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Posts Tagged ‘Mary Beth West Consulting’

Being True to Your Brand: What Works

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By Joe Bogardus

Selectivity works.

In this time of instant communication across a myriad of channels, selecting when and how to respond to a brand criticism presents an added challenge to the art of brand management.

There is a growing apprehension among senior managers that one tweet, one blog posting or an unkind brand comment will devastate the brand forever. Helping managers deal with their cyberspace concerns requires thoughtful and selective counsel.

Here are a few quick considerations that should be deliberated or offered to managers when confronted with an uncomplimentary remark:

Consider the source – is a long-time user of the brand complaining?
Seriousness – is what is being reported a really grave matter?
Totality – will this situation make a difference to all of the brand users?
Repetition – has this circumstance been previously reported?
Restoration or Aggravation – will a response be a solution or feed the complaint?
Environment – where was the comment posted? The larger the audience, the greater the potential fallout.

Using these criteria should help the evaluation process and eliminate the majority of the cranks, quacks and minimalists when it comes to unpopular brand comments.

Still, the biggest challenge of all remains selecting when and when not to respond to a brand criticism. It’s a judgment call, but a call that needs to be made nonetheless in order to be true to your brand.

Tags: brand, brand management, Joe Bogardus, Mary Beth West Consulting
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Mendence Promoted to Senior Account Service Coordinator

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Maryville, Tenn. — Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC, a public relations and reputation management consulting firm in Maryville, Tenn., announced today the promotion of Mallorie Evans Mendence to senior account service coordinator.

Mendence – a Blount County native and graduate of Maryville High School – joined Mary Beth West in December 2007, following her graduation with honors from Berry College in Rome, Ga., with a degree in public relations, as well as completion of a summer internship with Mary Beth West and other practicum experience.

In her position with the firm, Mendence works with the account team to coordinate campaigns for agency clients, such as Blount Education Initiative and Dominion Virginia Power. Mendence has previously served on the board of the Community Food Connection of Blount County and currently serves on the board of the Maryville City Schools Foundation. She is an associate member of the Public Relations Society of America / Volunteer Chapter.

“Mallorie brings qualities to her work that every young professional in public relations should aspire to, including a focus on ethics and understanding how to manage the process of real relationship-building,” West said. “She has made many valuable contributions to our team.”

Mendence received several recognitions while at Berry College, graduating cum laude and making the academic Dean’s list for four semesters. Other honors included being named to the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and being selected to Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.

Mendence lives in Maryville with her husband, Eddie, who teaches English at Maryville High School.

Established in 2003 and located in the Law Building in downtown Maryville, Mary Beth West Consulting works with clients to advance their communications, relationships and reputations to meet business objectives. The firm’s services include integrated brand marketing communications strategies and campaigns; media, community and employee relations programs; social and interactive media strategies and program management; crisis preparedness; and special events.

Tags: Berry College, communications, Mallorie Evans Mendence, Mallorie Mendence, Mary Beth West Consulting, Maryville High School, Public Relations
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Achieving Work-Life Balance

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

By Amy Schwinge

What is your definition of work-life balance ? I think before you can achieve work-life balance, you have to define what it means to you. Work-life balance is a relative term that can mean different things for different people.

First of all, I would recommend identifying the priorities you want to achieve in both your personal and work activities. Then, focus on those priorities, and plan the rest of your life around those priorities.

Many of you probably are thinking that this is easier said than done, right? Well, it’s a start.

I like to follow the advice of Albert Einstein who said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

I would imagine that most of us are moving rapidly in this day and time, and the balance is more like a juggling act. The key is to channel that movement into your top priorities. Whether your priorities are balancing family, work, volunteer activities, religious activities or school, list your top priorities of each, and attempt to achieve those goals in a manageable schedule.

According to worklifebalance.com, “Work-life balance does not mean an equal balance. Trying to schedule an equal number of hours for each of your various work and personal activities is usually unrewarding and unrealistic. Life is and should be more fluid than that.

Your best individual work-life balance will vary over time, often on a daily basis. The right balance for you today will probably be different for you tomorrow. The right balance for you when you are single will be different when you marry, or if you have children; when you start a new career versus when you are nearing retirement.”

For me, I strive to exceed the expectations and goals of our clients and my manager at work while spending as much quality time as possible with my family in addition to teaching online classes from time to time.

