A great hire can push a team to unprecedented levels of success, while a poor one can cause problems well beyond sunk costs. And the stakes are even higher at the executive level. There’s more money, more responsibility, bigger expectations and often, a greater need. Most organizations can’t afford to get these hires wrong.

By now, you’re well aware of the fractional trend sweeping through the U.S., in which organizations are choosing to bring on high-level, high-skill talent on a part-time and project basis in a range of different C-Suite roles. Organizations can save money while getting access to a leader they could not afford otherwise, while also de-risking the hiring process through contract lengths and the ability to turn support on and off based on their needs.

But like any other type of working arrangement, a fractional executive will work extremely well in some situations and be less effective in others. While every organization is different and every situation has its own nuances and complexities, the following scenarios were identified by Canopy’s own experts as those in which a fractional executive would be the ideal choice.

1. Unlimited ambitions, limited budgets

Cost effectiveness is routinely listed as the top benefit for organizations in bringing on a fractional hire versus their full-time equivalent. Whether or not you agree where that benefit belongs on the list, our community of experts agrees that it should be a factor you consider in approaching any executive hire.

It’s well-documented that hiring a fractional expert, especially at the executive level, can save organizations a bundle. When you factor in the timebound nature of the work and the fact that most fractional experts will not receive health insurance or other benefits, the savings can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the case of a financial executive, assuming an average per hour rate of $350 per hour and a year-long contract, hiring a Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) might cost an organization close to $168,000, while total annual pay for a full-time CFO might run an average of $742,011.

If you have large projects on the horizon or you have critical needs that can’t be filled with your internal team, and you’re limited on budget, it makes economic and strategic sense to consider a fractional expert first.

“Even for organizations with a lot of resources and reserves, it can take months or even years to recover from a bad hire. The ability to de-risk an executive hire, even slightly, continues to be a powerful selling point for fractional experts,” said Griffen O’Shaughnessy, founder and CEO of Canopy Advisory Group. “Significant cost savings aside, fractional hiring offers a way to access expert, executive-level talent without locking you in if things go sideways.”

2. Executive leader transitions

An executive-level hire is a big deal in any organization. Even if these hires don’t work out as planned, there’s a ton of pressure on founders and CEOs to “make it work,” at least for a certain period of time. On the flip side, when the new leader performs extremely well, founders and CEOs need to worry about how to retain an individual who will be in high demand.

Regardless of how an executive leaves the business, the hole they leave in the organizational structure presents both opportunities and challenges. From the perspective of the founder, CEO and Board of Directors, the opportunity is to bring in new skill sets and new thinking. The challenge is to minimize the disruption and, in the case of losing someone valuable, limit the damage from their departure.

The situation is often extremely suitable for a fractional hire given the need to bring someone into the business quickly, the strategic nature of the position in a period of transition and the level of experience required to navigate a potentially difficult situation (including the possibility of preparing for a full-time hire in the role within the next year).

“When you lose a high-level executive who was important to the business, there’s often no clear direction, and the team may not know where to turn,” said Canopy Marketing Expert Kate W. “A fractional executive immediate senior-level expertise without the full-time cost, no annual salary, no benefits overhead. They can step in quickly, stabilize the team, assess the landscape, and drive strategic action.

3. Periods of rapid growth

Early on, much of the messaging around fractional hiring centered on the use of fractional experts as stop-gap measures in transition periods. While many organizations continue to use fractional hires to bridge these gaps, a growing number are discovering the value of fractional experts in accelerating growth plans.

Whereas the first two scenarios are clearly tailored more toward hiring a fractional expert than a full-time resource, the growth stage is a situation where you’re making more of a strategic choice. Regardless of the discipline for the role (e.g., CFO, COO, CRO, CMO, etc.), a full-time hire can certainly prove to be an excellent choice, especially if the individual ends up being a longer-tenured member of the organization and is a leader that the founder and CEO wants to grow a team around.

Reasons a founder or CEO may wish to go with a fractional expert in a growth scenario include:

• An interest in keeping costs down while maximizing impact
• The need for speed-to-impact, including areas like faster onboarding and truncated time-to-result
• A desire to bring in an executive leader with very specific situational experience
• A market or organizational situation that prioritizes agility and the ability to react and adjust quickly

4. Navigating large-scale change

While the departure of a leader or leaders certainly qualifies as change, these are far from the only situations where fractional executive hires can be instrumental in helping an organization withstand turbulent times. And unlike a situation where a single leader leaves an organization and the founder, CEO and Board are forced to move quickly to replace them, a large-scale adjustment to the direction, model or structure of an organization can (paradoxically) provide a bit more breathing room for leadership to approach the problem more strategically.

Similar to the rapid growth scenario, founders, CEO and Boards have the potential to be successful in this situation with either a full-time or fractional hire. In this case specifically, the choice can be largely dependent on the strength and clarity of the organization’s business plan. Clarity on direction often brings with it an understanding of the team that’s likely to be able to fulfill the long-term vision, and in these instances, leaders tend to lean toward full-time hires who can grow with the organization. While fractional experts can perform quite well in this scenario, organizations may choose to skip a bridge option and move straight to a longer-term hire.

