Everyone has a budget. Big, small, or in between, you have to work within those parameters. Research shows that B2B services companies, for example, spend an average of about 12% of their overall budget on marketing. It’s a wise commitment that can pay off big time.

But are you getting the most out of your marketing spend? Here’s how you can start right now.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
In a changing climate, it’s sometimes wise to step back and take a deeper look. Maybe you’ve always marketed in a certain way, and it’s worked well, but things are different today. That’s why the most important question you can ask yourself is: “How can I best market this product or service right now, given the current needs and behaviors of our target audience?”

Once you have an updated understanding of your audience and how that aligns with your company’s value proposition, you can better assess what type of marketing approach is optimal. Will it be what you did before? Maybe… but it could also turn out that a different approach will give you way more bang for your buck.

PICK THAT LOW-HANGING FRUIT
Have you tuned up your SEO lately? Updated stale content on your website? Revamped your email templates to match your overall brand? Honed your messaging? You can give your marketing efforts a quick but meaningful boost with relatively little commitment. 

MODERNIZE YOUR TOOLKIT
Digital marketing evolves quickly, and if you’re not using up-to-date tools, you may be missing out. First, check out the basics: Is your email marketing service robust enough for your needs? Is it time to switch to a marketing automation platform to more effectively manage your interactions with your target audiences? If you are already using a marketing automation platform, are you taking full advantage of customization options to provide targeted content based on audience profiles?

And what about online advertising? Are you getting the most out of it? It might be wise to look at whether the content you are providing on your website is attracting the traffic you want. If there’s a disconnect, perhaps it’s time to start using an online content insight tool like BuzzSumo to better understand what topics are connecting with people. And once you’ve identified the right subject matter, you can decide whether to add something like an e-book or podcast to share your thought leadership with maximum impact.

Don’t Waste Money on Mediocre Marketing
Slapdash efforts are not only a waste of money, they can be actively detrimental to your brand. On the other hand: High quality marketing is worth the work. And it might cost less than you think to develop a tightly focused campaign, or a small social media spend. Or maybe you need to invest some time in your brand: build personas, understand your audience behaviors, find their pain points, and develop refined, effective messaging. It will reward you handsomely down the road.

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Denise Hart is President of O2 Lab, a marketing firm focused on technology and healthcare organizations; deploying digital, print, motion, and social media campaigns that drive results.

When you’re bringing people back into the office post-lockdown, nothing is more important than communicating well. Before, during, and after the transition, staff need to get up to speed quickly on all new protocols and restrictions to ensure a smooth, safe re-entry. They also need to hear from you as a form of reassurance that the company has a strong, well conceived plan. Effective internal communications takes smart thinking—and some of the same tools you use to market to outside audiences.

Here are some ground rules.

Choose Clarity.
This is not the time for vagueness. If you want to achieve your reopening goals, you need to be absolutely clear—word choice matters. For example, there’s a difference between saying “wear a mask” and saying “masks must be worn in public spaces where 6-foot social distancing is not possible.” Make sure your messaging is aligned across all communications and throughout all departments to eliminate any confusion or the appearance of disorganization.

Marketing during a global crisis can seem like an impossible task. More and more Americans are unemployed due to the current pandemic, and no one knows what the next week will look like, much less the next sales quarter.

While we work from home to help flatten the curve during this pandemic, we are also working hard to help our clients navigate a time of deep uncertainty and change. We’d like to share with you some insights gleaned from this “new normal.”

Zoë Morris is President at a niche technology staffing firm Mason Frank International. Under her leadership, the company has achieved substantial year-on-year growth and won many industry-based awards.

When it comes to getting more women into the tech industry, there’s work to be done across the board.

The WIT Job Fair is only days away and you are ready to find your dream job!  If you haven’t signed up yet, feel free to do so here.  When you do, you are strongly encouraged to submit your resume.  Since WIT is in the business of setting you up for success, the organization sends your resume to Job Fair prospective employers and exhibitors.  This is great because interested employer could contact you prior to the event about current and upcoming positions.  See – you are already a leg up and you haven’t even stepped foot into the job fair!

To make this great a reality, you need a killer resume.

As WIT President-Elect Daphne Wotherspoon’s previous blog post mentioned, “...don’t just dust off your old resume, slap your latest role at the top and hit print! Take the time to ensure your resume is aligned with your brand and that it tells a great story about what you’ve done.”

Most recruiters will only review your resume for up to 6 seconds.  Therefore, you need to design a resume that will effectively communicate your experience and value proposition in less than 6 seconds.

Here is a checklist for you to follow as you revamp and review your resume for the career fair.  Give yourself enough time to review your resume.  It may be thorough and excruciating, but this investment in your resume will pay off mad dividends.

 

This month’s blog posting is an excerpt from the WIT.Wire on kids and cyber safety.

WIT Cyber Tips: Educating Kids on Cyber Safety  

Who do you think won last week’s Republican debate? I welcome your comments to this post.

Rebecca Shambaugh’s Biography

Rebecca Shambaugh is an internationally recognized leadership expert, author, and keynote speaker. She speaks before thousands of leaders around the world every year, challenging conventional wisdom and overturning assumptions about how to lead in today’s business environment. Her compelling and new vision for leadership in the 21st Century has electrified and inspired audiences on six continents.