Recently, I had a Daughter-Mommy day with my five-year-old, and in her words, “It was the best day ever.” We went to lunch together, her gymnastics class, then shopping. While at the mall, she asked if she could get her ears pierced—kind of out of the blue. Whenever the subject of getting her ears pierced had come up in the past, my husband and I always told her it was her decision IF and when she wanted to do it. So, she did get her ears pierced—with no tears surprisingly. She was on top of the world, and so was I. We had a great rest of the evening as a family when my hubby got home from work. I definitely achieved my family balance that day!

What are some examples of your work-life balance?

Tags: Albert Einstein, Amy Schwinge, balance, Mary Beth West Consulting, work, work / life balance
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East Tennessee Firms Launch Interactive Springboard

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Interactive Agency and PR Firm Start Joint Venture

Knoxville and Maryville, Tenn. — Blue Media Boutique, a web development and interactive agency, and Mary Beth West Consulting, a public relations and reputation management consulting firm, announced today the launch of Interactive Springboard, a joint venture that provides an integrated, research-based approach to social media that supports client marketing communications.

The firms, led by Tori Rose of Blue Media Boutique and Mary Beth West, have partnered successfully on several diverse client projects since 2008 involving web strategy and social media and are now formalizing their collaboration under the Interactive Springboard name.

“Our work model is unique to this market in both its collaborative approach between two highly specialized firms and its focus on utilizing market research,” West said. “Many current social media programs suffer two missing links: the effective use of audience research and a content-development process that drives dynamic relationship-building. Our team is prepared to meet those client needs for better online engagement.”

According to West and Rose, the best web development and social media strategies demand client-specific audience research as the foundation. Without that research, companies risk taking a “shotgun” approach and failing to realize the benefits of social and online community-building to their true potential.

In some cases, companies get in over their heads and launch social media applications that they are unable to support with consistent and relevant content for their online audiences, resulting in a loss of credibility with customers and the public alike, Rose said.

“Great social media execution is the ultimate moving target today,” Rose said. “With the constant changes taking place in social media technology development and use by consumers and businesses worldwide, it’s critical for clients to know their own customer base first-hand and how their media-use behaviors are trending.”

Both firms comprising Interactive Springboard offer diverse team backgrounds and have their own histories of extensive work partnering with other third-party agencies and teams, both in the Knoxville market and beyond.

Blue Media Boutique’s design, programming and animation professionals are based across the continent and include a collective 50-plus years of interactive and web development experience.

Rose’s background is extensive and diverse, spanning several marketing disciplines over a period of 16 years at companies in the United States and Canada. Most recently, as vice president, creative director of RIVR Media Interactive (RMI), Rose was responsible for RMI’s creative vision, design, and interactive projects for a wide variety of clients, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Shell, Gibbes Museum of Art, and Duke University. In addition to launching RMI’s first property, Needled.com, Rose developed three award-winning pieces for the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP) and won a PRSA and IABC award for two Morrison Management Specialists projects.

Prior to RIVR, Rose served as creative director of Edison Schools in New York, Chris Whittle’s entrepreneurial initiative to change public education in America. Rose was a key player in the design and development of Edison’s distance learning initiative—using live video, animation and Internet resources to deliver a K-12 curriculum program and professional development training to the classroom. She holds a master’s degree in media from The New School University and a bachelor of arts degree from Wake Forest University.

The team at Mary Beth West Consulting includes a collective 75-plus years of marketing communications and public relations experience working in-house with such companies as General Motors, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association, Eastman Kodak, Corrections Corporation of America and Champion Products.

Accredited in public relations, Mary Beth West’s own 16-year career has included award-winning work producing national media relations campaigns, employee communications programs and crisis preparedness systems in the energy, financial services and corporate sectors.

West has served two appointments on the national board of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world’s largest organization of public relations professionals, and is a past president of the Knoxville-based PRSA Volunteer Chapter. She serves on the UT College of Communication and Information Board of Visitors.

Interactive Springboard can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

About Blue Media Boutique
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Blue Media Boutique provides creative, technology and marketing services, including design, development, animation, video, illustration, branding, print, e-commerce, database, CMS, search optimization, copywriting, promotions, events and campaigns.

About Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC
Based in Maryville, Tenn., Mary Beth West Consulting advances clients’ communications, relationships and reputations to meet business and organizational objectives. The firm’s services include research strategy, integrated marketing communications campaigns; media, community and employee relations programs; interactive media strategy and program management; crisis preparedness; and special events.

Tags: Blue Media Boutique, interactive agency, Interactive Springboard, marketing communications, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, PR firm, Public Relations, public relations and reputation management consulting firm, social media, Tori Rose
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Balancing Work and Personal Fulfillment . . . Monday and Every Day

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

By Tyra Haag

“Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays.”

