• 2012 Small Agency of the Year – The Holmes Report
• 2012 50 Fastest-Growing Women Owned/Led Companies in North America – Women President’s Organization and American Express OPEN

2012 Small Agency of the Year – The Holmes Report (SABRE Awards)

The Holmes Report recognized Mitchell as 2012 Small Agency of the Year for our world-class clients, rate of growth and broad array of services. The SABRE Awards (led by the Holmes Group), recognizes PR agencies that demonstrate the highest levels of creativity, integrity and effectiveness. Over the past decade the competition, which includes separate programs in North America, the EMEA region and Asia-Pacific, has grown to become the largest PR awards competition in the world.

2012 50 Fastest-Growing Women Owned/Led Companies in North America – Women President’s Organization and American Express OPEN

The Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), in partnership with American Express OPEN, has named Mitchell as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in North America for the second year in a row. This year, our agency came in at #26 – a significant jump from #48 last year. To be qualified for the ranking, businesses are required to be privately held, woman-owned/led companies in the U.S. or Canada and have reached revenue of at least $500,000 by the first week of 2007 and $2 million in 2011.

We are truly humbled by these recognitions and remain grateful every day for the opportunities we have to do what we love on behalf of exceptional clients. We are determined to continue looking through the turn and delivering impactful results in all we do.

This month, we will be posting a series of excerpts from this presentation in hope that we might provide you with some tips and insight on how you can “look through the turn” as you journey through your career and your life.

PART 1 – LOOKING THROUGH THE TURN

Looking through the turn is a fundamental principle of motorcycling that offers great business insight. As you approach a turn, you must look where you want to go rather than fixating on potential hazards within the turn itself.  The challenge comes in keeping your eyes focused on where you want to end up while using your instincts and experience to make necessary adjustments within the turn — all at a moment’s notice.

Below are a few tips to help you and your business look through the turn. We will touch on each on these in upcoming blog posts.

• Focus on the end goal, not the obstacles you may face along the way.
• Anticipate change.
• Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know.
• Stand for something. Set timeless values and make them clear to everyone around you.
• Know how and when to take risks.
• Leverage opportunity.
• Don’t try to go it alone.
• Know how to celebrate success.
• Know the importance of focusing on others.

Remember, even though the road ahead may be filled with curves, hazards and steep climbs, it’s the businesses and leaders that stay focused on what’s ahead that tend to achieve the greatest success. Be content to just be on the journey today but always keep the destination in mind. And above all, enjoy the ride.

We invite you to share with us your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter at #MCGblog.

The pressure is on. The deadline is approaching. A decision has to be made.

Should a leader rely on fact or gut instinct? Should they push forward hoping for the best outcome or utilize valuable data to make the best decision?

We are tested every day in the marketplace and our ability to make well-informed decisions directly impacts our ability to build momentum in our organization. As much as leaders and managers accumulate skills and knowledge over the years, making challenging decisions with gut instinct alone does not always constitute the best decision-making process.

The question becomes: How do leaders utilize research without getting bogged down in the details resulting in missed opportunity? Read the ProFound newsletter to learn how. Business leaders and managers can no longer afford to ignore the importance of synthesizing all the data and information at their disposal to make more strategic, sound decisions.

Early in my career I learned it can take as long as 10 years to earn a good reputation and as little as 10 seconds to lose it.

Reputations are built upon a foundation of trust and a dogged determination to do what you say you’ll do. Often thought of as an intangible, reputation can be difficult to pinpoint on a balance sheet or on a scorecard. But it can be found in just about everything you do — every decision you make or action you take.

Today, we’re seeing more organizations view the building and protecting of their reputations as a necessity to conduct business. Bottom line, a company with a good reputation is markedly more appealing to stakeholders than those without. So it’s critical to understand what your reputation is, and more importantly, how do you keep it?

I had a long conversation with my teenage son recently about the correlation of perception to reality, and how many times perception has the stronger influence. With the escalation of social media and the constant stream of news and commentary, there’s a constant pressure to assess and react to reputation threats.

Here are four tips on how to measure and maintain your reputation in business.

