morale among employees. It validates their hard work, fosters a sense of pride in their contributions, and motivates them to continue innovating and striving for excellence.
Attract talent or investment For companies looking to attract top talent or secure investment, awards serve as powerful endorsements of their potential and credibility. Being recognised for innovation and contributions to energy transition can attract skilled professionals who are passionate about working for a forward-thinking organisation, as well as investors who see value in supporting sustainable initiatives.
Over the next few months, it’s also going to be possible to apply for these well recognized sector awards:
Hart Energy ESG Awards – deadline 5 April 2024 Open to producers, operators, services companies and midstream companies in the oil and gas industry, these awards recognise organisations for their environmental, social, governance or overall ESG impacts and accomplishments.
ONS Awards – deadline 22 May 2024 First launched in 1982, these well-established awards recognise cutting-edge technology and solutions in the energy sector. Submissions are now open.
ADIPEC Awards– deadline TBC It’s possible to register your interest now, to be kept up to date with the awards details. These awards recognise the pioneers driving transformative change toward a sustainable future. Since ADIPEC is the biggest event in the Middle East, they are not to be missed if this is a key sector for your company.
Gulf Energy Excellence Awards – deadline 12 July With categories across upstream, midstream and downstream, these US based awards recognise and celebrate cutting-edge technological developments and exceptional leadership in the industry.
Hydrogen awards – deadline 27 November For those operating in this emerging sector, these awards have been launched to recognise enterprise, innovation and excellence in relation to bringing hydrogen to market, across various sectors.
Having run for 25 years, these awards honor organisations and individuals in the energy industry who are dedicated to achieving excellence. The 2024 entry page is not live yet but we anticipate award entries being opened in the summer. Keep an eye on the website.
If the prospect of applying for an industry award appeals to you, but you don’t know where to start with the application, then please reach out. We’ve supported many clients with award entries and would happily help you create an entry, designed for success!
We live in a media centric and interconnected world. Information is constantly at our fingertips and for businesses, communicating and sharing information is essential.
A discipline intrinsic to successful communication is PR, or Public Relations. Often a profession which is widely mis-understood, PR plays a pivotal role in shaping public perception, influencing stakeholder attitudes, and establishing strong relationships with key audiences.
But what exactly is PR, and how does it contribute to the growth and sustainability of businesses and individuals? Keep reading and we’ll share how understanding and leveraging PR can help you build trust and reputation.
What is PR?
PR stands for Public Relations and is summarised by the UK’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations as follows:
“Public Relations is about reputation – the result of what you do, what you say, and what others say about you. Public Relations is the discipline that looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its public.”
Strategic alignment
It’s important to note that public relations is a strategic communications process. Before we create communication plans for our clients, it’s essential that we understand their wider business strategy. We can then develop clear communication objectives to support those goals. For example, if we know a client is looking to grow within a certain geographical market then we can align PR activity with their sales teams’ efforts and target influential publications and journalists in a specific geographical area. Effective and proactive PR is all centred on helping to deliver business goals.
PR in practice
Proactive PR
Traditional PR activities involve securing media coverage for organisations through press releases and other means. These activities include:
Identifying and writing credible, newsworthy press releases
Crafting full-length features on topics relevant to an organisation and pitching them to publications.
Placing comments on articles and features that are relevant to an organisation.
Creating opinion-led thought leadership articles, typically published exclusively in media titles, using the perspective of an individual within the organisation.
Building a reputation as an industry or topic matter expert so that media outlets contact you for your opinion when a related situation arises
A skilled PR professional is not only a talented writer who can capture an organisation’s tone and outlook but also can identify emerging news and create engaging press releases to share that news. They cultivate excellent relationships with the media outlets they target, ensuring clients take advantage of every opportunity for coverage.
In some cases, PR professionals may even create newsworthy opportunities as part of their strategy. This could involve curating a notable collaboration, organising an event, conducting industry-specific surveys, or establishing positive corporate social partnerships. The specific story created and conveyed depends on the communication objectives and the desired outcomes for the organisation.