This is one of my favorite quotes from a brilliant comedy—the 1999 film “Office Space.”

One way I avoid a “case of the Mondays” and achieve a greater work-life balance is to spend time volunteering in and around the Knoxville community. Volunteering with great organizations like the Friends of the Smokies, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Oak Ridge Playhouse (just to name a few) not only fulfill me more than those I’m actually serving , but they also have allowed me to communicate with different groups in different types of settings.

Spending time as a volunteer and being a good leader outside your company allows you to carry over those same qualities into your professional environment. With the right mind-set and support system (thankfully, mine includes a wonderfully helpful, supportive and understanding husband), achieving a better work-life balance is possible.

Of course, extracurricular activities outside the office should never be a substitute for professional development opportunities. Employees always should have a thirst for knowledge and growth within their respective profession.

Simply put, happy employees are productive employees. It’s certainly refreshing to work for an agency that encourages harmony between work and play, so that I can perform at my best.

For me, a better work-life balance produces greater productivity in the office, increased well-being at home and the opportunity to express myself through several creative outlets, so that when my alarm clock goes off on Monday mornings, this working mom doesn’t have a “case of the Mondays.”

Tags: Big Brothers Big Sisters, employees, Friends of the Smokies, Knoxville, Mary Beth West Consulting, Oak Ridge Playhouse, Tyra Haag, Volunteer, work / life balance
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A Quick Take From the Work/Life Balance Trenches

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

Having just returned to work in recent weeks from an all-too-abbreviated maternity leave (there ain’t no gettin’ around having your name on the door), it’s appropriate for me that this month’s theme for “In the Profession” is the subject of work/life balance.

In case you’re looking for some tips on the subject, here’s a timely piece from WSJ Online, “For More Workers, Home is Where the Office Is”.

A lot of this article – for me – harkens back to 2002, on the eve of when I started Mary Beth West Consulting from my upstairs home office, which is the size of a nice walk-in closet. That office is getting some more use these days, as for the third time I’m changing diapers anew, struggling with sleep deprivation and cashing in on one of those perks of owning your own shop – setting your own hours, however gosh-forsaken they might be.

I pride myself on having somewhat mastered the art, science and logistical calisthenics involved with managing a marriage, a home, a growing family with very young kids and an entrepreneurial business in which I believe passionately and love sharing with a team of top-notch colleagues.

And probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned on my journey since 2002: when you can find that place where pursuing your dream isn’t tearing you apart, then you’ve achieved something significant . . . because the longer I look around, the more elusive I find that this place is for so many people, women and men alike.

A few of my own tips along these lines:

Keep any overly idealized notions of “work/life balance” at arm’s length. Each day in its pursuit will always be fraught with imperfections. Just roll with it. Do your best, and actively listen to your instincts of where your time holds greatest value to the quality of your life and those you love.
Don’t forego the things in life apart from work that bring you great spiritual and emotional fulfillment. They’re what make life worth living.
Most importantly – understand that there may always be someone who judges you negatively for the choices you make “in the pursuit of . . .” – whatever that might be. Be mindful that someone else’s hurtful judgment calls are often driven by their own sense of insecurity about the decisions that they themselves have made. Listen to the right voices.

Tags: family, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, maternity leave, women, work / life balance
Posted in Public Relations | 1 Comment »

The Reputational Fallout of Compensation Run Amok

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

We read with interest today’s Barron’s article on many Wall Street firms’ stubborn determination to grant lofty employee compensation packages, and in so doing, shoot their public reputations in the foot.

While many of these firms don’t feel any necessity to care what Main Street thinks, of far greater concern to their self-interests is their ability to stem federal regulation threats as well.

That’s why it’s such a head-scratcher that these companies remain tone-deaf on how their pay decisions drive animosities among influential constituencies that have the power to make life unpleasant.