Conversely, for all of the reasons fractional experts thrive in any organization, founders, CEOs and Boards may choose to bring in an experienced expert to help them build the future direction of the organization. In this case, they can also provide recommendations on who to hire to build a full-time team, and when it makes the most sense to hire those roles. 

We have also seen leaders set a new direction and then compile a group of the best fractional experts available to drive the plan forward. Whether or not this is a longer-term solution, it invariably helps the organization gain the traction and foothold necessary for a new direction to get off the ground.

Canopy Nonprofit Expert Meg G. described what a fractional expert engagement can look like during a major organizational change: “Sometimes during the life of a nonprofit, the Board of Trustees may find that a total restructuring of staff and mission is required. I went through this for a magazine, during which I was called in to supervise the restructuring and to shepherd how the magazine approached production, management, marketing, fulfillment and more. The process took approximately nine months.” 

___________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading! If you’re interested in hearing more from our experts on when and how to hire fractional executives, check out our guide, Demystifying Fractional Executive Hiring.

The post Hiring an executive? Here are the top four scenarios where fractional makes sense. appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

When organizations or individuals approach me with complex problems, I don’t see obstacles—I see unexplored potential waiting to be unlocked.

My approach to problem-solving involves listening, learning and understanding, analysis and reframing, and innovation. Challenges are not roadblocks—they are invitations to develop newfound capabilities, reimagine existing processes, build organizational resilience, and strengthen community networks. By embracing this philosophy, I transform client challenges into strategic opportunities for meaningful, sustainable progress.

The project to revitalize Denver’s Union Station is a recent example of a challenge that, through thoughtful corporate communications strategy efforts and the engagement of a strong group of partners, transformed into a significant opportunity for the city. In this post, I’ll walk through the different elements and outcomes of the project to show how and why our diverse team of individuals and organizations was able to work together to achieve our goals.

The Problem: Balancing Public Concerns With Human Interest

Denver Union Station has long been an important landmark and a point of pride for the city. When the Station was renovated and reopened in 2014, it once again cemented its place as the beating heart of Denver. Fast forward to 2020, and while Denver Union Station remained a bustling attraction and a center for local residents, restaurants and businesses, the area began to experience issues of public drug use, vandalism, violence and a general lack of cleanliness.

Concerns about safety and sanitation rose in tandem with a dramatic increase in homelessness in the area, resulting in a sharp drop in visitors to the area and revenue for local businesses.

In August of 2021, Denver Union Station teamed up with the Downtown Denver Partnership Business Improvement District (DDPBID), Regional Transportation Denver (RTD) and CSG (Consolidated Services Group), a social enterprise that provides commercial cleaning and maintenance services for urban environments, transit hubs, and special districts, to confront the problem head-on.

Setting Clear Goals and Objectives for Success

While each member of the team was representing one or more constituencies and stakeholders, alignment on shared goals and objectives was critical to the project’s success. Working together, the team identified the following:

• Help individuals living on the streets downtown with housing, substance abuse, mental health and other healthcare needs.
• Keep downtown beautiful with diligent cleaning and maintenance of streets, transit centers and gathering spaces.
• Ensure that solutions are created and implemented with all aspects of the issue in mind.

The Solution: A Multifaceted Plan to Combat a Multifaceted Problem

The first step in the process was working with the City of Denver Office of the Mayor to convene a community of experts representing each aspect of the issue, including substance abuse assistance, security, re-entry services, businesses and residents impacted, housing and shelter services, mental health and healthcare providers, and public realm cleaning and maintenance. As one of the leading partners called to the table to strategize solutions for this multifaceted challenge, CSG brought me on board as a fractional expert to lead corporate communications strategy for the organization.

In May 2022, Denver Action Partners Downtown Action Team (DAT) was created, and work began in earnest. CSG developed a dedicated team that proactively surveyed and maintained high-use public areas of downtown Denver. The DAT team complemented additional CSG Clean Teams servicing the Union Station area to provide around-the-clock, daily care of the beloved Denver landmark.

My focus on effective strategic communications, both internal and external, was an integral piece of the project. Throughout the project, I helped CSG align messaging with the company’s mission and values, which further motivated employees and solidified their role in creating true social impact. 

When a team is working on a project of this magnitude, it’s not enough to remind employees that it’s “all hands on deck” and that “everyone works extra hard.” Employees need to buy into the “why,” and that was a big part of my focus throughout my time with the team. 

Outcomes, Benefits and Takeaways

When the project was completed, Denver’s Union Station had not only been restored to its former brilliance; there was also a strong plan in place to preserve the landmark for the future. RTD, DDPBID, CSG and the city of Denver were able to positively impact the homelessness and cleanliness issues, welcoming visitors and locals alike back to downtown to live, work and play. In addition, the combined team was able to offer a pathway to a more inclusive Denver for those facing hardship.

For CSG’s part, in the span of only a year, the team:

• Removed 7,349 graffiti tags
• Completed 981 pressure washes
• Swept and disposed of 2,040 objects
• Safely discarded or recycled 1,695 bulk items
• Cleared 33,039 flyers from public structures

CSG Clean Team technicians committed to spending each day deep cleaning the public areas around Union Station. After months of consistent service, DUS saw increased visitor traffic, fewer sanitation and cleaning reports, and reports noted fewer incidents of crime.

