I am the most unathletic person you will ever meet. If you don’t believe me, watch the video of me rollerblading—it’s on my Instagram. I’m not giving you the link, you gotta work for it. Ironically, or not ironically, I am ridiculously competitive, which directly challenges my athleticism, often with disastrous consequences. Case in point: […]
(If I hear this one more time, I’m gonna throat punch someone.) If I had a dollar for every time a technical or contracting company said, “We don’t do marketing*,” I could fund my own tradeshow booth next to Lockheed Martin at AUSA. With lighting. And carpet padding (and actual comfy chairs). Every time, I […]
PR seems like a sexy field, am I right? If your older like me, then you think of Samantha from Sex in the City and her high rolling lifestyle. She got into all the best parties and represented the coolest people. Maybe you’re thinking more along the lines of Olivia Pope, she was a wizard […]
The most important relationships in your business are the ones you already have. We spend so much time searching for the next big thing, new project, new client…we miss or take for granted what is right in front of us. Since we started implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS®) at 8THIRTYFOUR, we made it a […]
The use of social media is a hot topic around our office lately. We have a social media policy at 8THIRTYFOUR, it is all of one paragraph and states that employees are expected to engage with our brand, share our content and be good ambassadors. What it fails to get into is the type of […]
I had a friend pose a question to me this past week on the future of social media. Will it remain an important tool for marketers? Has fake news, spam accounts and the ever present trolls reduced the value? I would also add changing algorithms and the trends towards pay to play to the list. […]
Public relations can only do so much. PR practitioners can build brand awareness, attract attention to new products, manage a crisis and so much more. What we can’t do, is run your company. PR Daily News says it best, PR can minimize the damage caused by operational and managerial missteps, but it can’t fix stupid. When […]
Is your logo outdated and no longer relevant to your customers? Do you even know how your brand is perceived? A brand’s mark can be very subjective as individuals see and interpret things differently based off their own experiences. When we work with companies on a rebranding or branding effort it is incredibly important that […]
This time of year, a lot of companies will reach out to us in an effort to incorporate marketing into their strategy for the new year. Prior to forming a relationship or hiring a communications agency, work to define your needs. Pull together your team for a quick brainstorm and map out the below: What […]
834 was set up to be an integrated communications agency, which means we can manage all your needs under one roof. We build a strategy, we implement the strategy and we measure the strategy. All of this takes time. We like to think we are magical unicorns, but alas we are merely human. When hiring […]
When we recommend communication activities for our clients and outline tools, tactics and timeline; one of the most common responses we hear: “We don’t have time for that, we are a small team.” If you don’t have the budget to hire 834 for implementation of your communication strategy, then you have to identify how to […]
As we gear up for another week of media announcements, press conferences, media training and pitching, I wanted to share some tips on media preparation. Reporters use interviews to gather information and flesh out their stories. It is the basic tool of news gathering and a great opportunity for your organization to communicate its messages to its […]
So you hired us…because we know stuff. We clearly have a track record of success in public relations or you never would have come to us in the first place. Since this is the case, you need to trust us, listen to us and stop micromanaging us. The below is what drives PR pros mad, […]
Content rules the world, you know this, your mom knows this, hell…even your dog knows it. Content done well, can drive sales, build brand awareness and has countless other benefits. Every blogger, marketer and Joe Blow has advice on blogging and generating content. So, before you believe Daryl in the cubicle next to you, check […]
A communication strategy really does serve a purpose, it isn’t just something you read once and set on a shelf. It should be your roadmap to meeting your business goals, whether it is awareness, generating leads or recruiting talent. Still not convinced? Here are 10 signs you need a communication strategy. Elevator pitch. You don’t […]
Team 834 is working with our local community theatre on the promotion of an unknown play that deals with some very real but difficult issues. In an effort to bring awareness to the play, which will absolutely make people uncomfortable, we had to get creative. When we develop campaigns, we always go the integrated route..I […]
Designing is not a skill I possess. I do, however, understand the importance of integrating visual content into every aspect of your communication tools. A recent article by HubSpot states: When people hear information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, […]
I had a conversation with a friend, and someone I respect immensely professionally, about a company’s brand and how it is interpreted across all channels. She shared with me a recent letter she had received from her bank, which told her they did not have proof of insurance for her business and that this needed […]
I have been waiting for 10 YEARS for an article that accurately depicts integrated communications (thank Brian) and why it is the ONLY way agencies should function. This past week, I read this article on PR Daily that addressed integrated communications and categorized agencies in 3 categories: Traditional, Integrated and Lipstick. The below diagram from the […]
