Mark Crouser

When approaching a new project, colleagues may often urge you to “Think outside the box.” It’s become the default phrase when looking to explore creative solutions for addressing client objectives. In certain situations, that may be a good approach, but in others, what’s inside the box will deliver what we’re looking to achieve. So why is it that we so often look to that approach, when we could instead turn to what’s proven, tailored to meet client goals and objective?

For my 20-month old son, there is no better place to play than a cardboard box. From that enclosed space, it’s the best race car, pirate ship and space shuttle he can imagine. In his mind, he takes it on journeys across the country, the ocean and even the cosmos. His favorite place to play, explore and create is inside that box.

The same can be said when approaching the opportunities we’re asked to address for clients. Within that box is our expertise, or as some would say “our sweet spot.” It’s what we do best. So why not go back to that expertise when the situation calls for it? That’s not in any way a “fall back” position. Instead, it’s using what we know best to deliver the results that are proven to build trust.

That’s why, when the opportunity is right, I urge you to think inside the box.

Jenny Watz

About six months ago, I finally convinced my husband to retire his archaic cell phone – the one with the numbers rubbed off, buttons sticking and antenna snapped off – for a smart phone. The phone was so old that most of the people working in the cell phone store had never seen it before. His reluctance to upgrade was fueled by many things – the outstanding cell signal his phone received (even with the antenna snapped off), his view of a cell phone as something used to call and talk to people (and nothing more), and his general hesitation to change.

Despite the wealth of information available regarding smart phone technology and numerous glowing endorsements from brave souls who had blazed the trail before him, he was dragged into the 21^st century kicking and screaming. I’m no trailblazer, but I’d like to believe I’m a little more pliable than that.

Early adopters, on the other hand, are much more amenable to change. I’m sure you know some early adopters, or you may be one yourself. Early adopters are considered to be opinion leaders by their peers. They are the ones that others go to for information on a particular topic. They are information seekers and can impact change.

Research we’ve conducted for the food industry has focused on early adopters. We’ve learned that early adopters can be greatly influenced by information they find online, but only if they view the sources as credible, credentialed and unbiased. Their online habits are diverse, and they access information from a variety of devices.

Early adopters are an important group for the food industry. By understanding their habits and the types of information they’re seeking, we can better communicate our shared values. We can connect with them to help build trust in today’s food system. If early adopters can trust that their food is produced in a way that aligns with their values, they will be apt to share this information with others.

Thanks to those who put their trust in smart phone technology, my husband was finally able to adapt to change. I’m happy to report that he’s doing quite well with his smart phone, and even uses it for things other than talking.

Terry Fleck

I would guess it was my mother who first taught me the importance of maintaining people relationships. Back in the day when we used stamps, the month of December was devoted to the mailing of Christmas cards to “the address book.” Mom made sure each card had a personalized greeting and a short note to the recipient; the focus was never self-centered but always other-centered. The Fleck Family Address Book was always a little tricky. Mom filed addresses by first name not last. My complaining never altered the process. She did what made sense to her.

As my career developed I enjoyed meeting people and quickly latched onto a Rolodex. For those of you from the digital age asking, “What is a Rolodex?” this was an old archaic form of an address book one kept on their desk. I kept more than addresses and phone numbers; I wrote notes on the back about the contacts so I could be relevant when I spoke with them next. I even had my pocket DayTimer address book – a mobile adaptation – which helped me when I traveled.

No news to you; times have changed and the tools are more handy and available, but the principles still stand – people are important. In fact, if you were to look today at my “network” you would find thousands of acquaintances, maybe a hundred friends (different from the Facebook friend definition) and about 20 of what I call, “life-long friends.” This last group knows me the best and is the group I intentionally stay in contact with.

At CMA, we build trust. A key driver to trust is friends and family, those who know your character and believe you will do the right thing, consistently and honestly. Developing and maintaining relationships with others takes time and investment. You have to be willing to move beyond shallow conversation to things more substantive. You have to be vulnerable and share yourself and your values. That is how trust is built.

Relationships are important. I have acquaintances and friends I have not seen for 30 years. But because of previous investments in building relationships, I could call them today we would pick up right where we were when we last spoke with each other.

Little did I know when I was growing up that Mom was simply displaying by example a life-long principle that people are important and need encouraged. Drop someone you know a note today, tell them you are thinking about them and ask how they are. Being other-centered will serve you well.

