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Below is the first blog post from one of our newest staff members, Jeff Carr, Vice President-Aerospace Communications. A 27-year aerospace industry veteran, Jeff brings his expertise to the Griffin team as head of our national aerospace practice. Sit back, relax and enjoy his posts, which give a fresh perspective on the state of the aerospace arena.
You can feel it coming … a fundamental sea state change in the space industry. The successful launch of Falcon-9 from Cape Canaveral last week made it all the more certain. As sure as the privately built and operated rocket blasted shock waves across the space coast marshland, a palpable ripple ran through a changing space industry.
At the same time, just a few miles up the coast, every milestone met in the preparation for launch of the Space Shuttle is being savored as an historic step in the final chapter of an epic adventure that has been the predominant focus of our industry for 30 years. Those dedicated space professionals know better than most that this process is less the beginning of the end than it is the end of the beginning.
You see, the Space Shuttle was never an objective in and of itself. It was always intended to be a means to something more … a space transportation system that would enable the evolution of our space exploration capabilities, allow us to build and operate a space station, and open an era of space exploration and discovery. Mission accomplished. The United States is the unrivaled leader in space operations in the world. No one else even comes close.
But, it is time to let go and move on … but to what, where and when?
Dozens of space businesses are contemplating that question with nothing less than their future on the line. For years, they have relied on the stability and security of a long-term program environment with a NASA acquisition process that ensured a steady stream of opportunity for those that knew how to play the game. The Vision for Space Exploration and its Constellation program pretty much cast the strategic business plans for an entire civil space industry. How quickly the tide turns. Today, some feel that the future of space exploration couldn’t be less clear. But, that’s not to say that it is less certain.
While the debate continues over what course and form space exploration will take over the coming years, there are some undeniable new currents in the space business that are gaining strength and momentum. There will be competition, but the government won’t necessarily subsidize the risk associated with that competition. The spoils will go to those willing to share a fair portion of that risk up front. The looming gap will be closed, and we will return to domestic launch vehicles carrying cargo and American astronauts to space. But, they’ll be purchased by the government, designed and built by industry.
The customer community is also changing. Entrepreneurs, commercial enterprise and private citizens are also driving demand for space access and experience. Innovation and inventiveness, both from a technical and a business standpoint, will drive enterprise and prosperity.
The question that space businesses should be contemplating (and many are) is, “How does my business align with these new trends, how are we perceived, and how well are we positioned to compete and win a role in this new competitive environment?”
The businesses that ride the first waves of change to success will not be waiting to see how the debate turns out. They will be seizing the opportunity to rebrand themselves for the future. They will focus on and strengthen the values, qualities and capabilities that they can uniquely contribute to the success of their customer in this new environment. They will be finding ways to better communicate their own vision for the future, letting their target customers know that they are on the move to be more responsive, more affordable and more relevant. They will be rallying their employees around a strong internal brand — that shared sense of purpose, values and beliefs that motivate pride, innovation and risk-taking.
If you’re thinking it’s best to just sit tight for now and see how things develop, that maybe it is just too soon to jump into these turbulent waters with a full-blown brand analysis and marketing strategy, give me a call and let’s talk. Those who wait too long for the seas to settle before taking control of their brand position in the new market may risk missing the opportunity to ride the momentum of the tide … or risk missing the boat entirely.
As a business owner, I am responsible for the bottom-line of my company. The buck stops with me in ensuring current clients are happy and that new business comes through the door. But, another very important part of my job is establishing a corporate culture in which my employees can thrive. In fact, if our corporate culture suffers, essentially, so does the business.
Alicia Marie Fruin, a business coach based in Austin, Texas and owner of PeopleBiz, Inc., defines corporate culture as “the personality of the organization … the assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs of organization members and their behaviors.”
It might be difficult to put into words, but you know corporate culture when you experience it. When you walk into an office, you can tell within minutes if it’s a place where passion and creativity reign or where stress and angst hold court. It’s a sense you get from the employees. That’s corporate culture.
At Griffin Communications Group, we’ve worked hard over the years to establish a strong, positive internal culture. To us, it’s about support, collaboration and creativity, while taking responsibility for efficiency and profitability and delivering results to our clients.
