BroadBased Communications: Marketing, Public Relations, Graphic Design

So you’ve convinced the CEO that social media is here to stay and you’ve been given the green light to test a program. Now what? How do you use your internal and external resources most efficiently? Maybe you’re ready to jump in but prefer some guidance before the training wheels come off.

“BroadBased has a protocol to guide you to the right social media channels for your company,” says BroadBased’s Digital Media Strategist Tonisha Landry-Gaines. “Our steps include situation analysis, implementation, content development, customer acquisition, promotion and tracking. And just as with a traditional marketing strategy, there is no cookie-cutter answer that fits every company. Our recommendations are custom.”

Locally, The Blood Alliance is an example of a non-profit organization using social media to stay in touch with its audience. “Twitter and Facebook are just one part of a very comprehensive marketing plan,” says Valerie Collins, COO. “Tonisha has been very helpful in sharing best practices and providing structure and guidance to our team as we grow our efforts.”

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities, Social Media Planning, Web/Interactive Development

Over the years, we’ve seen many of our clients turn away from the elaborate, full-color, magazine-style annual report toward simpler, shorter print treatments. And many companies across the U.S. (as many as 75 to 85 percent by some estimates) have gone on-line with their annual reports, regardless of the size or breadth of their print version.

“What used to be a standard-bearer in the industry — the full-sized, glossy annual report — is no more for many companies,” said BroadBased CEO Jan Korb. “Our clients tell us that cost considerations and the movement toward more environmentally friendly communications have been influences. Many clients, even before this recent recession, had cut back to color ‘wraps’ around their 10-Ks. Although there will always be a need for a print version to some degree, the emphasis is on-line.”

The growing trend is toward more interactive components and “moving parts” in the on-line version of the annual report, Korb explains. “Video, either including the entire report or used to highlight management, products or special initiatives, is a trend that is catching on fast.”

Another feature to consider for your investor relations communications is a searchable, page-flippable, printable and web-linkable product to post to your Web site or corporate blog. These types of documents can easily be referenced from your print, email or on-line communications and greatly enhance your user experience. And they save you printing and mailing costs as well.

Whatever direction you take for your annual report this year, consider incorporating some of the new trends. Email jkorb@bbased.com to talk about non-traditional options.

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities, Corporate Communications, Web/Interactive Development

So your company has experimented with social media over the last year and you “get it.” Now you’re ready to commit to a program and you want to do it right. How do you use your internal and external resources most efficiently? Are you ready to jump in but prefer some guidance before the training wheels come off?

BroadBased has created a research-based protocol to help you determine what social media channels are right for your organization. We’ll guide you through the planning, content development, launch and measurement of a social media marketing program.

“New tools are being created at an incredible speed and quantity,” says Sean Collins, Web Designer for BroadBased Communications. “Do you want to integrate your blog into an information highway that feeds your other channels? No problem. Have you been hoping for a tool that allows multiple internal departments to contribute to your social media feed? No problem,” says Collins.

Social media is just one component to an overall marketing and public relations plan. BroadBased follows a comprehensive process to identify each company’s external needs and internal resources. “Just as with a traditional marketing strategy, there is no cookie-cutter answer that fits every company,” says BroadBased CEO Jan Korb. “So we developed our own process, similar to the one we use for creating traditional marketing and PR strategies. This process is a logical guide to social media strategy development.”

How Does it Work?

Similar to traditional marketing and PR strategies, we begin with an audit of your resources and needs. This guides us in determining which social media channels will be the best complement to your existing marketing and PR programs. Then we review your goals, expectations, internal resources and budget before making our final recommendation.

Ready to Start?

Email jkorb@bbased.com to receive a Social Media Marketing Questionnaire, the first step to implementing your custom social media solution.

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities, Marketing Planning, Public/Media Relations, Social Media Planning, Web/Interactive Development

A new brochure for client Mac Papers is now available and highlights the benefits of their Mac Papers Envelope Converters (MPEC) division. MPEC delivers cost-saving solutions for customers who need printed envelopes — either standard or custom designed — in bulk quantities. You might not know it, but MPEC, in business since 1967, manufactures and prints up to 15 million envelopes every day!

For information on your own custom envelope program, contact Marketing Director David Bowers at david.bowers@macpapers.com.

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities, Corporate Communications

This custom illustration was produced for Coastal Law Magazine by Daniel Vasconcellos.

Custom illustration can add the perfect touch of personality and precision to support your brand, product or service.

At BroadBased, we are big fans of custom illustration and regularly provide illustration solutions in our presentation mix. Custom illustration enables designers to apply a precise graphic solution to describe a product, service or process. It also:

• Engages the reader in a way that cannot be accomplished with stock photography or illustration.
• Virtually guarantees that you will never see your imagery used by anyone else.
• Suits the appropriate tone of your piece and reflects your taste, whether for watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, or computer generated images.

At BroadBased, we depend on a host of illustration specialists from all over the country.

“During a nearly 10-year career designing regional and national magazines, I commissioned hundreds of illustrations,” said Jan Korb, CEO. “That group of talent remains a huge resource for me, and I admire them greatly. I couldn’t imagine not including illustration options among our creative solutions.”

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities

BroadBased owner Jan Korb turned up a surprising result when studying the company’s first quarter business mix.