Jim Fallon

“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.”

Benjamin Franklin probably wasn’t considering the future of what would become corporate America when he wrote these words during the birth of our country. Yet one only needs to scan the front page of any newspaper or tune into an evening newscast to see their connection to business in the 21^st century.

Many leaders have spent years successfully guiding their companies, only to see a crisis situation threaten everything they worked hard to achieve. In fact, the odds are high that at some point, your company will face a crisis situation which will impact its reputation. But by effectively anticipating and managing potential crisis situations, your company can emerge with its reputation intact more often than one that is slow – or even fails – to react.

Preparing for a crisis

It is important to take the time to carefully assess the potential likelihood of a crisis and develop a plan now to manage its impact. Here’s how:

Assess your company’s vulnerabilities – What are the likely areas where your company could experience a crisis? It is important to fully think through all areas of potential vulnerability. Doing so will help you not only plan for a potential crisis, but also help identify ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Develop a crisis management plan – Based on your company’s potential vulnerabilities, you should have a complete crisis management plan in place to guide your response. An effective plan generally includes the identification of a crisis response team, designation of media spokesperson(s), and development of protocols that address the situation and result in timely and effective communication to employees, customers, stakeholders, and the community. It could also include notifying and working with local authorities.

Test your company’s response – Once your company has a plan in place, put it to the test. This can be accomplished by developing a crisis drill based on one or more of the potential vulnerabilities you identified. An effective crisis drill can be as simple as walking your team through a mock situation, or a more elaborate and unannounced activity that tests how the company responds under conditions which closely simulate an actual crisis.

Keep it fresh – Once your company has a crisis management plan in place, it’s critical to review it with your team at least quarterly, confirming that it is up to date and that new staff members are properly trained, ensuring its effectiveness if it ever has to be put into action.

The time to act is now

Unfortunately, many companies still don’t fully prepare for potential crisis situations and find themselves in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment that forces them into a reactionary mode of response. But taking the time to put a crisis management plan in place prior to a potential issue will prepare you to proactively respond to the situation.

It will also help bring some sanity and structure to those inevitable “oh s#!%” moments we all experience at one time or another.

Jessie Ford

We often hear that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Here at CMA, we strive to make strong and positive impressions on our clients day in and day out—and we like to hit the ball out of the park when we do it.

The work we do reflects the integrity, quality and trust that our agency is built upon. A good rule of thumb that can be applied to nearly anything you do in life: Don’t settle. We don’t just want to just produce good work; we want to (and do) create great work.

One very crucial element that contributes to that success— that makes the cream rise to the top and causes a client to stand apart from the rest—is the face that we put to their brand. And, we want it to be a pretty one. Whether it’s a logo, brochure, website or advertisement, these forms of creative and visual communication only have a couple of seconds to catch someone’s eye, grab their attention, make them stop and want to know more.

Visuals can’t hold up flashing signs that scream “Hey, look at me! I’m a very meaningful thing and can provide you with the exact information that you need!” The words images and graphics speak are unheard — they can only be seen and felt. Good design, especially in marketing, evokes emotion, but, most importantly, it initiates business. It’s responsible for not only communicating a specific message to a user or audience and driving a point home in a very short amount of time, but it also needs to make them want to dive in and know more.

It is this initial impact — the new knowledge combined with the desire to want more — that forms the “first impression.” And, if this first impression is stimulating enough, engages an audience and causes them to perform an action (whether that’s making a purchase, checking out a website or entering a contest), then the design has completed its job.

What makes these client brands stand out, though? What makes “good design,” anyway — the kind that makes more than just a single good impression? The overall aesthetic of our clients’ brands and designs always needs to be consistent, easily recognizable and appealing to the eye.

Because we’re nearing “March Madness” (and there’s a good chance that I’m one of the biggest college basketball fans you will ever find), I’m going to use the identity of The Ohio State University as an example of a definitive brand. It’s a brand with lots of visual appeal— and one that’s been around for a long time. All of its elements are universal: the scarlet and grey color palette, block “O” and Buckeye graphics can be identified instantly and understood easily and quickly. Anything that is “Ohio State” is going to consist of the same basic visuals, anywhere you go.

