Why your construction company needs a publication

I’ve had the privilege of working with the top contractor in the state of Texas in addition to some of the top construction companies in the city of San Antonio. For some, I have been able to work on their employee publications, but for others, I have simply seen the need for a publication.

Photo by James C. Mattison

For one, construction companies typically have a diverse list of capabilities. Why not showcase your range of abilities through a marketing publication sent to your current customers and potential customers. Showcase how you used a new type of concrete to build your latest project. Outline how you shaved two months off a project’s schedule through pre-mobilization planning. Tell how you worked hand-in-hand with the project’s engineers to save the customer money. Stories like this will reconfirm your customers’ choice in contracting you and hopefully show others why they should use your company for their next project. Also, it will show the customer you built a hospital for why it should consider you for its next multi-purpose building. 

 Secondly, turnover is typically high among construction companies’ employees. To help keep your employees working for you and not switching to your competitor, think about starting an employee publication. Tell your employees about the great benefits you offer. Help them see the company’s future. Let them know that things are still going well — especially in today’s economic times. Talk about your new training programs. Thank them for their hard work. The more you can stay in front of your employees, the better. This is especially true if your organization is spread across a state or even the country. Help your employees know that they matter to you.

Finally, the publication can serve as a recruitment piece. With one magazine you can show recent graduates why your company is a great place to work. They’ll see the projects that you have been a part of. They can see the benefits you offer your employees. A publication can be a great introduction to your organization.

Who should run my publication?

For a company publication, there are a few “typical” departments who could lead your publication. Choosing one is an important decision and can play a large role in the success of the publication and the overall direction the publication takes. Here are a few departments who naturally oversee your publication.

1. Employee Relations / Human Resources. When creating an employee publication, your employee relations / human resources department is an obvious choice. This group of people is already focused on your employees. It will keep the employees’ best interests at heart.

2. Corporate Communications. The great thing about the corporate communications team running the publication is that its team members should already be great writers. They understand grammar and punctuation. They get the details, which can help make the publication a great one. Also, they typically know the company news, thus story ideas should be readily available.

3. Marketing. The marketing team will typically think of the multiple ways the publication can be used. Even if it is an employee publication, the marketing team will add its spin to the publication to make it worthwhile to advancing the company. Plus, they will know what information needs to be included in the publication to help gain new customers.

Now, I have worked with numerous editors from these different departments who have been able to combine the benefits of each group to their publication’s benefit. Ideally, that is what you will find. Someone who can keep the employees’ needs at heart, help advance the organization and keep the quality of the publication high through strong editing.

As I said in an earlier post, I believe the best situation is to let an out-of-house organization (like a PR firm) run your in-house publication. However, any publication still has to have a company department and / or editor in charge. Picking the right department, in a way, confirms how you want your publication run and what purpose you want it to have, so choose wisely.

Why hospitals need a publication

During the past two years, I have been a part of at least three different hospital publications — two magazines and one newsletter. From my work on these publications, I have seen some great ways for hospitals to use publications to achieve various purposes.

1. Marketing your offerings. Hospitals have uncountable offerings. From community events to inpatient surgeries to outpatient needs, there are numerous things to talk about. A publication is a great way to talk to your community about what you offer. Talk about how your doctors are using cutting-edge technology. Introduce people to your groundbreaking research studies. Welcome new doctors. Ensure that when people think of great hospitals in your area that your hospital is the first on their list.

2. Donor relations. This holds true for any nonprofit or not-for-profit organization. A publication is a great way to keep your donors informed of what your hospital is doing and how you use their generous support to offer the best services possible. It also shows your donors that they matter to you and is a way to stay in-front of them year round — hopefully to generate additional donations.

3. Educate the public. One role hospitals have in their community is to keep the public educated. While this is often done through public relations and events (i.e., monthly health screenings), it also can be accomplished through a community publication. Use the magazine’s pages to talk about healthy eating, skin cancer detectors and the importance of keeping your children active. This is a great way to position your hospital as the one in the community that cares.

Choosing your editorial board

For any company publication, an editorial board plays an important role in ensuring a variety of voices are represented. It helps keep the coverage widespread and, typically, will help ensure the goals of the publication are met. Because of these important end results, it is important that you choose your editorial board carefully.