Reactive PR
PR also encompasses crisis communications and the need to respond to a situation. How an organisation communicates in a time of crisis can heavily impact the brand, so PR professionals carefully manage the narrative during challenging situations to help preserve a brand’s reputation.
Most organisations do not leave these situations to chance, and crisis management forms a core aspect of many organisations contingency planning. From a communication perspective, emergency preparedness involves identifying scenarios and planning for the outcome. This can be as simple as developing holding statements for key personnel. The main objective is to give more clarity and confidence if the situation were to arise. This can ultimately help mitigate potentially problematic stories.
Editorial vs Advertorial
In today’s media landscape there are opportunities for paid content placement. A PR professional can identify these opportunities and create the content, but it’s important to note that this differs from earned editorial coverage. Paid content allows organisations to convey a story that may not be picked up editorially and offers greater control over the message. It does not have to be validated by an editor or journalist before being used. Whereas editorial coverage needs to be earned – it needs to be newsworthy and give insight.
PR for building trust
PR plays a crucial role in reputation building and developing trust between a brand and its audience. Through a well-managed PR strategy, trusted third parties endorse a product or business, directly influencing decisions to work with the business or purchase its products. While securing media coverage in print was historically the focus, the growth of the digital world has shifted the emphasis towards establishing an online presence.
Coverage within online media outlets increases online mentions, and having high-ranking news outlets’ direct links to your website builds trust. This also aids search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts by boosting online visibility and showcasing endorsements from others. Ultimately this can help to boost your websites authority score, as your website is referenced and recognised as a credible source of content. As the worlds of SEO, digital marketing, and PR increasingly converge, it’s increasingly valuable to have knowledge and experience across various communication disciplines to ensure all channels are maximised
By understanding the role of PR in reputation management, targeting the right audiences, and leveraging digital channels effectively, organisations can build trust, enhance their brand image, and drive business growth.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” and whether you’re physically out and about or digitally browsing / viewing, there is no getting away from the fact the festive season is approaching.
While the kids are writing their Santa letters, we are busy writing company social media content, and at this time of year we are often asked:
“Should we post a holiday message on LinkedIn?”
“Do people like Christmas card style posts?”
“Is it culturally acceptable to post Christmas content?”
What’s the answer?
Honestly, there is no correct or definitive answer to this. How you communicate as a business depends on several factors, so here are a few things that are worth considering and reflecting on when deciding the best holiday messaging strategy for your business:
Does it align with your brand values:
Never produce content for the sake of it. Consider how holiday messaging aligns with your brand values. If the festive season resonates with your company culture, go ahead, spread the joy. However, if it feels forced or inconsistent with your brand, it might be worth exploring alternative ways to engage your audience. Perhaps an end of year summary or 2024 outlook piece would work better. Giving calendar appropriate content, but from a different perspective.
Acknowledge diversity:
Many of our clients have an international focus and a customer base in regions which don’t share the same seasonal traditions. If you have a global audience, be mindful of cultural differences, but don’t automatically omit holiday post content, particularly if you’re from a country which does celebrate the holiday. Instead, consider creating content that focuses on universal themes like gratitude and reflection, rather than being overly focused on the big guy in a red suit. This inclusivity demonstrates an understanding and respect for your diverse audience, while enabling you to acknowledge your own traditions too.
Consider your terminology
Be mindful of the language you use in your holiday messages. Consider the diversity of your audience and opt for inclusive terms like “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” to encompass various celebrations, rather than “Merry Christmas”. This can help your message speak to a broader audience. Also consider this from a visual, as well as verbal perspective and if relevant, select, or create images that are less aligned with a particular cultural reference… we are thinking of the big guy again!
Know your audience:
Consider who your audience is and what resonates with them. If your B2B clientele appreciates a more formal tone, ensure your holiday messages reflect that professionalism. On the other hand, if your audience engages well with a more relaxed approach, feel free to inject humour and warmth into your seasonal content. Also consider whether you are communicating for your clients, or if this content is more about employee engagement. Tailoring your messages to suit the preferences and expectations of your specific audience ensures that your holiday communication hits the right note.