However, a brand isn’t just about a color palette. It isn’t just a logo, and it’s not only a specific set of typefaces. For the Buckeyes, their brand isn’t simply a design you find on a t-shirt or a jersey, or an advertisement in a game-day program. These colors, fonts and graphics are all very important aspects of an overall identity, but they can’t operate independently — they must all be integrated and serve specific purposes, together. All of these “members” make up the “team,” if you will, which is the brand image.

While the overall look and feel of stand-alone visuals, the impact they make in business and communication and the consistency of a branding identity all play major roles in what makes “good design,” one of the most important aspects of design that is equally important is simplicity.

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” As a designer, that quote has always been one of my favorites and something I keep in mind while creating work. Sometimes, there is so much to say that visuals are often ruined by graphic overload. When more than three different types of fonts, too many similar photos and an array of 10 colors are all used together in a single design, it easily becomes cluttered and distracting. Sometimes, we forget to utilize white space, in all of its wonderful glory — and there is nothing better than a design that is clean, has room to breathe and is most importantly, SIMPLE.

Look at the logos created by world-famous graphic designer, Paul Rand. He’s the man responsible for creating the visual identities of major brands such as ABC, UPS and IBM. The look of these brands is nothing but simple, easy-to-interpret and effective. It translates well across a variety of platforms, is scalable and the logos are now a few of the most recognized in the world. These brands have longevity because that longevity is maintained by simplicity. No one has to think about anything when they look at them.

Design, unlike other art forms, doesn’t always have to be subjective, and it should communicate and deliver a specific message in a matter of a few seconds. It shouldn’t be entirely open for artistic interpretation but instead generate further interest or a call to action.

When I was a student at Ohio University just a few short years ago, I was taught to never design “just for design’s sake.” I thought I knew what that meant when I was sitting in a classroom, but I came to really understand its meaning once I started working after college. I found that, on occasion, I gave visuals that “graphic overload” I discussed above. I would have so many ideas for a single project that I’d sometimes try to include everything with it. I had to learn how to peel away at the layers of distraction and expose just the basic core and simple beauty of a visual. Now, I strive to give my work a KISS— and no, I don’t mean a smooch. By KISS, I mean that I “Keep It Simple, Silly.”

So, good design consists of many important elements, holds much responsibility in the marketing world and is expected to serve a wide range of purposes. At the end of the day, though, what makes good design great and what gives our client brands their “pretty faces” is an overall sophistication that can only be achieved by keeping it simple. As mentioned above, don’t design for design’s sake, or just because you can. Even if you have all 64 crayons in the box, that doesn’t mean you have to color with all of them. Less is always more.

Beth Anne Mumford

We recently replaced the countertops in our kitchen. We spent months sorting through all the options, visiting stone yards, kitchen showrooms and the local big box stores to figure out the best fit for our lifestyle and our budget. Who knew there were so many choices, and who had time to figure it out? Not us … and that’s where Josephine entered our lives. Josephine is a kitchen designer, and while we did not want to have to hire someone to advise us on how to spend our money, it turns out that her expertise helped us achieve the results we wanted and saved us time and money. She took all our ideas and led us toward the right solution—fantastic new countertops, sinks and faucets that we LOVE—and all within our budget.

Bring in the expertI usually think of Josephine when someone asks “what exactly does a consultant do?” While the CMA team may not be able to advise you on your home remodeling projects (though some of my colleagues are pretty creative), I think we do exactly what Josephine did for our home project. We offer professional expertise to organizations to help them achieve their goals.

CMA’s expertise is in building trust through meaningful communication, public affairs and creative/strategic engagement. And like Josephine, we know how to help you maximize your time and resources to achieve the greatest possible success.

Discussion is the first step

When Josephine first visited us, she did not come with ideas, but with questions. Why do you want to change the countertops? What kind of style do you like? How do you use the kitchen? What’s important to you? What’s your budget?

That’s exactly how we start our projects at CMA, and it is the only way to ensure a successful outcome. The word “consultant” comes from the Latin word “consultare” which means “to discuss.” Through that initial discussion we are able to ultimately offer meaningful solutions because we take the time to clearly understand the needs and uncover the values and outcomes that are important to the project.

Don’t mind us if we ask a lot of questions, we are communicators after all. But, knowing what an organization needs from the project and what they hope to achieve helps us provide the best possible solution and opportunity for the most positive outcome.

You have to live with it

We could have made many different choices when we purchased new kitchen countertops and they would have been okay. But, who wants to live with just “okay?”

