Consumers aren’t listening to your brand messages. So how can you get them to pay attention and listen to you?
Alexa Miller, senior account executive at Flackable, recommends reaching out to industry influencers to establish credibility and get your brand noticed.
In this interview, she discusses why financial brands are hesitant to embrace PR, how to improve your pitching strategy and how to best engage your audience.
What do you hope to accomplish in your new role as senior account executive at Flackable?
In my new senior-level role at Flackable, I hope to further establish myself as a thought leader in the industry. I love what we’re doing at Flackable, and I want clients to come to us because they want to work with me and benefit from my ability to elevate their media presence and digital footprint.
What are some of the biggest communication challenges facing financial brands today?
Financial brands are subject to strict regulations regarding stakeholder communication, making some financial professionals fearful of embarking on social media and public relations.
Keeping up with new regulations can be tedious, but finding the right specialized PR agency can help financial brands connect with their clients and prospects through the use of social media and third-party credibility.
With so much content saturating the marketplace today, how can brands stand out?
The secret to standing out in a crowded sphere is about reaching a wider variety of influencers while establishing credibility and recognition. Engaging social media influencers and bloggers with big followings is a great way to get your brand noticed.
Finding new ways to express your message and connect with your audience, such as visuals like infographics or vlogs, can help elevate your brand from the competition. But keep in mind, these steps can only be effectively done with a targeted approach to brand marketing.
You’ve earned clients coverage in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC and more. What’s your secret to media relations success?
My No. 1 secret for finding success in media relations is to learn the reporter’s world. It’s imperative you get to know their style of work, including their niche, what kind of pitches they do and don’t want, the best time to reach them and their deadlines.
This skill takes time and experience to develop, but once you get there, you’ll realize it’s so much better to be a relationship builder rather than a list builder!
It’s no secret digital has changed the way we communicate. What are some of the ways brands need to adapt?
The digital age has fundamentally changed the consumer. Consumers now have more control and are smarter, savvier and less likely to believe a traditional marketing message.
With this shift in consumerism, it becomes crucial for brands to adapt to engage their audience. In the digital age, branding takes two-way communication. This requires brands to understand their audience, connect with them emotionally and focus on a pull strategy rather than the overloading push.
What’s the most important lesson about communication you’ve learned throughout your career?
I think that taking the time to really build the tools that help you better communicate with others can be the difference between making things work and making things more difficult.
I’ve learned that picking up the phone and calling someone is always more effective than emailing! When writing an email, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone will read and interpret your words differently.
What advice would you give to someone looking to begin a career in communication?
Your personal brand is the most important client you’ll ever have. Don’t forget that!
Rapid Fire Round
1. I always thought I’d be…famous.
2. My guiltiest pleasure is…freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
3. If I won the lottery, I’d…buy a French bulldog, or two.
4. My hobbies outside of work include…yoga, decorating, watching old movies, shopping and cooking.
5. My biggest pet peeve is…disorganization.
6. The thing that gets me up in the morning is…the news!
Images via Pixabay: 1, 2, 3