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Brand altruism in the age of COVID-19: 5 marketing mistakes you should…
Lisa Mulcahy MarketingIn the age of COVID-19, you know that many brands are attempting to "give back" to their loyal customers as a core messaging and business practice. Yet, when employed the wrong way, brand altruism can be disastrous for your reputation, not to mention a detriment to the customers you could be truly assisting. Here are five essential mistakes no brand should make when it comes to generosity during the pandemic.
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Ways to communicate value in a crisis
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementI listened to Mary Byers, CAE and author, speak to the Associated General Contractors of America on the "Next Normal." She explained, "We’ve heard a lot about the new normal — this is what happens to you. The next normal is what you choose to happen." To design the next normal, make time to assess and communicate value during a crisis. This article suggests eight ways to improve member awareness through existing platforms.
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Dealing with the loss of interpersonal respect and repairing strained relationships…
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementTrust is the foundation for all interpersonal relationships, personal and professional. Trusting and respecting another person cannot be rushed. Trust necessarily develops over time where a pattern of predictable integrity can be established. How long does that take? Sometimes months, sometimes years. It is not an overnight quality to bestow. And yet a quality that takes so long to be earned can be easily lost in one interaction. Loss of respect occurs when someone doesn’t behave in the manner you have been led to believe.
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How the pandemic is changing employees’ summer vacation plans
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMost employees use a huge chunk of their vacation time during the summer months. COVID-19 has certainly increased stress levels, making a summer break even more important. However, employees are also reconsidering their vacation time as a result of the pandemic. Recent research by Robert Half reveals how those plans have changed. According to the report, 37% of employees aren’t planning on taking a break during the summer; they plan to take it later in the year — and hope they’ll be able to travel by then.
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7 warning signs your church needs branding help now
Mark MacDonald Religious Community"You mean our church logo, right?" No. Your brand is more than a logo. It's the emotional aftertaste of an offered product or service. What you're known for. Something that'll bring a particular audience back. Sure, your logo is a visual representation of that promise but it's not your brand. Does your church have a brand? Or do you need branding help? Here are seven telling moments that say, "our church brand needs help!"
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How your business can take advantage of shifting content preferences during…
Linda Popky MarketingA funny thing has happened on our way through the COVID-19 crisis. Even as parts of the economy reopen and people are anxiously trying to return to their prior way of live, people continue to consume more and more content. Maybe it's because we all have more time available, since we aren't traveling, commuting, or attending large social events. Or, perhaps many of us are just finding this a good time to read up on topics of interest. Whatever the case, this is a great opportunity for you and your organization to get your story out to your key audiences.
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More than 300 healthcare groups encourage Congress to maintain telehealth…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareIn a step that's reminiscent of the old adage, "We're mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore," American healthcare organizations and lobbying groups are warning Congress not to cut off current reimbursements for care offered through telehealth capabilities, which have exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was sent to Congress’ leaders from 340 groups and organizations, including some of the most well-known in the country. These groups are concerned that Congress will roll back telehealth's gains when the public health emergency ends.
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US employers add 4.8 million jobs in June; jobless rate drops to 11.1%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEmployers added 4.8 million nonfarm jobs in June after hiring 2.5 million workers in May, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. June’s unemployment rate fell to 11.1% versus May’s 13.3%. Improvement in the labor market for the second straight month was due to a partial resuming of economic activity after nationwide business closures, notably in the hospitality and leisure sectors in March and April, to slow the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. That shutdown led to the loss of 22.2 million jobs.
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Customer communication guides small business reopenings amid COVID-19
Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBrett Evje, a restaurant owner in Montana, has a mantra: "Business is a two-way street." It wasn't a particularly groundbreaking statement before March. The relationship between customer and business was never something in question in the world before the coronavirus pandemic. Now, however, the simple phrase has taken on a greater measure of complexity. How businesses make the decision to open or remain closed is largely dependent on that customer-to-business relationship.
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What makes a difficult conversation difficult?
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhy are some conversations difficult? People enter almost every conversation with certain expectations and opinions. Those expectations are based on the relationship between the people and the circumstances surrounding the conversation. When it feels like those expectations or positions are being challenged, human nature often reacts initially with emotion. For example, when a co-worker with a smile on her face after a holiday weekend approaches you and asks you about your weekend, you expect a pleasant conversation. Conversely, if you made a sizable mistake and your boss asks to meet with you, you enter the discussion with a degree of apprehension.
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