CMA provides tempered candor and creative ideas along the way—just as Josephine did for us– but we also know that the project ultimately belongs to the organization that has sought our knowledge and our expertise. As consultants, our job is to identify and help execute the right solution, not just any solution.

Diane Hurd

A common PR controversy lately has been: Is the press release dead or alive in this digital savvy era? There was a time when distributing a release was the one clear, go-to tactic for PR pros. And, if editors liked your story, they’d publish it.

But, times have changed. News creation and consumption has moved online, and social media plays an increasingly important role in that process. Journalists have less time to do more work and as their responsibilities shift to updating websites and contributing to blogs, they need easy access to digital elements. In addition, the blogosphere continues to grow, expanding the number of available distribution outlets for your story.

In a digital world, the press release is still very useful, but it has been forced to evolve to appeal to different audiences. These days, it’s not just reporters and editors reading a release, but bloggers, consumers, competitors and influencers. If you want these audiences to engage with your story, you better make sure it’s easy for them to find it. And, just as importantly, to share it.

Below are some basic rules for crafting releases that can be translated from traditional to digital:

• We’ve heard it time and again: content is king! While the majority of traditional media still want to receive an emailed release, enhance your content with additional multimedia elements, such as links to supporting information, high-res images and video.

• Format releases for easy sharing across social media platforms (e.g. make the headline “tweetable” – 140 characters or less) and be clear, concise and focused on delivering the news – leave “industry speak” at the door.

• Insert social media bookmarks for easy sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.

• Include links that direct to your website or supporting information to further educate and inform your audiences.

• Optimize releases with keyword-rich content so audiences searching on the Internet will be sure to easily find you.

• Utilize services, such as PitchEngine, to develop, optimize and promote your content in one place.

In the social media age, press releases can reach large audiences in a short amount of time. The key is to provide easily-transferable and relevant content to make journalists’ lives easier. And, making their lives easier means a better chance of coverage for you and your company!

Ground beef. Cantaloupe. Bagged spinach.

And eggs…oh yes…eggs. The news today is replete with stories of food recalls, but perhaps none more visible than the August 2010 Salmonella enteritidis egg crisis that resulted in the recall of more than a half-billion eggs from states across the country.

Effective, responsible communication is key to maintaining trust in the food system, and a challenge for anyone who produces food is determining a strategy for communicating prior to, during and after a recall. So if you’re a farmer or a food producer facing a recall – or are a stakeholder in the food system interested in understanding more about what happens in these cases – read on to learn more about communicating from the front lines of the 2010 egg recall.

Get Prepared – The most important thing a farm can do right now on this day is preparation. A recall consumes time and resources, and is not a good time to be just starting to think about farm communications. Do you have a crisis plan for a food recall, adulterated product or foodborne illness outbreak? Do you know your key media contacts? Is your list of customers up to date and can you reach them at any given time? Can you quickly and effectively articulate what the food safety and disease prevention protocols are on your farm? Is someone on your farm trained to serve as a spokesperson? If you answered any of these questions “no”, then you’re not ready.

Know Your Audiences – The scope of people to whom you must communicate during a recall is broad. It includes the media, consumers, your customers, suppliers, federal regulatory agencies and other public health authorities, your employees and local community leaders. Each of these audiences plays an essential role in the recall communications process.

Take the Lead of Federal Authorities – The federal agency leading the recall will have specific guidelines for communications. They include everything from what media outlets must be notified (Associated Press must always be included, for example) to what language must be used (symptoms of the type of foodborne illness, for example) in materials. Be flexible and ask a lot of questions. You should be informed on every action being taken by the agency, so that you are well prepared to discuss it with others as necessary. You are free to communicate beyond those parameters, but all communications must follow their lead.

Timing Matters – You can’t wait forever to let the public know – notification is the right thing to do, and there are legal and reporting requirements that must be followed. More importantly, if the public and your constituents believe you held back information, that action will raise questions and compromise trust. On the flip side, ensuring information is accurate and current also is key. Tell what you know when you know it, and when appropriate and necessary to do so.

Be Open and Transparent – The public nature of a recall means that all information will eventually be shared publicly. There is no benefit to a farm in being less than forthright about what’s taking place. Always tell the truth. Engage with the media and with your customers. Don’t relinquish your position as the best source of information. You are the expert, and you should be the first point of contact. That’s part of demonstrating your commitment to food safety and to doing what’s right.

