There goes 2021! Blink and you’ll have missed it. In some ways, though, when we look back at the past 12 months we managed to fit so much in that it feels like so much longer than just 52 weeks.
Here at Honest, we’ve experienced substantial changes – with moving into larger offices filled with plants and elho pots, team members joining and a whole array of new clients joining the Honest family (with even more lined up for 2022!).
As the ways in which people work continued to evolve, customers and marketing managers wanting different approaches, and everyone gaining a whole new perspective on things, this year has taught us a lot.
We’ve wrapped up a few of our agency learnings from 2021 below.
1. Lesson number one – The value of strong and loyal connections
There’s no question that the popularity of gardening has rocketed during the pandemic which means everyone wants a piece of the gardening world! Many brands are now trying to reach these new gardeners, meaning that competition for coverage, headlines and media space has become fiercely competitive in our world.
While obviously a great story and campaign are hugely important, having an in with journalists is rapidly becoming the only way to secure features.
Fortunately for our clients and the brands that we look after, we’ve got great relationships with the leading names in the industry and can help build connections. Be it editors, freelancers, influencers or representatives from charities and leading organisations, we are incredibly proud of the relationships we’ve built, and the very kind words that they have to say about us.
2. Lesson number two – The importance of social ads
With social media constantly changing, and Mark Zuckerberg always plotting his next move to take over the planet, advertising now plays a more pivotal role than ever before in any social media strategy. Growth simply isn’t possible without it. Social media advertising has gone from being a nice luxury to being a no-brainer. It needn’t cost the world either but does take time, close management and strategic thinking to get the best results. Our account manager, Beth, recently wrote a blog for us about it all in fact. Read it here.
3. Lesson number three – The need for many hats
This year we’ve really seen that clients’ focus isn’t just on securing coverage (although we’ve done that by the bucket load anyway). Our remit has become far more wide-reaching. Which we absolutely love. At Honest, we do things differently and believe a PR agency should go beyond traditional means. We create content, not just coverage, and work with clients to get the most value for their investment and we understand that PR is about brand building and playing the long game (something our account director, Fay, recently wrote a blog about).
It might be the busybodies in us, but if it helps our clients get in front of people, we’re there to help! We consider ourselves a key part of our client’s marketing team (and we hope they consider us that too!) so we do all we can to help. This means this year we’ve supported on way more than just media relations and product placement.
4. Lesson number five – Embrace the power of micro-influencers
When you think “influencer” you might be thinking big budget, paid for activity and #ads. But it’s not all TOWIE stars and footballers. Influencer campaigns can make or break brands. But yes, to get serious exposure to large audiences you probably will have to invest some budget. And why shouldn’t you – not many media outlets can put your brand in front of hundreds of thousands of engaged followers.
However, big budget campaigns aren’t always an option. Which is good because it’s not all about working with those with huge followings. Think quality, not quantity! Enter the micro-influencer! These are the people with smaller Instagram followings, but who are more likely to have a more loyal, engaged and relevant audience that align perfectly with your brand.
There’s been a tendency for brands to work with micro-influencers because they see them as cheap or willing to work for free product. But that’s not what it’s about. That’s not how to build genuine relationships. The lovely thing about working with micro-influencers is that it is a two-way approach and they understand that successful campaigns can help grow their own profiles too, so they are passionate about making campaigns work and delivering results. They are also often more protective of their followers so won’t post about any old tat for any old brand so the content is a genuine endorsement – the ultimate PR goal!
5. Lesson number four – Rapport will go a long way
We’re all busy and life’s too short for wasting time so choose an agency that fits you. To bring out the best results, align with people that you not only get on with, but who you also work well with. Find people you instantly click with and know you’re on the same page, working towards the same goal. It removes any sense of slog and means you look forward to meetings!
At Honest, one of our core values is “Grow Together”. This isn’t just about our team ethos, or about growing brands, it’s about the relationships we have with our clients and anyone we work with. Relationships sit at the heart of that value. They must be genuine and honest. Taking an honest approach and being frank means you build rapport, which in turn builds trust. Be honest and people will respect you. It’s our name for a reason and this year we’ve loved talking to new people and receiving their feedback that they like our approach and want to be part of Honest as they know we’re passionate about helping their brand grow.
As our industry continues to evolve, and the world continues to send curveballs, we look forward to seeing what 2022 brings, and how we can grow with these changes to bring even more results for our clients!