So, how did we do it? We first established our values as a service-based entity:
- To be the best, not the biggest
- To be on the leading edge of our industry
- To surround ourselves with a strong base of industry specific clients who value our work and services
- To provide honest, timely and valuable counsel and services to our clients (i.e., shoot straight, be direct)
- To inspire our employees and offer them a quality work environment to assure we maintain the best talent in the industry
- To be an excellent corporate citizen in our community and the industries we serve
Then, we outlined some guiding principles:
- Reciprocity
- Generosity — we give and don’t keep score
- People before profit
- Making a difference
- Integrity
Our staff is encouraged to reference these values and guiding principles at least once a month. The effort has made a difference. Employees often cite how much they like our work environment. Clients see how our culture drives positive results for them. It’s a win-win for everyone.
So, how does your corporate culture look right now? Is there a need for a tune-up? Heed my advice and invest the time to make your internal culture what you want it to be. Remember, that this process takes time. We began more than five years ago and are still fine-tuning. It’s a long-haul effort, but one that will set you on the path for greater success.
(And one last note – as you make your culture change, I encourage you to read the “Eight Steps For Leading Change” by Harvard Business School Professor John P. Kotter. Follow his guidance, and making your internal change stick will be easier than you thought!)
Good luck!
Gwen Griffin, President & CEO
We’ve all heard it. We’ve all touted its benefits. But, in this day and age, the benefits of face time with someone can be easily overlooked…not to mention, a bit difficult to obtain.
I’m encouraged by what setting a weekly, in-person tag-up with a client can accomplish. By setting this as a recurring meeting, it doesn’t take an act of Congress to get on the client’s calendar. Working out details over e-mail and phone can often take far longer than a quick in-person meeting to review the same info. The volume of topics that can be covered, the in-depth conversation that occurs and the decisions that can be quickly made are far greater from these face-to-face meetings. Plus, I find that we often end up discussing other topics that have a deep influence on the greater whole of the work we are trying to accomplish.
Beyond the weekly tag up, in-person meetings can have an enormous effect on output. Take for instance, two occurrences just this week –
I attended an annual retreat for a client where we all gathered in person for strategic discussion. This client hosts weekly telecons with reps all over the country. While these phone meetings are worthwhile, the discussion, candor and decisions made during the retreat were remarkably greater than any resulting from one of our recent telecons. Not to mention, I now have a face with a name for so many of those folks!
We are looking for interns at Griffin, so we were about to interview a gal that looked like a great candidate. She is studying abroad in Spain, so an in-person interview was out of the question. We knew we could catch her on the phone, but really wanted that face-to-face perspective. Skype to the rescue! With five minutes of computer prep to set up a web cam, we were able to interview her “in person.” What a difference to be able to see her and interact than to have just talked over the phone.
And now, I’m prepped and ready to roll on to another one of my in-person weekly tag ups. I’m about to head into a one-hour meeting with a quick agenda that will most likely close out some projects and open doors to new ones.
I encourage everyone to make face time a priority. It’s too easy to rely on e-mail and phone these days. Heck, I even have a text message and Facebook relationship with some clients! Make time for the in-person meeting. You’ll be glad you did.
— Deanna Wilke
I’m a firm believer in the idea of life-long learning. Your education shouldn’t end with graduation.
This is where the concept of professional development comes into play. Broadly, as Wikipedia explains it, professional development encompasses anything you do to gain skills and knowledge for both personal development and career advancement.
It’s the best of both worlds – the employee is bettering him or herself while the employer reaps the benefits as well. For job seekers, it’s an all-important part of standing out from the competition in the current market.
There are all types of professional development opportunities out there. These range from the formal – semester-long courses, advanced degree programs, conferences, etc. – to the informal – mentoring, coaching relationships, Webinars, staying current on industry reading, etc.
Don’t be intimidated by all the opportunities. Start small…Keep in mind that you can learn a lot from those around you on a daily basis, and it doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Just yesterday, my colleague Julie gave a great presentation to the team with tips on online researching. It took maybe 30 minutes out of everyone’s work day, but we all left with some extremely useful tools that we may have never come across on our own.
I recently decided to take a big step and launch a search to find an organization of some kind in which to become involved. Since I’m a quiet person, I decided to start with Toastmasters International. This was a very supportive and dedicated group. After visiting a couple of meetings, and picking up a few public speaking tips, I decided it wasn’t what I had in mind.
I haven’t given up on my search, though. Sometimes I find that knowing what I don’t want can help me figure out what I do. I’m shifting my focus to an organization where I can do some of the same things, but for a cause I’m passionate about, instead of just public speaking.