Here’s a quick run-down of these firms’ enemies-in-the-making:

Other Employees: PR 101 has always taught that employees stand as a company’s most critical – and oftentimes overlooked – audience. In keeping with that reality, it would be interesting for these firms to survey all of their employees who are not the beneficiaries of generous pay packages to gauge their sentiments and the impact on these employees’ performance, including the resulting quality of products / services and other bottom-line costs (i.e. employee turnover, etc.). After all, it’s not easy working on less compensated rungs of the corporate ladder for a company under such public scrutiny for excesses.
Shareholders: As stated in this Barron’s piece, it’s basically time for shareholders to take back the store and say “enough is enough” – if, in fact, they feel that way. We’re curious why firm managements invite shareholder activism with decisions that clearly take money away from shareholders’ own returns and jeopardize a variety of long-term corporate interests. It’s even more puzzling why many shareholders appear to stand idly by, allowing it to happen. Of course, so much of the shareholder public is institutional that to complain would be the ultimate pot-calling-the-kettle-black.
John and Jane Q. Taxpayer: Witness last week’s Massachusetts election to see how public sentiments are going on the economy, and it’s no wonder why public outrage is also fueling reactions by enemies 4 and 5 on this list.
Congress: Never shy about grandstanding and piling on to score political points, many congressional leaders and others in government ranks are handed slings and arrows on a silver platter by these companies every time large compensation pay-outs are made public. These decision-makers have real authority to exact costly, long-term damage in the form of new regulations, taxes, fines and other penalties levied on over-generous firms.
The Media: With the 24/7 capability to inform and influence all audiences on this list, the media consistently cover stories of seemingly irresponsible and out-of-touch corporate decisions – some in a balanced way that allows all perspectives to be represented, but many with a far more specific, anti-corporate agenda. Again, so many companies put a great-big target on their foreheads with their decisions regarding pay (among other things), and for what real benefit?

So come on – are doling out those paychecks and stock awards really worth it to these companies in the long-run? Some will say yes . . . that even in today’s job market, it’s a necessary and value-balanced price to pay to retain high-level, high-performance employees. Plus, the ones defending the decisions are the ones getting paid.

While we advocate for companies’ rights to make their own decisions in this regard and to defend them as they will, we have to question the rationale as well as the net impact on reputation. Corporate boards would be wise to take the issue under closer evaluation.

Tags: Barron, compensation packages, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, public reputation, Wall Street
Posted in Public Relations | 1 Comment »

The Power of Visual Media Done Well

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

Having lunch last week with DoubleJay Creative’s Larsen Jay, I was reminded of what a world-class visual media firm Knoxville has in its own backyard . . . and yet another example where collaboration with an outside company can bring best-of-breed strengths to a client project.

DoubleJay Creative is one of a handful of specialty firms with which Mary Beth West Consulting has built collaborative relationships to strengthen the suite of services our larger team can bring to any client campaign or project.

DoubleJay Creative is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated television and video production company with a passion for storytelling. Through their work, they help companies connect with audiences intellectually and emotionally in ways that words alone cannot always achieve.

Larsen’s enthusiasm and passion for his company’s work has a contagious quality, particularly as he talked about one of DoubleJay Creative’s larger projects in the making, a feature film starring legendary actor Hal Holbrook in “That Evening Sun”.

After successful runs in New York City, Los Angeles and Palm Springs, “That Evening Sun” launches a multi-city release on January 22, opening in Knoxville at the Regal Cinema’s Downtown West 8.

“That Evening Sun” was filmed entirely in East Tennessee, specifically in the Knoxville, Rockwood and Lenoir City areas. It is based on the short story “I Hate to See that Evening Sun Go Down” by acclaimed Tennessee author William Gay. “That Evening Sun” has won top prizes at 11 film festivals.

So hats off to Larsen and our friends at DoubleJay Creative – a firm that we predict everyone will continue hearing about in 2010 and beyond.

Tags: DoubleJay Creative, Knoxville, Larsen Jay, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, visual media, “That Evening Sun”
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The Art of Collaboration

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

In this New Year – and in this new, challenging age for business – it’s a smart time to take a fresh look at the relationships your organization has in place to deliver products and services in more innovative, profitable ways.

One way our firm has branched out in the past year is by partnering with other firms that offer highly specialized and best-in-class services that align well with the key areas of expertise that our team provides to clients. And in fact, these relationships have enabled us to form integrated teams with these service providers that result in a unique, custom approach when meeting clients’ communications needs and challenges.

Collaboration with others offers many ways to grow your company or organization. Traditionally, many companies have had a tendency to keep collaborative opportunities at arm’s length – worried that working with others posed too many competitive risks.

But of course, that’s where the trust factor enters the picture and the essential ingredient of developing real relationships with collaborative partners predicated on knowing one other well, sharing common goals and establishing ground rules – whether informally or contractually – that ensure a way to work through issues successfully.

2010 will be an exciting year as we continue to see these relationships grow for the benefit of those we serve.

Tags: Collaboration, communications, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, partnering
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