Rebecca is President of SHAMBAUGH, a global leadership development organization and Founder of Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL), one of the first executive leadership development programs in the country, dedicated to the research, advancement, and retention of women leaders and executives. Rebecca has coached and advised over a hundred leaders and executives and has enhanced their overall level of excellence in such areas as communications, strategic thinking, inclusive leadership, employee engagement, executive presence, and culture transformation.

Prior to starting her own company, Rebecca has worked for such premier organizations as General Motors, Fairchild Industries, and Amax Inc. as a senior executive in the leadership and human capital arena.

Rebecca has been showcased on CNBC, TED Talks, Fox News (New York), NPR, Washington Business, ABC, and numerous syndicated radio talk shows. She has been featured in publications such as: Leader to Leader, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Time Magazine, USA Today, Fortune Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Pink Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Rebecca is a known thought leader in the industry and is the author of two best seller books titled, “It’s Not A Glass Ceiling, It’s A Sticky Floor” and “Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton,” and her new book, “Make Room For Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model To Achieve Extraordinary Results,” all published by McGraw-Hill. Her books illustrate her unconventional and results-focused approach to creating great leaders.

Rebecca partners with a cross-section of clients such as: Booz Allen Hamilton, Dow Chemical, Hilton Worldwide, KPMG, Marriott International, IBM, Cisco, National Grid, Humana, HP, Intelsat, MedImmune, Microsoft, and J&J. She is a member of the National Press Club, the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., on the Board of Visitors for Marymount University, on the Board of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, and on the Executive Board for the Virginia Women’s Center. Rebecca is also the Chairman of the Board of Young Women Lead and an Executive Partner for Bentley University’s Center for Women and Business, as well as on the Board of the Red Cross. Other accomplishments include recipient of the Smart CEO Brava! Award, Women Who Mean Business Award, Entrepreneur Organization of the Year Award, and Finalist for the Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award for Woman-Owned Business of the Year.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Relations from Purdue University and a Master of Arts Degree in Organizational Development from Marymount University.

This month’s blog posting is from Mary Davie, you may remember her as one of the speakers on our June 19th panel for Government Leaders at the Helm. Please see her bio after the blog post.

FY 2014 Delivers Enterprise Growth in Wireless - Excerpted from Mary Davie’s “Great Government through Technology” GSA Blog

This month’s blog posting is from Mary Davie, you may remember her as one of the speakers on our June 19^th panel for Government Leaders at the Helm. Please see her bio after the blog post.

“Easy to Find, Easy to Buy” – Envisioning the Next Step for Cloud Computing on IT Schedule 70

By Angela Orebaugh

I live in a high-tech world and my passion is the environment. Recently, I’ve been doing some reading and thinking about how technology can both help and harm our environment. I have addressed this issue indirectly through a number of my articles in this column, including suggesting the consolidation of electronic devices on your smart phone (i.e., combining phone, camera, video, GPS, and games); weighing the green aspects of the Apple iPad versus the resources that it still takes to make one; recycling e-waste; and countless other areas. This article is more direct: how is technology helping or harming our environment? 

By Angela Orebaugh, Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber Fellow

• iPads. Apple stores collect used iPads to donate to Teach for America, allowing teachers in the neediest areas to have iPads.
• Computers. Used computers can be donated to Computers with Causes and World Computer Exchange for classrooms in the U.S. and overseas. Computers with Causes even offer a free vacation voucher with donation. World Computer Exchange takes working computer parts.
• Cell phones. Many organizations, including Cell Phones for Soldiers, EcoCell, and March of Dimes accept used cell phones. Sprint and Verizon offer take-back programs for donating used phones to charity. Many Booz Allen locations have regular cell phone collection boxes or drives. Check with your local Green Office Team or Facilities Offices Services team to see if your office has a program.
• Other Electronics. Recycling for Charities accepts many types of electronics including cell phones, MP3 players, and cameras. It allows you to select the charity to receive your donation.
• Printer Cartridges. In addition to electronics, Cartridges for Kids accepts all brands of laser and inkjet cartridges and donates the proceeds to the school or charity of your choice.

Make sure to check with the organization about tax incentives-your donation may be tax deductible. Happy cleaning!

By Angela Orebaugh, Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber Fellow

Over the past year, we've seen a number of destructive natural events from the June “derecho” that struck the Metro DC area to Hurricane Sandy. These storms caused billions of dollars in damage to buildings and infrastructure, including mass disruption of electrical service. On more than one occasion, electrical crews from dozens of neighboring states were called upon to help repair power lines and restore service to customers. This isn't something I remember seeing much of in the past, but as the population grows and cities and towns expand, the same outdated electric grid is expanding and serving more and more people by the day. During power outages, many without generators flock to the stores in hopes of finding one. Generators provide a temporary crutch until the main power supply is restored, but generators require fuel, often in the form of gas or propane. As we are seeing in New York and New Jersey in the aftermath of Sandy, the gasoline supply is becoming scarce (or inoperable due to lack of power) and rationing and long lines are the current norm.