So, my professional development journey continues. And, in meantime, I’ve found an American Marketing Association seminar that I’m excited about attending next week.
I hope some of you will take the leap with me, and help yourself while helping a cause close to your heart. And, if you’re already doing this, please feel free to share your suggestions and experiences. 🙂
Here are a few places I’ve found helpful along the way:
- Public Relation Society of America’s Houston Chapter
- American Marketing Association’s Houston Chapter
- Toastmasters International – Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be the right fit for you.
Finally, I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote from Henry Ford:
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
Good luck!
Jaime Napoli, Account Executive
Gwen Griffin, president and chief executive officer of Griffin Communications Group (GCG), today announced aerospace industry veteran Jeff Carr will join the agency to lead its global aerospace practice effective April 1. The former senior executive at United Space Alliance and NASA brings 27 years of aerospace communications expertise to the firm.
As GCG’s vice president of aerospace communications, Carr will oversee development of strategic communications initiatives for each of the agency’s aerospace clients. In addition, he will continue to grow the national reputation and client roster of GCG’s aerospace division.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Jeff for more than a decade, and hands down, he is one of the most articulate communicators I have ever met,” Griffin said. “This, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the aerospace industry and strategic communications, makes him the ideal choice to run our aerospace practice. It’s a tremendous win for our staff and I feel strongly that our clients will also greatly benefit from the knowledge and insight he has to offer.”
Carr most recently spent 13 years at United Space Alliance. As director of communications and public relations reporting directly to the president and CEO, he managed the company’s reputation through strategic communications including media relations, community outreach, customer initiatives, government affairs, marketing communications and advertising. While at USA, he served as one of the founding members and the inaugural chairman of the Coalition for Space Exploration, a national collective of space industry businesses that work to promote understanding and support of human space exploration and to help the U.S. maintain its leadership in space.
“My entire career has been focused on helping to advance the cause of human space flight and exploration through communication and public outreach,” Carr said. “I am excited to be joining the Griffin team at a time when more and more businesses around the world are getting involved in this epic adventure. I am looking forward to lending my experience to a wider spectrum of interests in aerospace and to meeting the needs of our customers with high-impact, leading edge communications solutions.”
Other aerospace career highlights include serving as acting director of public affairs and as chief of the news and information branch at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. In 1993, he temporarily served as special assistant for communications to the NASA administrator, providing critical transition support and lending insight to key issues and activities for NASA during the early months of the Clinton Administration. He has also served as a press liaison and information specialist for Flight Crew and Mission Operations, as well as a flight commentator in Mission Control for more than 40 Space Shuttle missions. With the experience of two major Shuttle tragedies, the loss of Challenger in 1986 and of Columbia in 2003, he is a seasoned expert in crisis communications.
Prior to joining NASA, he led a team of technical directors in the planning and operations of Space Shuttle mission coverage on NASA Television as vice president of mission operations for Media Services Corporation.
Anybody who knows me clearly knows how much I love my University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team. (By the way, the team is currently ranked #2 in the country! Go Cats!) As I sat in the stands at LSU last Saturday watching my Cats whup up on the Tigers, I noticed the sea of UK blue. What a following UK has! Here we are, in Baton Rouge, hundreds of miles away from the epicenter of UK basketball in Lexington, Ky., and yet all kinds of fans were cheering on the Cats to a decisive victory.
It dawned on me that my fanaticism is very much like that of an employee to a company. In addition to corporate headquarters, companies may have several locations throughout the country and world, but they must engage every employee in every office. Companies need employees to be fans. How do you accomplish this? Internal communication.
Internal communication is vital to a company’s success. Every day, we work with clients on their internal communication habits. Through open communication, companies inform employees with good news, bad news and day-to-day happenings to keep employees “in the know.” Informed employees make for loyal employees. It’s great when companies realize that direct, frequent communication makes for a better working experience for everyone.
This year is a good year for UK basketball. We have good players and Coach Calipari is awesome. But, a big part of that success is that Coach Cal engages the fans, welcomes comments, answers questions and gives away cool stuff through tools like Facebook and Twitter. This is excellent internal communication! (Now before you question whether UK fans are an internal audience, don’t go there. There’s not a UK basketball fan who wouldn’t fight to the death to secure the fact that each of us is way beyond an external customer for the sport. We bleed blue, ‘nuff said.) The last couple of years, we lacked good communication—our old coach didn’t connect with the fans and fans became negative of the entire program. Now that we have better communication, we more readily support and understand the team. Winning helps, but even when we lost, the open, honest communication from Coach Cal lifted spirits and got Big Blue Nation through it.
