Reaching Your Most Important Audience

for Corporate Sustainability

Communications

Jim Cabot

Managing Director

Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications

Environmental Business Council of New England

Energy Environment Economy

Reaching Your Most Important Audience for Corporate Sustainability Communications

EBC Sustainability Program Series Part Three: Communicating Achievements – Sustainability Reporting

Friday, February 7, 2014

Rasky Baerlein Overview From Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, our clients depend on us for smart, insightful counsel marked by years of experience. Since its founding in 1997, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications (RBSC) has become one of the largest independent public relations and public affairs firms.

We develop and execute integrated communications programs that achieve meaningful results—whether providing executive-level counsel, enhancing brand identity, managing a crisis or securing legislation.

With offices in Boston and Washington D.C., we offer an extensive range of both local and national strategic communications services. Our broad understanding of the economic, social and political dynamics in the markets we serve help us to anticipate challenges and build effective communications campaigns for our clients.

Our Energy and Environment Practice Expertise and Results

Rasky Baerlein’s Cleantech and Emerging Technology Practice is a national and regional leader in providing emerging technology companies with comprehensive strategic communications services.

Led by Jim Cabot, the team works with a range of organizations from developers of emerging technologies, industry consultants, telecommunications and fiber providers, cutting-edge medical technology companies, and innovative start-ups. We have a proven track record of helping clients evaluate their overall business objectives and integrate those objectives into multifaceted communication strategies that achieve tangible business results.

You’ve done all the hard work

Operational integration

Reporting

Employee engagement

Supply chain management

Human resources integration

Customer engagement

If you build it, will they know?

Brand building is a continuous campaign

Start with business objectives

Define your audiences

Do your research

Build your strategy

Implement

Assess

Improve

Building Blocks

• Research and audits

• Goal-setting

• Strategy

• Influencer mapping

• Branding and message development

• Training

• Leverage materials

• Roll-out calendar

• Active media monitoring

• Subject matter expert (SME) pitching

• Trade pitching/byline opportunities

• Engage key influencers from analysts to key stakeholders to mainstream media

• Full integration of social and digital media platforms into campaign

• Consistent check-points

• Regularly review and refine strategy and tactics

• Measure and provide regular analysis via coverage reports and performance metrics

Build the Foundation

Implement & Execute

Assess & Adjust

Goal Setting & Audience ID

• Business objectives

• Audience & stakeholder mapping

• Audits

Assessment of current media profile, competitors and industry (peers and broader industry)

Social Media Audit

• Leadership Interviews

• Formal Research: Surveys & Focus Groups

Research and Audit

• Message development

• Core positioning statement and talking points

• Supporting materials

Fact sheets

Websites

Brochures

Videos

• Prepare spokespeople :

Personal communication styles

Authentic, engaging presentation skills

Interaction with media (including on-camera)

Storytelling with prospects and customers

Messaging and Training

Design the Strategy

• Media relations

• Social media/self generated content

• Direct engagement

• Cause marketing

• Do your resources match your plan?

Media Relations

• Identify known events and press opportunities including new products, major milestones, anniversaries, etc.

• Monitor trends in identified markets and create “storyjacking” pitches to capitalize on resonant coverage in the space.

• Pitch company spokespeople as industry leaders and subject matter experts.

• Pitch byline and contributed content to trade outlets.

• Pursue opportunities for contributed digital content.

Social / Digital Media

• Monitor online presence and ensure that digital content and social network channels (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn) are fully leveraged to optimize SEO.

• Create digitally-driven content and contribute to and generate conversation around relevant issues.

• Through traditional and digital outreach, identify and engage relevant communities and stakeholders as ambassadors.

• Once identified, create opportunities for them to endorse and validate client’s solutions within key vertical markets.

• Webinars

Direct Engagement

• One on one meetings

• Roundtables

• Event attendance

Cause Marketing Worked with Covanta, our energy-from-waste client, to develop a broad coalition to

encourage fisherman to recycle nets at ports throughout the country to be used for energy

Roll Out Plan

• Roll out calendar

• Steady flow of activities

• WIP

• Weekly calls or meetings

Measurement & Reporting

• Measure results and performance against initial benchmarks and adjust tactics as needed.

Gauge the effectiveness of your communications strategy through regular coverage reports and analysis.

Quantifiable results will be based on the number of media hits and the impression rates of each media placement secured.

Categorize tonality

Measure social media impact

Audience/stakeholder research

Sustainability Communications Payoff

• Employee engagement

• Regulatory goodwill

• Customer retention

• Brand enhancement

• Increased sales

• Risk mitigation

Thank you!

Jim Cabot

Managing Director

Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications

www.rasky.com

@raskybaerlein @greentechpr @jcabot

www.facebook.com/RaskyBaerlein