I’ve haven’t blogged about online newsrooms in a while, but as I built the navigation for an association client’s new website’s newsroom, I got to thinking about how much associations can really benefit from a strong newsroom. Associations have just as much, if not more, incentive to make it easy for journalists to find information as corporations do since they are often “the voice” for their industry or cause.

Given that it’s January and we’re all into New Year’s resolutions—how about resolving to improve your newsroom this year?

First, review its current status. Are all of the executive bios up-to-date? Logos current? Fact sheet accurate?

Second, brainstorm new features. Are you creating podcasts, webcasts or videos? How about a repository of PSAs you’d like the media to run? Or a calendar of events and special occasions you’d like them to cover? And all those position papers, industry reports and white papers? Yep, you guessed it- great background information for journalists.

Lastly, check in more than once a year. Do usually you post the latest press release and leave? Scan the other pages too, to make sure the content is as current as possible.

Bottom line; make it easy for journalists to find what they need and they’ll rely on you as a regular source. Alright, I’m off to check my newsroom now…

The feature article in the current Harvard Business Review: “The Value of Happiness – How Employee Well-Being Drives Profits,” offers a compelling argument for the bottom-line benefits of engendering happiness in the workforce. Citing research, the article states that “Happy employees produce more than unhappy ones over the long term. They routinely show up at work, they’re less likely to quit, they go above and beyond the call of duty, and they attract people who are just as committed to the job.”

Authors Gretchen Spreitzer of University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and Christine Porath of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business contend that a happy workplace creates thriving employees: those who are “not just satisfied and productive but also engaged in creating the future—the company’s and their own.”

They identified two components of thriving – vitality: “the sense of being alive, passionate, and excited,” and learning: “the growth that comes from gaining new knowledge and skills.” They insist those two qualities must work in concert in order to be sustainable.

In summary, the authors point to four relatively simple mechanisms that any organization can put in place to create a happier workforce:

1. Providing decision-making authority: “Empowering them in this way gives them a greater sense of control, more say in how things get done, and more opportunities for learning.”
2. Sharing information: “People can contribute more effectively when they understand how their work fits with the organization’s mission and strategy.”
3. Minimizing incivility: The authors discovered that “half of employees who had experienced uncivil behavior at work intentionally decreased their efforts. More than a third deliberately decreased the quality of their work.”
4. Offering performance feedback: “Feedback creates opportunities for learning and the energy so critical for a culture of thriving.”

What I like most about this article is that it is based on research—more than 1,200 interviews—and it provides concrete steps that are needed to create a workplace of thriving colleagues. It doesn’t simply preach having game rooms, nap time and an espresso machine (not that those aren’t nice to have!), but instead talks about simple changes that are sustainable.

And yet, despite the seeming simplicity of the message, I think it’s safe to assume that most organizations fall short, for one reason or the other, to provide the kind of workplace that creates happiness and vitality. However, as long as managers believe in the value of creating a culture of happiness—both for the well being of their people and its impact on the bottom line—then putting in place the changes mentioned in the article will demonstrate to an organization’s team that it is moving in the right direction. And that alone should start putting smiles on people’s faces.

Dear Santa,

This year, when I attend my industry conference and tradeshow I would really love for the event organizer to provide wifi! Coffee shops and laundromats seem to understand how this enhances customer satisfaction, so why haven’t event organizers? Is it a budgetary issue? If so, they just appear to be cheap. Couldn’t they build a creative sponsorship package for it? Is it a behavior control issue? If so, I think they need to understand that the ability to get online has become as critical as eating and drinking. If I can’t get to my email while at the event, I’ll have to head somewhere else to do so.

When I exhibit at my next event, can you please have the event organizer put together an educational webinar or meeting so I understand what my options are to promote my exhibit before, during and after the event? I have set up some goals for my participation, but I would really love for them to demonstrate that they are invested in my success. This would definitely impact my decision as to whether or not I exhibit at their event in the future or choose that other industry event I’ve been considering instead.

Lastly, when I sponsor, please make sure the event organizer takes time to understand what my specific event objectives are. Last year, I signed up to be a high level sponsor and the package they developed was a lot of signage in the wrong place. They claimed they provided what was contracted, however, our objectives were not met. Our goal was for our company to be perceived as large as our primary competitor. They were sponsoring at a lower level, but the placement of their sponsorship again made them look like they owned the event. If they had taken the time to understand our unique objectives, and the fact that it was perception we were after and not hundreds of signs, it would have been a much more successful event for us.

I’ve been good all year, please make my Christmas wishes come true!

Sincerely,

Frequent Conference and Tradeshow Participant

P.S. – Yes, all of these were things my attendees, exhibitors and sponsors had asked for from me.

Happy holidays and best wishes for a successful 2012!

In the midst of all new technology and social media platforms being created these days, I want to briefly reflect on this year’s social media trends and how they will affect the marketing and PR realm in 2012.

Tumblr: While many organizations have opted to use the standard Blogger or Word Press to blog, I think Tumblr will begin to rise in professional use. With Tumblr, you can upload ANYTHING (photos, videos, links) to the site from any device, and whatever is uploaded can be built-in to your blog post whereas with Word Press, it costs money annually to plant videos in specific posts. Visual integration is a must, and this tool provides every opportunity to embed your media.

Google+: Since June, Google+ has been a hot topic and with good reason. Google+ allows users to have a profile, upload photos and update statuses similar to Facebook, but offers other options too. Users can send out messages to specific groups of people called “circles,” identified by the user and can initiate “hangouts,” where groups of up to ten Google+ users can video chat together (but anyone on the web can join the hangout…but that’s a different blog post) among other differences. In October 2011, the service reached 40 million users (although, it’s unclear how many are active) and in November launched Google+ pages for businesses. Many organizations are still getting their feet wet with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, three big players in social media, so this puts Google+ on the backburner for companies, since it’s still testing out successful marketing strategies. The service can be great for reaching out to groups e.g. tradeshow exhibitors via hangouts or producing webinars, and an easier way to group clients participating in different programs. Google+ is giving Facebook a run for its money, just at a slower rate, and I think organizations will realize how valuable and user-friendly the tool is in 2012 once their target audiences buy in.

Pinterest: If you haven’t used Pinterest yet, proceed with caution, because once you start browsing the constantly updated and attractive photo pins on Pinterest, you won’t be able to stop. This addicting website allows users to “pin” items found on the Internet to their personal boards, and users can follow their friends or users who have similar interests and browse their pins as well as pins placed in pre-set categories. It’s currently a haven for craft and retail products, weddings and home décor- and I think (and hope) the intimate and personal setting will keep it that way and not overturn it with advertisements. With associations and marketers, I imagine it could be a place where event professionals take note of unique giveaways or exhibit designs, and even get speaker ideas. It is a great place to share and find a creative spark, and I imagine more people catching on this upcoming year.

And there you have it, my 2012 watch list; what’s on yours?