It’s the same with employees. Win or lose, good or bad, a tight-knit, informed group will make it through the tough times and relish the good times. Without open communication via tools like employee newsletters, e-mail updates, employee Web portals, open forums, Facebook and Twitter, a company can’t expect employees to understand the company or, for that matter, support the company. Plus, you can have all the right tools in place and a tight-lipped approach only causes distrust and resentment among your troops.
You need employee feedback. You need to engage your workers. That’s what we help companies do every day. Before any company can even think about external communication (advertising, brochures, Web sites, media relations), it must fortify its internal communication. A company is only as strong as its employees; without their support, understanding and loyalty, a company will cease to exist.
Let employees be your fans—hey, you really can do that with Facebook! Go for it…and go Big Blue!
Deanna Wilke
Account Manager
We’ve all heard that variety is the spice of life. But, did you realize it’s also the spice of writing? Yes, paying close attention to your word choice and sentence structure can take your writing from bland to “caliente!”
We’re all familiar with the basic noun-verb-object sentence, but how you spice up this recipe is what makes your writing interesting. As with any recipe, if you put the same boring ingredients in every time, you’ll get the same mediocre result.
A quick and easy-to-follow example:
Simple, noun-verb-object sentence: I bought new shoes.
But, that sentence doesn’t tell you nearly as much as this one: I snapped up a pair of half-price red patent-leather flats.
Just because I work in communications, don’t think this only applies to me and my colleagues. This goes for anyone who ever puts pen to paper, personally or professionally. Don’t you think your co-workers would appreciate well-written e-mails and reports? Why tell your boss a project was a mere success, when you could report that it increased profits by 30%?
Another example: I was recently working on a press release in which I needed to describe an award-winning video. Here’s the first draft:
The inspirational three-minute video stressed the need for continued human space exploration and calls upon viewers to spread the word.
While there’s nothing grammatically wrong with that sentence, does it inspire you? Not so much. Now, let’s add a sprinkling of spice, and see what we have:
The inspirational three-minute video combines powerful historical footage with present-day, one-on-one interviews to stress the need for continued human space exploration and calls upon viewers to spread the word.
Be careful not to get carried away, though. A little spice goes a long way. You don’t want to sacrifice clarity or brevity for description’s sake. This is a very fine line, but one you’re probably already dealing with on a daily basis. Anytime you use Twitter, for example, you’re forced to make impactful word choices to get your point across while staying under the 140-character limit.
You can’t expect your writing to jump from mild to “caliente” overnight. It can be a constant struggle, but here are a few resources to keep you on track:
- Copyblogger – This blog focuses on copy for the Web, but the concepts carry over into all forms of writing.
- The Oatmeal – This blog is for those who prefer their grammar lessons with a side of sarcasm.
- “When Words Collide: A Media Writer’s Guide to Grammar and Style” by Lauren Kessler, Duncan McDonald – This handy reference book includes easy-to-understand explanations of many grammar issues, including the difference between which and that. Yes, there is a difference.
- Finally, the more high-quality writing you read, the better you’ll become. So, don’t overlook newspapers like The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal for sources of inspiration.
I know it’s easy to put your nose to the grindstone to knock out a writing project and check it off your to-do list. I’m as guilty of this as the next guy, but try to resist the temptation. In the end, you’ll be glad you put in the extra time and energy.
Jaime Napoli, Account Executive
Like any busy career girl and wife, I love my DVR. The power of having the control to decide when I watch my favorites shows, the organization of my shows by date and time and best of all – speeding through nearly 20 minutes of uninspired commercials for an hour long program. It’s liberating! In my opinion, my DVR is second only to my microwave in terms of revolutionary household technology.
Pesky commercials now fly by as key words and bright colors on my screen, like pretty performance art. Sure, I can push play if I have the overwhelming desire to watch a caveman sell me insurance with bad indie rock playing in the background or a broom stalking a housewife since she discovered the latest Swiffer product. But more often then not, I consider it a significant accomplishment to push play at the exact moment the screen fades back to my show. It’s a high-stakes game of skill in our house. You loose, you give up control of the remote.