In addition, CSG’s brand reputation benefited greatly from their work on Union Station, in part due to the consistency and quality of the external communications throughout the project. The partnership was so impactful that it was recognized by Downtown Colorado Inc. as the 2023 Governor’s Awards for Downtown Excellence, Best Partnership. 

Beyond once again seeing in action the value of having an aligned, cross-functional team working together to drive change, my most important takeaway from the project was the importance of the group’s broader focus on long-term impact. 

As a strategic communications advisor, I understand and adeptly translate the interconnected industry of business improvement districts, urban environments, public safety, and commercial cleanliness. My expertise in corporate communications, employee communications, media relations, and community engagement has enabled clients like CSG to build strong relationships with stakeholders and drive positive change in downtown Denver.

Interested in bringing an experienced fractional expert like Leslie into your organization?

Contact Canopy Advisory Group today at (720) 989-1705 to schedule a free consultation or tell us more about your project here.

The post Collaborating for Impact: The Team Effort That Helped Revitalize Denver’s Iconic Union Station appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

Fractional services can help organizations become more efficient, innovative, and profitable. Fractional CFOs provide essential financial assistance and guidance to companies during periods of growth and can help a business stay competitive in any market. 

This article will explore a fractional CFO’s role within an organization.

What Does a Fractional CFO Do?

Organizations may bring in a fractional CFO to manage financial challenges that exceed the expertise or ability of the in-house team to solve. A fractional CFO may partner with an existing CFO to address challenges or fill in for companies that do not have an in-house CFO.

Some of the specific financial challenges a fractional CFO may help with include the following:

• Low gross margins
• High expenses
• Outdated or insufficient systems
• Cutting costs
• Cash flow problems
• Audits

Fractional CFOs can also help organizations optimize and implement forward-facing financial visibility. They can often invest time and energy in the future while other financial professionals focus on day-to-day operations and accurate bookkeeping. They may develop economic forecasts, prepare budgets, and analyze potential markets, services, products, and customer segments.

Fractional CFOs help companies reach financial goals by navigating mergers and acquisitions, preparing for sales, and raising capital. They can assist with a variety of other tasks that lead to progress and growth, including:

• Producing financial forecasts
• Sitting in on board meetings
• Developing strategic relationships
• Analyzing term sheets and contracts
• Overseeing due diligence

A fractional CFO’s assistance may be especially helpful for small to medium-sized companies during periods of growth. A fractional CFO can help growing organizations in several ways, including:

• Implementing systems that encourage sustainable growth
• Improving visibility and analytical capability to create actionable information out of massive amounts of data
• Identify sources of revenue loss, cost overruns, and operational friction as the business grows
• Hire new employees and develop existing ones 

Most fractional CFOs have extensive experience helping organizations achieve financial goals and manage complex business deals. Many have helped companies raise millions of dollars of equity funding and managed numerous mergers and acquisitions. The expertise and experience a fractional CFO provides are valuable assets to companies of any size.

The Benefits of Hiring a Fractional CFO

Organizations of all types and sizes may benefit from outsourcing a CFO. Small businesses may find hiring a fractional CFO helpful as their company grows and changes over time.

Here are some of the potential benefits of hiring a fractional CFO.

Cost savings

Hiring and retaining an in-house CFO can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Many organizations simply cannot afford to do this. Hiring a fractional CFO may save companies a lot of money–as much as $100,000 in some cases. 

Financial leadership

Hiring a fractional CFO means you’ll have skill and experience when you need it most. A fractional CFO offers objective advice and leadership to help your business improve its bottom line and maintain growth.

Better profit margins

Expert guidance from a skilled CFO can lead to a healthier bottom line. A fractional CFO will work with senior leadership to develop a budget, identify areas of excessive spending, and analyze monthly data to identify the sources of profits. 

Find a Fractional CFO in Denver

Find a Fractional CFO Denver by reaching out to the Canopy Advisory Group today. Contact our team to learn more about our services.

The post What is a Fractional CFO and How Do They Differ From a Traditional CFO? appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

On-demand consulting refers to a type of consulting service where experts provide advice, guidance and solutions to clients as needed. This is generally on a per-project basis, which allows clients to access the expertise of consultants without the commitment of a long-term contract. Collaborating with on-demand consultants can deliver a multitude of benefits that are moving at the same pace as your business.

Advantages to On-Demand Consulting

Whether it’s business strategy, growing your team, or needing help with human resources of public relations, the right on-demand consultant can give you access to an array of professionals to get the answers for your business. Two of the biggest advantages to on-demand consulting is the flexibility and cost-effectiveness. This type of consulting allows clients access to expert advice and guidance whenever they need it. This offers flexibility in terms of project duration, scope, and specific type of expertise that’s required. 