Photo by Mary Ann Mulhern

1. Find people who will work well together. Editorial board meetings are often filled with heated discussions and debates. Because of this, it is important to choose editorial board members who will stay cool under fire. You need even-tempered people who can debate but also discuss. You want to keep out people who will try to monopolize the editorial board meetings and instead find people who are team players. Choose those who will put their personal vendettas aside for the good of the publication.

2. Pick opinionated people. While this may appear to be in contrast to reason No. 1, but it actually is right in line. You don’t want to choose editorial board members who will sit on the sidelines and not contribute. Frankly, it is a waste of a seat. You need people who will bring ideas to the table, represent the company and help make the decisions that drive the publication forward.

3. Represent the company. I’ve mentioned in earlier posts how important it is for one group to not monopolize the publication. Whether the publication is going to your customers or to your employees, more than likely the goal is to well-represent your company to its fullest. That means showcasing different departments or divisions. When choosing your editorial board members, ensure you have people who represent all facets of the company. This way, when they bring story ideas to the table, you hear the great works from all across your organization.

4. Choose a leader. It is true that everyone can’t be a leader, but someone needs to be. There has to be a person who can break ties and make the decisions that no one else is willing to make. This person also needs to be willing to stand up for the editorial board if and when a story or decision is questioned by outside sources.

5. Have a contrarian. On the editorial boards I have been a part of or managed, some of my favorite people to work with are the ones who voice the opinion that no one else is willing to say. You need the person who will stand up to the popular vote and help people see things in a different way. This helps keep your publication honest and, in many cases, keeps you from writing an article  or publishing a photo that could damage the organization.

What do you think? What are things you consider when choosing an editorial board?

My two kinds of editing

By Linda Cronin

I’ve had this conversation with a few people lately, so I thought it was time to expose everyone to the world of editing.

When I edit anything — ad copy, press release, bylines, articles, etc. — there are two ways I edit. The amount of time I have dictates which way I edit.

Method 1: Grammar and punctuation

The first time I look over anything I go through word for word and edit for grammar and punctuation. I have to do this first or I can’t really even concentrate on what the words are saying. I don’t want to be caught up in the misspelled words, misplaced commas and wrongly used semicolons.  When people ask me to do a quick read, this is typically what they get. It is down and dirty and just gets the basics done.

Method 2: Content

When I am given the time, I then reread the writing for its content. This is when I can tell if thoughts are conveyed well, if the introduction ties to the main point and if a conclusion wraps everything together. For RFP reviews, this is when I can add my own ideas or challenge the ones presented.

So, when I am editing, I always try to find out what my colleague / client needs. Do they need method 1, 2 or both? People usually don’t take offense to method 1, but 2 is where you can easily start ruffling some feathers. However, I believe it is important for every writing to be analyzed in both ways. This allows for clean, strong copy to be presented, which is ultimately good for you and for your client.

To tease or not to tease?

At the beginning of every publication (internal or external) there is always a discussion of whether to include story teasers on the cover. The answer … it depends.

The point of cover teasers is to entice the reader to open the publication. For those sold at the grocery story checkout, publishers are trying to peak your interest enough to buy the magazine. That’s why numbers play such a big role in  cover designs. You see the “100 secrets no one ever told you” or the “22 ways to get stains out of your favorite shirt.” The larger the number, the more reasons to buy the magazine. Studies have shown that 80 percent of consumer magazines’ newsstand sales are determined by what is shown on the cover.

Many of the publications I manage are for employees. Now, in the case of one, some form of the publication has been produced for more than 40 years. When employees get it in their mailbox, they know what kind of information will be included. They are already a captivated audience, so cover teasers aren’t as important — or even necessary. Instead we are able to fill the front cover with a professional photographer that shows an employee at his / her finest. It keeps the entire focus of the publication on the employees.

However, if the publication wasn’t as well-known, cover teasers would be a needed feature. You need to tell your readers what they should expect to read in the publication. Is the publication about work the company is doing? How about employee benefits? Community relations? During those first issues, teasers may be necessary to grab the reader’s attention and show him / her that this publication is worth the time. You must create a loyal following before exploring the possibility of no teasers.

The same is true if the publication is for marketing reasons. For example, if you’re sending out a 20-page publication to potential customers, cover teasers are a great way to show the range of the information included. If you’re a bank, maybe your cover teasers would touch on insurance, loans and credit cards — three different service offerings you provide. This way, no matter which business receives the publication, each one will probably have a need for at least one of those offerings mentioned. Potential customers are busy people and you need to quickly attract their attention through well-written teasers.