Show your personality:
If you do want to embrace the festive spirit, then it’s a great time to infuse personality into your posts. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team decorating the office tree or remotely celebrating. People connect with people, and the festive season is all about connecting and celebrating. So don’t shy away from letting your human side shine through and demonstrating your company culture by showing off your personality.
Balance is key:
Maintain a balance between festive content and your regular industry-related posts. If you do want to join in the holiday cheer, then maintaining a mix of content keeps your audience engaged without overwhelming them. Of course, Christmas countdown style campaigns can be fantastic ongoing content in December, but ensure the message is one that can last the duration and keep resonating, rather than boring your audience and turning them into the Grinch.
Spread goodwill:
Whether you align it with a wider holiday message or not, the end of the year marks is an annual milestone and opportunity to express gratitude for the last 12 months. So, thank your clients, partners, team, and followers for their support throughout the year. Authentic appreciation goes a long way and sets a positive tone for the upcoming year. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Your holiday communication should be an extension of your brand identity. So, take a moment to reflect on what feels right for your business, and have fun spreading the festive cheer… if you choose to do so!
In recent years, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have gained significant importance across all industries. As the world grapples with the challenges posed by climate change, there is increasing demand from consumers, investors, and wider stakeholders for sustainable practices and transparency. The Energy Industry in particular faces scrutiny and often backlash in this area, which only makes the need to communicate positive change stronger.
In this blog post, we will explore the significance of ESG messaging in the energy sector and discuss strategies for crafting impactful messages that drive positive change and foster sustainable transformation.
What is ESG in simple terms?
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It is a framework to evaluate a company’s or investment’s sustainability and ethical impact.
E: The “Environmental” aspect focuses on how a company’s activities impact the planet, such as carbon emissions, waste management, and resource usage.
S: The “Social” aspect assesses the company’s impact on society, including its treatment of employees, community relations, and diversity policies.
G: The “Governance” aspect evaluates the company’s leadership, transparency, and adherence to ethical practices.
ESG factors help investors and stakeholders understand a company’s overall impact beyond financial performance to promote sustainable and responsible business practices.
Understanding the power of ESG Messaging:
By effectively conveying their ESG initiatives, organizations can build trust, enhance their reputation, attract investors, and gain a competitive edge. But before you can begin to craft compelling messages, you must ensure that the organisation is doing ESG activity or has a strategy to address it. With ESG initiatives in place you can then communicate it in the best way. Here are some key aspects to consider:
Aligning with Stakeholder expectations:
Successful ESG messaging begins with understanding the expectations of various stakeholders. Conduct research to identify the specific ESG issues that matter most to your target audience. Engage with customers, investors, employees, and communities to understand their concerns and aspirations. You can create a stronger connection and foster a shared purpose by aligning your messaging with their values and ultimately use their insight to ensure the overall initiatives are inline.
Authenticity and transparency:
Authenticity is paramount when it comes to ESG messaging. Stakeholders are increasingly adept at spotting greenwashing or insincere efforts. Organizations must demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability and transparency to build trust. Communicate your goals, progress, and challenges. Embrace transparency by disclosing relevant data, performance metrics, and third-party verifications. Engage in open dialogue with stakeholders to address concerns and showcase a willingness to improve. Everyone is on an improvement journey in relation to ESG and it’s best to communicate the journey, even if you haven’t reached the end goal.
Highlighting impactful initiatives:
Showcase your efforts in renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and resource conservation. Highlight social impact initiatives like community engagement, diversity and inclusion programs, and employee well-being. Illustrate how good governance practices, ethical behaviour, and responsible leadership are embedded in your organization’s DNA.