Since services are paid for on an as-needed basis, clients can engage with consultants for short-term assignments or specific tasks – all while accessing the particular expert they need. The specialized network of knowledge and skills can be used to bring industry-specific insights, best practices to help the client solve complex problems or to make strategic decisions. Also, because these instances are as-needed, there is a quick response and turnaround time. The consultants are readily available to offer timely advice, address urgent needs, or provide quick solutions. That agility can be critical when launching a new product, addressing internal issues as they come up, or making the right hire in a short window. 

How Does it Work?

First and foremost, it’s important to identify the needs or requirements for what you’re searching for. Whether you’re looking for financial analysis, improvement of processes or market research, on-demand consultants use their network to get you in front of the right people to help your particular situation. This can include one or more consultants, and once engaged, they will collaborate and communicate closely throughout the project. 

Transparency is key to make sure things are aligned, and the consultant will analyze the situation, identify challenges, and come up with customized solutions. Once these findings are presented, the client delivers crucial feedback to allow fine-tuning of the solution. These consultants can be used to tackle individual issues, or multiple issues at once. The right on-demand consulting firm likely has a diverse network of consultants at their disposal, allowing for a versatile approach to solving many issues that arise in your business. 

A key advantage to on-demand consulting is that clients can gain quick access to experts for advice that’s tailored to their expertise without the long-term commitment. This flexibility and scalability is critical in today’s fast-moving business climate. For more information on how on-demand consulting could work for you, reach out to the experts at Canopy Advisory Group today.

On-demand consultants are here to help foster growth in businesses by allowing them to take on organizational challenges with the comfort of professional advice. 

The post What is On Demand Consulting & How Does It Work? appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

Back in the early days of the internet and search engines, the dynamic was very different. The search engines were trying to gather the requisite information needed to provide humans with the information they were requesting. And YES at one point – there were – Search Engine(s). Not just one 800 LB Gorilla – with over 70% of the search engine market share – that no one quite knows how to manage or compete with.

Around 2015, the paradigm shifted, to where the search engines, namely Google, began providing tiered information on their own accord. By this point, they had so much data from all of the trillions (yes trillions) of searches since 1998, that they could literally compile a list of whatever said searcher required. Without being concerned with what humans are actually searching for. Google began answering the question before it was asked. This method is tremendously efficient, but also bone-chillingly scary. Let me retype that since social media and such have made fruit flies seem like extremely focused creatures in comparison to us.

Google began answering the question before it was asked.

What does this mean?

Well, for website designers and other neighboring services, it’s a pretty big deal. And incidentally, if you were to adopt this principle, it’d be a pretty big deal for you and your business as well.

(Disclaimer: I don’t like this idea one bit. I only know it to be true.)

So let’s boil this down a bit. What am I blathering about?

Once upon a time, we focused our efforts on designing “your” website for your direct customers or the end user. What would the client want to see on this page? Who is your target audience? What kinds of images would they like to see? Even what colors would be best for your target audience? While some of this process still lingers like a fading remnant from the past, much of this is somewhat irrelevant today. But we still work on these aspects for a select few direct visitors to your site and for the general aesthetic.

I’m a designer at heart so it STILL makes me feel good to see a well-designed website. BUT, increasingly, it isn’t nearly as important as it once was.

How is that possible?

Well, Google has a long list of parameters that make up a “good” website and that’s the list that strong website builders and developers concern themselves with these days. And it mostly consists of CONTENT, CONTENT and more CONTENT. Also, seemingly ridiculous elements like page names, headlines with proper keywords, sitemaps and oh yeah, content.

The way that Google understands your site is in the content itself. While you may want to call a product or service page one thing, Google wants you to call it whatever a person is searching the most. This type of keyword-intent matching has led to many websites using odd-looking titles that don’t always read “human”, but they match up with what people are searching in Google.

Jeff Romero, Octiv Digital

There are a ton more aspects but you get the idea. I don’t have any documented proof of this but my belief is Google would actually like the internet to resemble an online newspaper rather than a vivid, interactive magazine. Google’s parameters continue to reinforce simple design, short pages, small files and FAST load times.

Google continues to behave more and more like the school that’s trying to cut the art department because they don’t see the value.

Getting back to the main conversation: 

We now focus heavily on that long list of Google parameters rather than the end user. Google will decide WHO sees WHAT and we want Google to appreciate your website so they’ll show it to as many viewers within as many searches as possible.

The end user sees what Google decides. And, due to some amazing branding, company positioning and a level of product dominance scarcely seen in the annals of human history… The end user accepts the list that Google provides as the closest thing we have today to – Gospel – for WHATEVER they’re searching for!

So to review, the order of this process goes something like this:

Provide professional mockup of strong design for said client – client approves after some back and forth:

• Build new website based on as many known Google factors as possible.
• Launch new website and alert Google – via Google’s own analysis tools.
• Google crawls new
• Google determines the website positioning – based upon over 1.2 million algorithmic factors.
• An End User searches for a product or service you provide on Google.
• Google provides the list of people “nearby” that provide said service.
• End User trusts Google will show them the proper information they need.
• End User chooses from 3-5 options that Google has provided.
• End User makes purchase or completes their research.
• Rinse – repeat …

This commentary is not to say that good design isn’t important if somehow all other aspects are equal. It’s just to illuminate the NEW order of importance of the various aspects of website design. Based on end-user behavior in 2023, It’s almost silly to focus on anything but what Google wants to see from a new website. If your current designer isn’t focused on this and your business is even somewhat reliant on Google for business, it’s time for a new designer.