As a marketing person, I understand the value and importance of commercials (assuming they have good messaging and compelling design). Heck I can hum and quote most jingles and tag lines as I walk the isles of Target. But as a general viewer I just want to throw things at my TV screen when bad copy and horrible symbolism befoul my TV (flying Wheat Thins, really?!?), but since flat screen TVs are not as sturdy as their predecessors – that behavior is a no-no in the Taylor household.
These days, it takes an exceptionally well thought out commercial to be worthy of my play button. Last week, that rare breed came in the form of a Honda commercial during the season premiere of Chuck.
That clever beast deceived me into pushing play early by making me think it was my show returning early. It did it by featuring actors from the program on a road trip. Can’t help thinking of the Connect Four line, “Very sneaky, Sis.” And it gets better – not only was it funny and tied to the show’s back story, these Honda commercials are episodic – so I’m now committed to watching the commercial each week just to see what happens next on this wacky road trip to Canada and why Morgan has pink ice skates.
So what’s the lesson? The same lesson that prevails throughout most marketing and PR strategies. Relevance and relationships anchored with good messaging get and keep people’s attention and bust through the DVR gatekeeper. Whether it’s a national commercial or the copy for your company’s brochure or a print ad in a trade publication – you have to push pause and take time to ask yourself a few basic questions.
- Who is your audience?
- Why should they care who you are or what you are offering?
- What do you want them to do once they decide they do care?
- Is this something you would want to watch or read your self?
- Am I using the right medium to tell my story?
Pretty simple really. Yet, after watching the last 10 commercials on the Science Channel it’s painfully obvious these basic steps are rarely followed, and then made worse by bad production quality. Makes a girl want to turn off her TV, and that’s just sad. With marketing and advertising budgets being slashed due to a tight economy, it is crucial that organizations make the most of those slim marketing dollars. And that doesn’t just mean obtaining great added values like extra spots, paper upgrades or complementary editorial coverage.
It means making sure you’ve thoroughly answered the five basic questions and consulted with experienced marketing professionals to ensure your product and messaging gets the care and attention it deserves before being sent out into the world.
Remember, good TV is everybody’s responsibility. View and create responsibly.
Carrie
Sr. Account Executive
I recently moved back to Indiana from Texas to be closer to family after the birth of my son. And, now, we just put an offer on a house. Lots of big changes in a short period of time, which often leads to reflection.
We took a big risk when we moved to Texas more than 11 years ago. My boyfriend (now husband) got a job in Houston. But, we had zero family or friends there, and I didn’t have a job. We were young, though, so we saw it as an adventure.
Now, looking back, the risk reaped great rewards – we made wonderful friends, we found great jobs, we experienced so many new things and had access to exceptional medical care when we struggled to have a baby.
And, then, deciding to move back to Indiana, while it felt right and was important to me, there is always a measure of risk when big change is involved.
This holds true in business and marketing as well. We recently created an ad for Griffin Communications Group targeting the entrepreneurial spirits of the commercial space industry that said, “Real reward comes when you dare to be different.” This is so true. We produced a new creative campaign for the College of the Mainland as part of a strategic marketing communications plan to increase enrollment.
The clean, hip design deviated dramatically from past initiatives. But, edgier creative was needed to reach the younger demographic they were trying to target.
They took a risk and reaped the reward. The campaign generated nearly three million impressions and approximately 4,000 click-throughs to the COM Web site. The College reached 105% of its fall 2009 enrollment goal. Compared to fall 2008, overall enrollment was up by 11%.
With the current state of the economy, taking financial risks is even scarier. Believe me, I know. I am a conservative realist when it comes to financial decisions (like talking my husband down from the latest “toy” he thinks “we” need). Too often companies slash their marketing budgets in a weak economy. I came across a good article by Steve McKee, author of When Growth Stalls. He said, “Marketing is muscle, not fat. Be careful about cutting it.” He went on to say, “the savviest marketers know recessions are a great time to pick up market share,” which means maintaining or even increasing your marketing efforts. The key is being smart, having a strategy and sticking to it.
As I get older, and especially after becoming a mom, my risk aversion is increasing. But, this doesn’t mean I don’t believe great reward can come from taking risks. It just means that my analytical side kicks in, like Ben Stiller in “Along Came Polly.” I like to think I’ve assessed the situation and made a smart decision.
Happy holidays!
Stacy Sarault
gwengriffin.wordpress.com 