Recognize the Story’s Appeal – Threats to public health and food safety are hot topics. Coverage of your recall will range from the disinterested to the sensational – and everywhere in between. More than 80 reporters were covering the 2010 egg recall on a daily basis. Many showed up on-site at the farm itself. Media will use the highest numbers possible when reporting both the scope of the recall and the people potentially affected by it. They’ll be looking for the three ideal parts of a story – a victim (consumers), a villain (the farm) and a superhero (FDA or other agency). It is frustrating, but it is reality. Again, don’t let others tell your story for you. Represent your farm at all times.

Plan for a Long Road Back – The consuming public wants their food to be safe and free from disease. A recall puts that wish in jeopardy, and for a farm to regain the trust of its customers and consumers, a consistent, transparent effort of ongoing communication is required. Farms must demonstrate that they have cooperated fully with all regulatory officials, that they have implemented all needed corrective measures, and that steps have been put in place to ensure that the situation is not repeated. Restoring trust and reputation takes time and resources, but is necessary for survival after a recall. Above all, farms must illustrate a clear change in course, a commitment to going above and beyond to ensure safe food is produced and ongoing effort to do what’s right and responsible at all times.

Hinda Mitchell provided crisis communications, media relations and strategic message development counsel during the 2010 national egg recall.

Charlie Arnot

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” -Cheshire Cat

One of the things I like best about the New Year is the opportunity to set goals. Early in my career I placed little stock in the value of goals. I didn’t understand how I could possibly set a goal if I didn’t know how it was to be accomplished. Before I was willing to set a goal I wanted to know the process we would use and what resources were available to achieve success. I had it completely backward.

I failed to understand the amazing power that goals can unleash. If you set a goal and focus your attention, it’s amazing how the resources and process seem to appear. For generations successful people have touted the power of goals and it is the topic of hundreds of business books and articles. I can’t offer any revolutionary insight on what I think is an important pursuit, but I can share what works for me.

It starts by focusing on the destination. At the end of the year, where do I want to be personally and professionally? It’s a bit like picking a location for vacation. Do I want to go to the beach or mountains, with the family or a golf outing with the guys? This is the most important part of the process. Be intentional about knowing where you want to be at the end of the year. That vision creates the foundation for building your goals. Like Alice in Wonderland, if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. Once I determine a destination I can begin to plan my journey. Will I fly or drive? How long will I stay? What will I do when we get there? What time of year do I want to go? The questions begin to chart my course; much like goal setting can chart your success.

Good goals are written down and SMART. Unless you write it down, it’s an aspiration, not a goal. Put it on paper and share it with others to build support and accountability for achieving your goals. SMART is an acronym for the attributes of meaningful goals. They should be:

Specific – What exactly do you want to achieve?

Measurable – What is the quantifiable measure of success?

Achievable – With adequate focus can you make this happen?

Relevant – Why is this goal important to you now? How will it make a difference?

Timely – When will you accomplish the goal?

Once you have your SMART goals on paper share them with someone and schedule time on your calendar each week to review them. Ask yourself what you are going to do this week to achieve your goals?

Goal setting is one of the most powerful things you can do. Setting SMART goals, reviewing them regularly and sharing them with others will create a focus that will lead to personal and professional success. I think that’s a great way to start the New Year!

By Randa Niederhauser, CMA

Randa Niederhauser

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” —Albert Einstein, attributed

It’s that time of year again, and here in the Accounting Department at CMA we’re doing lots of counting. We’re counting up the year’s financial performance. We’re counting how well we deployed our staff, and how well we met our budgets. As we close out 2011, we’re also preparing for 2012 by planning projects and estimating our income and expenses. We use numbers to measure many aspects of the business. But as Albert reminded us, not everything that can be counted counts. So we are constantly asking ourselves if we’re counting the right things. We want to make sure that our measurements result in information that helps us make the right decisions for the business.

At the same time, we are mindful of the things that can’t be counted.  We can’t put a value on the confidence that our clients have in us to help them achieve their goals or on the dedication and teamwork that we have among the staff at CMA. We are also grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the food system that people all over the world rely on every day.

Whatever religious or cultural traditions you observed during the holiday season, I hope you took a few moments to appreciate the important things in your life that can’t be counted. For me that was having extended family home for the holidays and some time off to spend with my kids.  But who’s counting?