As a designer, we’re currently being met with a great deal of interference when it comes to web design. Between templates, free web builders and of course Google running the show, it’s not as straightforward as it once was. Yes, Google is definitely putting us in a smaller box, it’s all about simplicity and speed as opposed to grandiose imagery and effects. To be effective in our jobs we have to take into account the rules that Google is putting in place. 

Jeremy Peters, Peterman Creative

The new reality.

Website design – in 2023 means something far different than it did as little as 5 years ago. Unfortunately, Google’s idea of design is about speed, efficiency, content distribution and accuracy. NOT beauty, visual interest, balance and color usage. So we’re now designing for Google not people because that’s what is advantageous to our clients. People will accept what Google shows them to be the options available. This is a somewhat troubling yet basic truth that we’ve come to realize.

And if you think this conversation was a pretty wild ride, just wait until Google puts on that new top hat most people call Ai…

The post Do we design websites for people or for Google in 2023? appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

1. Be a Leader
As individuals, we are challenged to find our power right now, but as a business, you have a built-in role as a leader. Communicating that you are in control will assure customers that they can count on your business, adding short-term and long-term value to your brand.

Examples:

Before: We are doing our best to maintain regular operations.
After: We are committed to delivering first-class service during this time.

Before: We are considering our options to postpone or reschedule…
After: Our amazing team is working quickly to reschedule…

2. Be Solutions-Focused
With all of the COVID-19 content that’s being created right now, it’s easy to adopt wording that is negative and fear-based. Instead, choose wording that is pragmatic and solutions-focused to help ease the collective anxiety and to create positive associations with your brand.

Examples:

Before: As we learn to adapt to new levels of uncertainty, turmoil, and disruption…
After: As we learn to embrace new levels of challenge, change, and flexibility…

Before: Our hearts go out to our staff and everyone impacted by this global pandemic.
After: We are prioritizing protecting the safety of our staff, their families, and the broader community.

3. Be in the Now

Examples:

Jumping ahead to the distant future isn’t helpful. In fact, it’s likely to invoke more worry than confidence. Instead, stay in the present by focusing on the next few weeks and months—time frames that people can see on their calendar.

Before: Due to these unprecedented times, our team has made the difficult decision…
After: Due to the changes and shifts we are currently experiencing, our team has decided…

Before: Now, as we all face an uncertain future…
After: Today, as we look to the coming weeks and months…

4. Be Specific

Examples:

Providing details about what your business is doing will give people a clearer picture of what’s working, what’s in the works, and what’s still being defined. Gaps and gray areas create space for runaway thinking. Instead, be generous with tactics and tangibles.

Before: We are making necessary changes to address the impact to our business…
After: We are continuously developing creative solutions and applying new tools…

Before: We appreciate your patience with these scheduling changes…
After: These scheduling changes will allow us time to develop more relevant and beneficial…

I hope you find these tips helpful for both your business and personal communications. I encourage you to share with your network of communications professionals and small- to medium-sized business owners so they can put their best voice forward during these challenging, yet highly connective, times.

Erica Younkin is a Digital Marketing Strategist and Founder of BRANDcrafted Marketing. Here is a link to this article on LinkedIn.

The post Tips on Business Voice & Wording in Challenging Times appeared first on Canopy Advisory Group.

Reporters these days are far less naïve. Some of them went through the dot-com boom and bust, and have turned into grizzled harbingers of the truth. All of them must do twice the work for less pay than when I was a journalist. They don’t use the phone and they rarely return emails. They’re bombarded by pitches from thousands of software and digital companies every week. For technology startups wanting to make some sort of impact in earned media, these are tough times. Yet it is still possible to develop a successful PR practice as a startup, if you’re willing to take the time to do it right and be patient. Here are my thoughts on how to make a difference in your outreach.

DO research your audience, and by audience I mean the journalists who cover your space.
Develop a list of 50 key targets to start, and spend time understanding their coverage areas, how they write about the industry and their style. Some reporters only cover news and finance announcements, while others will consider writing about trends or the people behind the companies. Tailor your pitches and emails accordingly and try to appeal to more than one angle, as tech reporters often cover several beats.

DON’T brag that your product is the first of its kind on the market.
Every product has a competitor, even if the competitor is a build-it-yourself product or manual process. Telling a reporter or editor your client’s product is the only product of its kind suggests you’re either not that smart or you just don’t have all the facts. On that same note, avoid typical PR phrases such as “the leading provider of XYZ.” Reporters see right through these hard-to-prove claims.

DO get to the point.
If your email doesn’t have the main message clearly stated in the subject line and/or within the first two sentences, forget it. Nobody has time to wade through your lengthy introductions and meaningless small talk. Spend time on subject lines. Make them explanatory yet brief so that somebody glancing through their inbox can quickly figure out what your email will cover. Avoid writing more than two paragraphs in an email. Keep it just long enough to pique interest so that the recipient will reply for more information.