“We have several in-house services that we track including public relations, marketing planning and print and online development,” says Korb. “While it certainly takes more than one quarter for a trend to take shape, we are very surprised to see that development of print materials is well ahead of the volume forecasted. This comes after five years of steady decline in print development. That’s pretty stunning to me.”

What does this mean? Is it an anomaly? Is it a return to simpler times, simpler media? Have clients spent the last several years building an online presence and simply run out of printed collateral?

Where our clients spend their marketing dollars is important to us as we plan staffing and equipment according to our forecasts. It’s essential that we provide the service mix that meets or exceeds our client requirements, so we’re keeping a close eye on where this trend may be going.

Most popular print product developed in the first quarter:

• Handbooks for recruiting and retention of employees
• Corporate magazines
• Capabilities brochures
• Direct mail

The Printers’ Perspective

Jon Cummins, CEO and President at Paramount Performance Marketing, said diversity is definitely the key to surviving in this economy. “Commercial printing, while down approximately 8%, is still one of the largest and most important manufacturing businesses in the U.S. ($98 billion in total sales). We are being strategically optimistic. While the current economic conditions are certainly challenging, it is the best time to redefine ourselves.”

Ami Caswell of Hartley Press reports that business has indeed suffered since the economy tanked late in 2008. But although some regular publications have been pulled to the Web, the company is holding steady, and its diversified business base is yielding some distinctly bright spots. Of note:

• Direct mail is definitely on an upswing. For example, although expected to go away just a few years ago, it turns out print catalogues continue to remain strong.
• Health care industry is investing heavily in print.
• Stimulus money is starting to trigger printing projects – proposals, informational brochures in businesses like transportation, public infrastructure.

We’ll continue to watch what may be a developing trend and report our findings to you. We can only conclude that using all appropriate media as part of an integrated, strategic marketing communications plan is the way to go for our clients.

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities, Corporate Communications

Two BroadBased employees recently shared moments in the sun with area children. More than 200 children participated in the latest RALLY Jacksonville! event – Great Outdoor Adventure – as part of Mayor Peyton’s Book Club early literacy program.

During the morning’s activities, Jacksonville Mayor Peyton was present to help with a tree planting. The children heard stories, took nature walks and had their photos taken with RALLY! mascots Pete the Dog and Chlorophyllis. They returned home armed with gifts of seeds, birdhouses, and healthy treats.

BroadBased Traffic Manager Joy Jarrell supervised the photo booth, and Web Designer Sean Collins helped serve treats at the Native Sun table.

“Our table was a big success,” said Collins. “All in all, it was a great turnout and a great day.”

BroadBased Communications was the creative team behind RALLY Jacksonville! in the program’s first season. Now, aside from volunteer projects, BroadBased personnel continue to work with RALLY Jacksonville! and its current staff.

“At this point, it’s a labor of love for us,” said Jarrell.

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities

Thinking of cost-effective ways to punch up your advertising on a limited budget? Everything old is new again – try imprinted specialty items.

According to recent advertising research, those imprinted mugs, caps, bags and pens are more powerful advertising messengers than you might think, and they’re cheaper per impression than any other form of media.

Consider this: Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) data show that the average cost per impression of a specialty item is $0.004. Compare that figure to one for any other form of advertising (according to Nielsen Media data):

• National magazine ad $0.033
• Newspaper ad $0.0129
• Prime time TV ad $0.019
• Cable TV ad $0.007
• Spot radio ad $0.005

Not only are specialty items cheaper, but they have more staying power with recipients. The ASI’s recent survey showed that 84 percent of people remember the advertiser, 42 percent have a more favorable impression of the advertiser after receiving an item, and 62 percent have done repeat business with the advertiser after they received the item.

According to recipients, they’re most likely to hold on to (in order of magnitude) pens, shirts, caps and bags.

So call Joy at BroadBased to order up those key chains, pens and coffee mugs. They work hard to promote your business!

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities

Continuing the branding theme developed by BroadBased in 2004 for RALLY Jacksonville! and Mayor Peyton’s Book Club, the newest component of the Book Club is the Great Outdoor Adventure. The new logo, developed by BroadBased and drawn by children’s book illustrator Ethan Long, features Mayor Peyton and Pete the Dog ready for some outdoor fun! The Great Outdoor Adventure will provide opportunities for Jacksonville 4-year-olds and their families to get outdoors and learn about nature, conservation and the environment.

In addition to the original 11 books and other literacy tools provided to members of Mayor Peyton’s Book Club, members will also now receive a twelfth book. The new book, “We’re Going Green!”, developed by BroadBased and printed on recycled paper, is sponsored by JEA and focuses on “going green.” It will launch with the 2008 rollout of RALLY Jacksonville!

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities

Nearly 50 CSX employees are riding in the PGA TOUR Cycle to the Shore 2008 September 20 and 21. Cycle to the Shore is a two-day 172-mile ride from St. Augustine to Daytona and back, and benefits MS. For the fifth consecutive year, the CSX cyclists will sport team jerseys designed by BroadBased Communications. This year’s “green” theme, designed by Carolyn Audije, was intended to portray CSX trains as a green shipping alternative to trucks – just as cycling is a green alternative to cars. In fact, CSX trains can carry a ton of freight 423 miles on one gallon of fuel! We think it is very appropriate that CSX’s corporate colors of blue and yellow combine to make environmental green!

Posted in Brand Development, BroadBased, Capabilities