Tailoring the message:
Like all aspects of eeffective communication, ESG messaging needs to be adapted to suit different communication channels and target audiences. Utilize a multi-channel approach, leveraging social media, corporate websites, sustainability reports, and press releases. Tailor your messaging to resonate with diverse stakeholders, using language and narratives that align with their interests and values. Use compelling stories, visuals, and case studies to illustrate the tangible impact of your sustainability initiatives.
Collaborating for greater impact:
ESG challenges are complex and require collaboration between energy companies, and other industry stakeholders. Emphasize your partnerships and collaborations to showcase your commitment to driving collective action.
Overall
Crafting effective ESG messaging in the energy sector is not just about public relations; it is a vital pathway to drive sustainable transformation. By aligning with stakeholder expectations, embracing authenticity and transparency and tailoring messages, energy sector organisations can convey their commitment to sustainability and build a better future.
At Project Neon, we understand the importance of crafting effective ESG messaging that aligns with a company’s mission, values, and ESG goals. We specialize in helping companies develop and refine their sustainability narratives, ensuring they resonate with stakeholders and drive positive change.
In a nutshell, social proof is based around the idea that people make decisions based on what other people do or say.
There’s a reason why Tripadvisor has half a billion monthly users. People are inclined to seek out the opinions and approvals of their peers.
If you’ve ever booked an AirBNB, chances are you read the reviews of previous guests prior to booking. Ratings and reviews feature prominently on AirBNB pages; ‘don’t just take our word for it – here’s what our customers have to say!’.
It’s a commonly used tactic so businesses across all sectors will always strive for your feedback. Just taken an Uber? Within minutes of being dropped off you’ll have received a prompt from the Uber app asking you to rate your driver.
It’s all about building trust and establishing authority.
Social proof has always been a key component of marketing – no more so than in the digital media age, where potential customers can instantly access reviews and ratings to influence their purchasing habits.
This is by no means restricted to B2C marketing, however, so if you’re operating in the B2B sphere and wondering whether social proof should form part of your content marketing – the answer is 100% yes. Ultimately, whether it’s B2C or B2B, you’re still targeting fellow humans.
So, with that in mind, let’s look at the most effective ways to boost your marketing efforts by letting your customers do the talking for you.
Gather customer feedback
A good starting point is to get into the habit of asking your clients or customers for feedback to be used as a testimonial. This can be as simple as dropping them an email or arranging a call to ask for specific feedback on a particular product, service or how they find working with you/your company in general. By building it into your customer relations process you’ll hopefully develop a steady stream of input. You might not use them all but it’s always useful to have a few options on file. Don’t forget to get permission to use their comment for marketing purposes.
Visualize your social proof
Once you’ve selected your relevant customer testimonial, the next step is to create some engaging visuals for social media. A branded graphic featuring the quote and a photo of the customer can go a long way. You can also add the quote and image to the relevant product page on your website.
Pro tip: Did you know videos on LinkedIn can get up to five times more engagement than still images? Elevate the testimonial with a video featuring the client/customer talking about your service. This can establish an even more authentic connection with the audience as it’s the customer speaking directly to them in their own words.
Social media
Before you post, it’s best to share what you intend to post with your client to make sure they’re happy with how they’re being presented. Make sure you @ tag them so they know it’s gone out and they’ll be more inclined to share your LinkedIn post – thus increasing its reach. Remember, the LinkedIn algorithm favors authentic interactions. So ask the customer to share and comment on the post as this will signal to LinkedIn that your post is generating meaningful discussion – and it will ultimately perform better! Pro tip: Did you know that the success of your post is partly based on the number of interactions it attracts within the first 60 minutes of posting? Monitor your post for that first hour and, where possible, reply to any comments to help increase interactions and send all the right signals to the algorithm.
Don’t forget the website
Once you’ve built up a bank of solid testimonials, consider collating them on a designated ‘customer testimonials’ page on your website. Link to it internally from relevant pages and ensure it’s easy to navigate to from the main home page.