DON’T use jargon in your pitch or press release.
Journalists hate these buzzwords: “revolutionary, innovative, transformative, pioneering, game-changing…”. Use straightforward language and keep it simple. As well, avoid insider industry jargon such as “de-depuplication” and “neural networks.” If you must use acronyms, write them out first. In journalism school, our professors called this speaking to the lowest common denominator. That doesn’t mean talking down or talking dumb, it just means preventing a situation where somebody has to read your copy twice to understand what you’re talking about – because they probably won’t bother.

DO be an expert in your sector.
Strive to talk intelligently about many topics, not just your own product or service. Get excited about your broader space and convey that enthusiasm to the reporter or editor, especially if you are lucky enough to have them on the phone. If you can, do some public speaking, vlogs or podcasts on relevant topics which you can post on your website. Contribute blogs to third-party websites that are authorities in your sector, such as trade groups, associations and niche publications. Journalists and analysts like smart people who can provide a fresh angle or contrarian perspective. This is especially true in high-tech, where hype is omnipresent.

DON’T call or send email asking if they got your previous email.
If they didn’t reply before, shoot a follow-up email a day or so later if you are highly confident the reporter is the ideal person to cover the news. Use this tactic with caution. But don’t ask if they got your first email. If they did and didn’t respond it’s because a) they’re too busy or b) they’re too busy and aren’t interested. Enough said!

DO lower your expectations.
Yes, your story is great, but so are the stories of about 100 other startups churning emails through the reporter’s inbox this week. Don’t worry if your pitch is ignored once, twice or 20 times: keep looking for the right reporter who’s covering your beat right now. Pre-funding and pre-revenue startups are especially prone to overstating their own worth. You must prove you are credible and have something to offer the market and the reporter’s time. It can take months to develop relationships and get quality coverage. Don’t give up. As well, be happy for any coverage you get, even if it’s critical or in a “lower-tier” publication. Too many startup founders get upset when they don’t see their name in lights two months after hiring the PR firm. They want to read about their company in TechCrunch, VentureBeat, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and so on. This is not a realistic approach for most startups. Instead, seek out a handful of the hundreds of influential tech bloggers who are writing compelling stories every day. They may not be writing for a name-brand media outlet, yet they are often looking for juicy tips and meaty quotes from executives on trends. This can be a powerful way to build up reputable online clips over time.

DON’T pitch boring stuff.
Startups like to write press releases about everything – from minor product updates to puffed-up partnerships. Use your blog for the lower hanging fruit and save the important, juicy stories for the media. Mine your customers, colleagues and partners for original story ideas. Share survey data, novel best practices or techniques in your field. Offer interviews with company leaders who have great stories and perspectives to share. Be funny, when it’s appropriate. Always look at the bigger picture, and how your product/service/strategy hooks into news stories happening right now or trends in development.

DO respond quickly and thoroughly.
When a reporter asks for something, don’t leave them hanging for days. They’re busy, stressed, distracted and they’ll quickly move on to something and someone else – and may never contact you again. Do not, except under dire medical distress, skip an interview because “something else came up.” If you must cancel the interview, give the reporter notice and offer to respond to an email interview if the deadline is tight. Answer the questions; don’t dodge or provide a promotional answer that benefits you.

DON’T employ tricks.
Don’t send swag or invite a reporter out to lunch. See my introduction! What reporters love most is honesty and solid (if not killer) story ideas. Offer exclusives, when you can.

Final words … Reporters and editors are under enormous pressure to deliver a lot of copy, sometimes thousands of words per week. Everything they publish must be factual and spot on to audience needs. Unlike the old days, content is meticulously tracked, measured and analyzed for advertisers and sales. Tech reporters are sometimes cranky and downright rude and who can blame them? They remember a day when they had time to cover a story thoroughly. Now, they must fight for their survival (and survival of their publication) every day. Technology trends and products change constantly, and they must be ahead of that game too. Tech reporters earn more than most, but they are still underpaid and often undervalued in this era of “fake news.”

Whatever you do, don’t criticize someone for small mistakes, such as misspelling your executive’s name. Ask politely for a correction and move on if it doesn’t happen. Make it easy for journalists, in every possible way, and you will develop relationships that last – even when the reporter leaves and go somewhere else.

Polly Traylor is a Canopy Advisory Group consultant and Founder of PST Consulting Inc., a Denver-based content and PR firm. Traylor and colleague Kevin Wolf wrote a book about tech startups, available on Amazon: Startupland: Madness, Brilliance and PR Misadventures.

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At General Mills, I was working on a business that had been steadily declining (along with the rest of the category). I led a six-month project to explore multiple hypotheses on what was driving the decline, including doing some fascinating consumer immersion work. The result of the project was a new messaging strategy that increased advertising ROI by 41% and stemmed the declines we’d been seeing in the business.

How do you use your passions to drive success in the workplace?

The reason I went out on my own to do brand and marketing strategy consulting was because I love the challenge of jumping into entirely new situations, learning about new brands and organizations, and helping provide a fresh perspective.

What makes your consulting techniques unique and effective?