The important thing is to take each publication one at a time. There is no steadfast rule for every magazine or every newsletter. Examine your reasoning behind the publication and your target audience. Both of these are key factors to determining whether a tease is necessary.

Why a publication doesn’t have to be printed

I’m only a few posts in to the new direction of this blog, and I already feel like I need to make a clarification. I’m talking here about publications. Now, I realize that the automatic reaction when I say “publication” is to think of a printed newsletter or magazine, but this is only one piece of the puzzle.

In today’s Web 2.0 world, social media is a buzz word and companies keep asking how they can use blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc., to connect not only with their customers but with their employees as well. Online publications are one way.

You can have a publication solely online. Don’t restrict yourself to printed items that have to be mailed. While there are some industries that definitely need the latter, as the population becomes more tech savvy there will be more companies that can successfuly achieve the purpose of an internal publication through an online publication. Future posts will get into more of the details of strategies and functions an online publication can have, but for now I just want to ensure your mind is open to a publication world beyond the printed word.

Taking your employee publication out-of-house

When companies start thinking of employee publications, they often believe it should be an in-house product. It makes sense when you first think about it. Who knows your employees better than you do? However, there are huge benefits to letting a public relations / marketing firm write and manage your publication.

Mainly, a neutral / outside voice is important and key. When employees write their own publication, it is almost impossible to remove each person’s biases from their writing / coverage. For example, if the HR department runs the publication, it is easy for more HR articles to make it into the publication, which may upset the Accounting department or the Marketing team. It is human nature. You write what you know, so you write about your department.

An outside team of writers can help prevent bias claims because they have no bias. They can provide the third-party point of view to keep the writing neutral and keep everyone happy.

Also, when things are run in-house, it is common for them to be pushed aside and forgotten. Again, it is our nature — take care of your customers first, deal with your in-house stuff second. An outside agency can help keep the publication moving on schedule to ensure it hits mailboxes when it is supposed to.

Finally, when it comes to writing, let a professional do it. We know AP style and grammar. I’ve seen numerous engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc., try to write copy for various publications. It isn’t pretty. I guarantee you’ll be happier with your product if you let a team of professionals handle the writing. We don’t try open heart surgery. You don’t try writing a publication.

Why have an employee publication

Many in-house publications are targeted at employees, which can serve a number of purposes.

1. Be a megaphone. An employee publication is an easy way to communicate a lot of company information on a widespread scale. If your company has a lot of news, this is one way to disperse it that you can ensure everyone will receive (as opposed to an intranet site that everyone might not log into).

2. Instill pride in your employees. An employee publication is a great way to show off the successes of your company and communicate them to your employees.  Show that your company is winning awards, receiving new contracts and recording high customer satisfaction. This will show your employees that the company is here to stay and has a bright future, which can lead to …

3. Retention and recruiting. Many industries are known for high employee turnover. An employee publication is one way to constantly remind your employees about your organization.  For instance, if your main office is in New York but many employees work in California, it may be hard for those California workers to maintain a connection with the company. An employee publication would constantly remind them of the organization and help them stay committed to your mission and goals.

4. Document your company’s history. Hopefully your company is here to stay and will be around for the next 25, 50 or 100 years. An employee publication is one way to document your company’s history. You’ll be amazed 50 years from now when you look back at all the great things your company did in its first few years in business.

5. Recognize your employees. All companies look for some way to recognize their employees’ good work. Whether it is that front parking space, a raise, new office or an Employee of the Month plaque on the wall, employee recognition is an important part of maintaining a successful company that people want to work at. An employee publication can be a great way to recognize your employees and their hard work through employee spotlights and features.

Back in the saddle

So after a few months hiatus, I am back on the blog. Like so many clients do, I got really excited when I first began this blog. I posted almost daily. I monitored the stats. Over-analyed my posts. But then got discouraged that I didn’t really feel like I was making a difference. My posts seemed just like everyone else in the PR industry.

Now I’m armed and ready to make a difference.

I’ve re-introduced this blog once again — this time with a niche. Story Assignments focuses on publication management. I hope to teach lessons, offer opinions and encourage others to start or update their current company publication. This is a niche of public relations, but it is a strong one. From eight to 48 pages, I’ve seen the full gamut of what a publication can become.

Just because the newspaper industry is struggling and magazine subscriptions are dwindling, doesn’t mean publications are dead. Instead, now they may be more important than ever (more to come).