Gold for your sales team
if your sales team are out there meeting prospects and discussing your offering then arm them with this feedback. Whether it’s a testimonial slide on a PowerPoint presentation or content in a digital brochure, quotes can often be great talking points and help your sales team do what they need to do – sell!
Media outreach
Strong social proof showcases your expertise. Media exposure helps validate your business. A mix of both is a formula for success.
Pro-actively seeking PR and feature opportunities with reputable publications has multiple benefits:
Increases your audience reach – you’ll appear on the publication website and possibly their social media channels
Boosts your SEO through link building: your website will benefit from a link from a reputable online publication – thus strengthening its authority score and visibility within search engines.
Social media content on a plate: Posting about your feature in a media publication makes for great LinkedIn content and strengthens the narrative of your brand and service offerings.
So, there you have it – the social proof is in the pudding. Get into the habit of showcasing your expertise – through the voice of your customers and clients.
As a local female business owner, our Founder and Managing Director, Laura Lewis, was asked to speak at a PWN Norway event. We thought it might be interesting for others to get insight into what she said. So here is a summary of her talk. Hope you enjoy it…
In preparation for this evening’s talk, I reached out to a few friends and asked them a simple yet thought-provoking question: What does a tipping point mean to you? The responses I received were as diverse as they were intriguing. One friend jokingly referred to her husband, another spoke of her kids, and someone even quipped about the perfect moment when a wine bottle tips just right into a glass – a delightful analogy, although not exactly what I was aiming for.
So, I turned to Google and discovered a plethora of definitions, some veering toward discussions about climate change, others diving into societal tipping points where a significant portion of society alters its behaviour. Then, there’s Malcolm Gladwell’s well-known book, “The Tipping Point,” which delves into how minor changes can lead to major impacts.
Regardless of where you look for a definition, one thing is clear: Tipping points are abstract, and each of us likely has our unique interpretation of what they entail. However, as an English graduate, the classic Oxford English Dictionary definition resonates most with me: “Tipping points are a series of small changes that result in a bigger change.”
Fundamentally, tipping points are all about change, and I’d like to illustrate this with an analogy, which as I skier I particularly cherish: the avalanche. Picture a mountain blanketed in snow, slowly accumulating layer upon layer. Over time, this snowpack reaches a critical depth, and it takes just the smallest addition—a single snowflake, a gust of wind, or the sun’s glare—to trigger an avalanche, dramatically reshaping the landscape. The buildup of snow represents the accumulation of factors or conditions that eventually reach a point of no return—a decision—the tipping point.
Now, let’s bring this concept closer to home. How many of you are not originally from Norway but now find yourselves living here? I, too, share this experience. Each of us likely has a unique story, but I doubt any of us simply woke up one morning and boarded a flight to Stavanger. The tipping point that led us here was the culmination of a series of smaller incidents.
For me, it began when my husband started traveling to Norway more frequently for work. Eventually, he was asked to work Monday to Friday in Stavanger, a challenging proposition for a pregnant wife with a new puppy. After the birth of our son, when the request came again, we decided it wasn’t feasible: either we all move, or none of us do. So, in 2016, we relocated to Norway, a significant and life-altering change.
As we’ve established, tipping points signify change, and they can be viewed from both negative and positive perspectives. Negative tipping points often evoke the feeling of being “tipped over the edge,” but they can also serve as catalysts for transformation and substantial growth. These points in our lives can:
Be transformational: leading to significant change.
Result in growth: if recognized, they can be leveraged.
Enable informed decisions: they offer foresight for planning.
Facilitate adaptation: in a state of change, agility is crucial.
Fuel personal growth: opening new opportunities.
Create societal impact: encouraging innovation.
Empower us: enabling positive change.
The last point is especially significant. Tipping points often culminate after incremental changes, and recognizing them allows us to identify, control, and harness their power for personal empowerment. Although it might be an uphill battle, we can lay the foundation for change by putting in the necessary building blocks.
Change can be accompanied by feelings of uncertainty, resilience, and excitement. Remember, no change means no growth.