I don’t start a consulting engagement assuming I know all the answers – I really enjoy learning a new business and team and then working alongside them to tackle tough problems. I also customize everything for each client – I don’t believe in off-the-shelf project plans or solutions.

How has your past work experience allowed you to grow?

I’ve been really fortunate to have had a broad mix of experiences over the years, from working in marketing research, to management, to retail marketing; and I’ve also had some great opportunities to tackle “non-traditional” roles like working cross-functionally within an R&D organization. Learning to adapt to different organizational cultures, business situations, and functional roles has given me a much better appreciation for the many factors and perspectives I need to consider in my consulting work.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

My two boys, ages 6 and 8, keep me pretty busy…but they’re also getting to the age where they can join me in some of my favorite things to do – like running, hiking, and cross-country skiing!

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How do you use your uniques interests in science and technology to differentiate yourself from others working in your field?
I approach everything I do with a scientific mind. This makes me curious, consider information objectively, and to strive to always improve. I differentiate myself as I’m trained in both science and communications, being able to serve as a translator between the two fields. I can take complex, technical information and translate it to easy-to-understand formats for various audiences.

What are some of your favorite trends in content development today?
Visual / video = The use of video has already seen an intense expansion in telling stories. The next step will be Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) techniques to further involve audiences in the story.
User Generated Content (UGC) = giving people the opportunity to tell their own stories and perspectives.
No matter what trends appear, I’ll always be a fan of a good story and the tried and true adage of “know your audience”.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Exploring the Colorado outdoors with my wife and two dogs. On my free time, I can usually be found hiking, biking, camping, skiing, or fly fishing. I also love wildlife and volunteer at the Denver Zoo.

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If you asked a handful your company’s employees to explain the story of your company’s brand and its vision for the future- would the answers be consistent? Does your culture embody the values that your marketing and sales efforts communicate to your customers? When employees talk about their jobs, do they feel they are part of a common purpose?

Often companies spend lots of money, time, and effort on external brand and marketing, but then don’t “walk the talk.” Their employees either don’t understand the company brand and what they sell, or the company culture for employees doesn’t match the promises it makes to its customers. Their internal brand is non-existent.

To add to this conundrum, companies spend equally as much time, money, and effort to improve “culture,” including employee benefits and perks that seem cool and attractive for new talent. And, while these perks probably are “cool and attractive,” they will not make your employees understand, feel and embody the company’s vision, mission and values.

In “Selling the Brand Inside”, Collin Mitchell explains that internal marketing is crucially important:

“It’s the best way to help employees make a powerful emotional connection to the products and services you sell. Without that connection employees are likely to undermine the expectations you set by your advertising…, We’ve found that when people care about and believe in the brand, they’re motivated to work harder and their loyalty to the company increases. Employees are unified and inspired by a common sense of purpose and identity.”

Those words couldn’t ring more true. Your company’s culture is reflective of how well your employees understand your brand narrative. Your employees are the face of your brand, and representatives of your company’s culture. How they interact, think, operate and work together should be in line with what you promise to your customers. If they don’t know and believe in what you offer, how can your customers?

When your Internal and External Brand work in synch- GOOD things Happen.  

The opportunity for building internal brand and culture is huge for any size company. The ROI of a strong internal culture is best centered around hiring the right people and retaining the great ones. Companies that are viewed as “destinations” for talent with good culture are the ones that thrive. Not only do their employees “walk the talk” but also are the best salespeople for recruiting other well-qualified team members that embody the values of the company. In today’s age of platforms like GlassDoor, an employee can read real reviews on the culture of the organization he/she is considering. This can have a profound effect on a company’s ability to find and retain good talent.

Time to Walk the Talk.

This opportunity to strengthen internal brand can’t be ignored. If you feel that your company could benefit from a stronger internal brand (and culture), here are 5 tips that can get you started today:

1. Take a Pulse: Start by creating a project plan to understand and observe the dynamics of your internal brand. Talk to the leadership team, conduct an employee survey, interview individuals from all departments and look online at what’s being said about your company. Form a small internal task force with key players from various departments to collect all observations and work to improve where needed.
2. Document the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Celebrate what’s good and don’t be afraid of bad perceptions or confusion when it comes to your company’s vision, mission or values. Those are opportunities to improve!
3. Create your Brand Narrative: Every organization has a unique story- does your story inspire your employees and support your company vision? Work with your team to identify this story and shape it to inspire your team and support the values of your brand. And, don’t forget to re-tell it with every milestone you have achieved!
4. Choose the Right Moment: Internal brand communications are best executed when companies are experiencing change or a challenge. If your company is experiencing none of those, create the moment with the launch of a new marketing or brand strategy. The start of a fiscal year is also a good time to consider- pair the communications with excitement around the upcoming year’s business goals.
5. Don’t Just “Inform”: Communicating internal brand should be an act of persuasion, not information. Consider how you deliver the brand message to your employees- lifeless materials will sit on people’s desks. Be creative and deliver messages in the way that’s both engaging and emblematic of the culture you want to create!

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Complete article at DenverPost.com.

“With six years of consecutive growth and positive industry indicators, the time was right for expansion,” said Griffen O’Shaughnessy, co-founder and co-president, Canopy Advisory Group. “While we evaluated and carefully considered several cities, Seattle was the strongest market for our model, where we knew we could provide a meaningful alternative to businesses and professionals.