Now, let’s delve into the process of identifying tipping points in our lives. Do any of you recall the character Rachel from the TV show Friends when she ran through her life plan at her 30th birthday party? Well, I was a bit like that, working diligently toward my plan in my early twenties. My focus was firmly on climbing the career ladder, and by the age of 28, I had achieved the title of Vice President of Marketing, Branding & Communications for Archer VP—a significant milestone, or so I thought.
However, life has a way of revealing new perspectives. I had a serious boyfriend at that point, who is now my husband, and I soon realized that the corporate world, with its demands and the feeling of being pulled in all directions, was not quite as glamorous as it seemed. I knew that to achieve the next items on my plan, I needed a change.
Opportunity knocked when I stumbled upon a job opening with a small company that used sports to engage employees. They organized corporate sports tournaments, and they were in need of a marketing manager to shake things up. With my passion for sports and organization, I saw a thrilling opportunity. I accepted the job offer, even though it meant a 50% pay cut and a shift from a large corporation to a small team of eight. I was well aware of the dramatic change that awaited me, but I embraced it.
Intuition and gut instinct play vital roles in identifying tipping points. Knowing yourself and your skill set is crucial. Patterns in our lives can provide clues to impending shifts, and self-reflection on past tipping points can help us identify future ones. Whether these tipping points are substantial or subtle, recognizing them is valuable because they pave the way for empowerment.
Tipping points also mark the end of a buildup or accumulation, and once identified, we gain the ability to control and harness their power. They may require effort, but the incremental nature of change allows us to set the stage for the transformation we seek.
Furthermore, the outcome of one tipping point can serve as the starting point for another journey. For me, moving to Norway was a pivotal tipping point in my life. At that time, the oil and gas industry was in a downturn, I didn’t speak Norwegian, and I couldn’t start working until my son started barnehangen. I felt like I had lost my identity and craved something more. Despite the challenges, I leveraged my background and network to start my own business.
I began as a freelancer, offering flexibility to support different companies while accommodating my family. I joined the SR bank Grunderhus and embarked on the journey of building my business. Along the way, I became inspired and co-founded Requestify, a music app designed for collaborative playlists. This journey was like a rollercoaster, typical of startup life, and I tried to manage both businesses. Eventually, I committed to Project Neon and dedicated myself fully to my own company.
The point I’m making here is that the path to a tipping point isn’t always linear. We learn, adapt, and grow, embracing the changes along the way.
When making decisions and implementing small changes to reach a tipping point, it’s essential to consider what success means to you. Society often imposes expectations of what success should look like, but it’s a deeply personal concept. For instance, my definition of success at 28 was drastically different from what I aspire to today. Even during my seven years with Project Neon, my perception of success has evolved.
Initially, I wanted the freedom and flexibility of being my own boss, with control over my work hours to accommodate my family. However, as the business grew, so did my responsibilities. Success transformed from personal work-life balance to ensuring my team’s quality of life, a shift that continues to guide my decisions.
Change inevitably involves aspects of risk and vulnerability, but sometimes tipping points are entirely out of our control. Take, for example, the inevitability of certain life changes for us as females, such as menopause. While we can’t stop these changes, we can empower ourselves to navigate them effectively.
To do so, we must:
Acknowledge inevitability: understand that change will happen.
Maintain a positive mindset: embrace change as an opportunity for transformation.
Empower with knowledge: seek information and demystify the process.
Make healthy choices: prioritize nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and mental health.
Cultivate adaptability: embrace the ups and downs of the journey.
Build a supportive network: find your tribe, share experiences, and seek advice.
Practice self-kindness: understand that it’s okay to struggle and take care of yourself during challenging times.
Tipping points offer the opportunity to redefine what you want in life, and one tipping point can lead to another.
To conclude, I’d like to leave you with a beautiful quote from Viktor E. Frankl:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space we choose how to respond. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
This quote underscores the idea that we are in control, and we have the power to choose how we respond to tipping points. Yes, the journey to a tipping point can be daunting, and it may bring stress, pain, and anxiety. However, it also presents opportunities for transformation, growth, and freedom. In that space between stimulus and response, we have the ability to take the small steps needed to create a tipping point.
Change is not always easy, but it is always a chance for growth. Embrace it and remember that every tipping point is an opportunity in disguise.
Do you ever question whether your marketing material is delivering the right message? Are you developing the right type of content? Are you activating on the right channels? We all strive to stand out from the crowd and effectively communicate our distinctiveness, but how can we ensure we’re achieving this goal?
At Project Neon, when we start working with a new client, we kick-off with a “discovery” phase. This involves holding a workshop to explore the client’s business, goals, understand their offerings, the value they deliver, their target market, and more. Armed with this knowledge we then conduct a marketing audit, as a crucial part of this process. But what exactly is a marketing audit?
Defining the marketing audit
A marketing audit comprehensively evaluates a company’s marketing messages, activities, strategies, and assets. It involves a systematic and objective analysis of the different marketing materials and channels, and their alignment with the organization’s goals. Consider it a thorough check-up of your marketing endeavours, aiming to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
The purpose of a marketing audit
The primary purpose of a marketing audit is to gain a holistic understanding of the current marketing landscape (establishing a benchmark) and identify areas that can be improved or optimized (how you can grow). Our goal is to see whether your marketing activity reflects and delivers, based on the information shared in the workshop. It explores your marketing approach, allowing us to give you our expert opinion and advice. Then you can make informed decisions and course corrections.
The value of a marketing audit
This audit is more than just a paperwork exercise. We ensure that marketing audits deliver valuable insights and create clear actionable outcomes. Here are some of the key benefits of conducting a marketing audit:
Evaluating your message: Your marketing messages serve as your brand’s voice, shaping how your target audience perceives you. Does your message resonate with your intended audience? Is it effectively conveying your unique value proposition, and differentiating you from competitors? Is it easy to understand? Are you delivering the same message across your different marketing channels, or do they differ? By looking at what you’re saying and how you’re saying it, it’s possible to evaluate your messages’ clarity and consistency, you can refine your communication strategy for maximum impact.
Assessing target market alignment: Understanding your target market is crucial for successful marketing. A marketing audit examines whether your current marketing efforts align with your target audience’s preferences, needs, and aspirations. By assessing what you are doing now we can help you refine your strategies to better connect with your ideal customers, driving higher engagement and conversion rates.
Optimizing marketing channels: In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses utilise numerous marketing channels, from your website, social media, to email campaigns and content marketing. A marketing audit assesses the effectiveness of your current channels and how they connect you to your target market. There’s no point in spending hours on Facebook content if your customers aren’t there. Equally if you’re investing in attending an event, then are your other channels strategically aligned to maximise exposure? By reviewing and allocating resources strategically it’s possible to leverage the proper channels, maximize your reach and improve your return on investment (ROI).
Reviewing marketing assets: Your marketing collateral, such as websites, brochures, ads, and videos, represent your brand visually and verbally. A marketing audit evaluates these assets’ quality, consistency, and relevance, ensuring they align with your brand identity and effectively convey your message. This review helps identify outdated or ineffective materials which need to be refreshed or replaced to maintain a strong brand presence. Equally it can identify gaps in your toolkit.
Identifying growth opportunities: by taking a step back and taking a clear look at what you’re doing, it’s also possible to see where there are gaps in your marketing strategy. It helps you see where you can expand your reach, penetrate new markets, or capitalize on emerging trends.
Fundamentally a marketing audit benchmarks your current efforts and gives everyone the insight needed to evolve and improve going forward.
They say knowledge is power and to us, at Project Neon, having this information about a client’s existing marketing efforts from the start, helps us add value and do our role more effectively. Since every company is different a rounded understanding lets us ensure the work, we do for a client is specific to their needs, not just based on generalisation.
What do you think a marketing audit on your company would tell you? We’ll leave you think on that…