Founded in 2009 by O’Shaughnessy and business partner, Brooke Borgen, Canopy has successfully matched seasoned professionals in marketing, finance, nonprofit consulting and law with Colorado organizations looking to add talent but not full-time employees. Doubling in revenue and advisors every year and receiving national attention for their pioneering model, Canopy appeals to a new breed of freelance professional who has left the corporate space feeling dissatisfied.

“The Pacific Northwest has an exceptionally diverse business mix, with a vibrant startup community, existing freelance community, and great number of Fortune 500 companies with a growing need for project-based work,” said O’Shaughnessy. “This is an ideal scenario for Canopy’s expansion, as businesses are already familiar with freelancers, seasoned ‘highlancers’ are looking to stand out among their competitors, and alternatives to full-time employees have increasingly become a profitable relationship.”

Canopy’s model continues to see positive growth signals from the workforce. In fact, 76 percent of organizations in an oDesk survey indicated their use of contractors was a long-term strategy. More than 80 percent either agreed or strongly agreed both that remote hiring increases competitiveness and that the practice will soon be common.

“We know the market is ripe, but we also know the Canopy differentiator is matching the right high caliber partner with the right organization and opportunity,” said Brooke Borgen, co-president and co-founder, Canopy Advisory Group. “It was imperative we find a Seattle office lead who had rich and robust professional experience, a great grasp of a variety of disciplines and a large network of business, non-profit and professional connections.”

Carin Parcel joins the Canopy Advisory Group leadership team as head of the Seattle office, driving strategy and growth. “Carin was the primary reason Seattle made the most sense as our first expansion market,” said Borgen.

Parcel is an attorney with experience in intellectual property and litigation, focusing on trademark prosecution and infringement, copyright, trade secrets and licensing. While attending Northwestern University School of Law, she worked for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with the Honorable Blanche M. Manning and went on to practice law in Chicago at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in the intellectual property litigation group.

After practicing for several years, she moved to Seattle and received her LLM in Intellectual Property from the University of Washington School of Law. Originally from Omaha, Neb., Carin has lived in the Seattle area for more than six years with her husband and three kids.

“A complementary addition to Seattle’s business mix, the Canopy Advisory Group model makes it easier for highly experienced professionals to take on meaningful assignments, while at the same time, Canopy delivers the market’s best match to businesses seeking support,” said Parcel, Seattle city lead and advisor at Canopy. “For seasoned veterans considering alternatives to full-time employment and for organizations seeking a skill set to meet new needs, Canopy Advisory Group offers a third way.”

To become a consultant, to hire a Canopy consultant in the Seattle area or for more information on Canopy Advisory Group, please visit canopyadvisory.com/seattle-office.

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As any good marketer knows, the key to marketing success is a solid brand foundation.  It’s impossible to sell a brand effectively if you don’t know what it stands for.  Similarly, as a professional out there trying to win business in a competitive marketplace, it’s important that you understand your own personal brand and have the same sense of awareness about yourself.    

This does not mean spinning your story to impress potential clients or employers, or telling them what you think they want to hear.  It means presenting your authentic self in the best light possible.  It means taking a premium product (YOU) and wrapping it in beautiful packaging, showing off your true colors inside, then adding a well-written “label” that lets and letting your personality shine through, so that you stand out from all of the others.

You may have heard the terms “brand identity” or “brand positioning statement.”  Coming up with your personal brand involves a very similar exercise.  While there are a number of meaningful elements that comprise the branding process, I recommend that you focus on these 5, and you’ll be off to a running start:

Vision statement:

What is your overall reason for being?  Your ultimate dream?  How do you envision the world after you play your role in it?  For an independent practitioner, this is your long-term career goal.  Think big.  This should be your ongoing source of inspiration.

Mission statement: 

What gets you out of bed on a daily basis?  What do you plan to accomplish today, or tomorrow?  Take a nearer-term view and think about the immediate impact you intend to have.  For an individual, this is your short-term career goal.     

Values:

What is important to you?  What do you believe in?  What are your priorities?  By what criteria do you make decisions?  Brainstorm broadly, then consolidate your list to 5-8 core values.      

Brand personality: 

What are you like?  What are your core traits and characteristics?  Perhaps you’re quirky (Snapple), nurturing (Betty Crocker), sentimental (Hallmark) or competent (the Wall Street Journal).  Ask colleagues or friends/family for input.   These special qualities make you relatable to your target audience and help foster a connection between you. 

Brand positioning statement:

How are you differentiated from others in your competitive set?  What do you uniquely have to offer to your target audience?  What can you promise (and deliver on) that others can’t?  Then, include 3 good reasons why we should believe you.

Capture your personal brand on a page, then keep it on your desk to inspire you as you’re putting together your business proposals, your resume, or preparing for presentations.  Remember, no other professional is exactly like you.  And before your own marketing process can begin, you’ve got to know what your brand is all about and what makes you the most deserving product on the shelf. 

 © Hillary Schubach, July  14, 2014, 10:00am MT  

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