1. Get your financial house in order – First and foremost, run a sound business. Make sure you have a solid balance sheet and good financial practices in place with all your stakeholders. It’s important people have a good impression of your organization for the fundamentals as well as how you stack up in the marketplace against competitors and how you are investing for your company’s long-term growth. Remember, your accounts payable can often be as impactful on reputation as your accounts receivable.
2. Go on a listening tour – You can determine others’ perceptions of you by listening – frequently and intentionally. Sounds simple, but you can start by asking your employees and customers how you’re doing, and then listen well to what they say – as well as what they don’t. In addition, you can monitor media coverage in both traditional and digital channels for voices in the broader business landscape. And dig a little deeper for chatter about your company or organization in places like Twitter, Facebook and in the blogosphere.
3. Nurture relationships – Relationships are the basis of most business done today. So it’s critical to provide consistent, top-notch client service on all fronts. Do this by conducting regular check-ins with clients; proactively communicating meaningful information, insights and results; meeting and exceeding client expectations; and following up in a timely manner to inquiries with clients and vendors alike.
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate – Above all, smart organizations understand the value of communication in establishing and protecting their reputation. In good times and bad, consistent and truthful communication is one of the best investments an organization can make in its reputation and a driving force in earning the trust of  stakeholders.

Recognizing that you need to invest in your reputation is the first step. Following through on that is what really counts, though. Where do you begin? Set aside proper funding for this investment, develop an actionable plan, and commit to implementing your strategies on a regular basis. Most importantly, be sure to measure your results to identify your true “return on reputation” (ROR). You might be surprised that your ROR could become your greatest ROI.

Thoughts? Tell us in the comment box below or join the conversation on Twitter at #MCGblog.

We had a great showing at the Northwest Arkansas ADDY awards on Feb. 18, 2012. Mitchell took home a total of 14 awards.

The ADDY Awards is a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation. This is the industry’s largest and most representative competition for creative excellence. Gold and Silver ADDY winners from each tier will advance in the competition, so our agency is honored for the chance to be recognized nationally.

The following is a complete list of our winnings:

Gold: Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Huanying Stationery Package
Gold: Mitchell Communications: Enjoy the Ride Illustration

Silver: Southwestern Energy: Power of SWN Board Video Cinematography
Silver: Arkansas Research Alliance: Annual Report
Silver: Mitchell Communications: Stationery Package
Silver: Mitchell Communications Photograph: Storytime
Silver: Mitchell Communications: Ignite Logo
Silver: Mitchell Communications: Pitch Kit

Bronze: Sam’s Club: Simply Delicious Chef Brigade Videos
Bronze: Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Huanying PR Highlights Brochure
Bronze: Southwestern Energy: Lobby Display
Bronze: Southwestern Energy: R2 Culture Kit
Bronze: Nabholz Construction: Fractional Newspaper Ad
Bronze: Mitchell Communications: Thought Leadership Videos for The Center

We realize we would not have this success and opportunity to do such great work without our clients. We thank each of them for allowing us to tell their stories in a creative and compelling manner. Their partnership and support is certainly worth its weight in gold.

The Nike swoosh, the golden arches, FedEx — these icons all have one thing in common: an unforgettable, unmistakable brand.

Consider yourself a communications professional with a story to tell, and consider Mitchell Communications Group your target audience. Tell us your story and how participating in this mini-internship would be your “Big Break” in 300-500 words. Email your story, along with your résumé and a letter of recommendation, by midnight Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. Also, use any of the following social media channels to convince us why you deserve a “Big Break” into the field of public relations.

Here’s how to reach out to us with your “Big Break” story:

Facebook: Marla Hunt
Twitter: @marlahunt or use #MCGBigBreak2012
LinkedIn: MarlaKHunt

Attn: Marla Hunt
Mitchell Communications Group, P.O. Box 1975
Fayetteville, AR 72702

Attn: Marla Hunt
Mitchell Communications Group
2 North College Avenue
Fayetteville, AR 72701

marla.hunt@mitchcommgroup.com

(P) 1.479.443.4673
(F) 1.815.927.0486

The Big Break mini-internship will be held March 12-17. Students selected will be notified within the week of Feb. 13. Lodging and meals will be provided, as well as a transportation stipend. Students must be willing and available to participate in this program in our office from March 12 until Sat, Mar. 17. Specific travel times will be discussed upon the applicant’s acceptance.

“Culture is a framework in which we communicate.”

~Stephen Roberts

While an organization may have a fantastic marketing strategy, it may not always align with its culture. In such cases, even the best strategies can fail if the people you entrust to execute those strategies are not in tune with, or a part of, the underlying culture of the company.

Culture is defined as the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group. The key word in this definition is “shared.” Often the most successful companies are those that invite their employees to help formulate who they are, and more importantly, what they will be. This mutually creative process inspires innovation and thought leadership. And it creates incredibly strong brand ambassadors that will carry your message to the world.

Once that groundwork has been laid, the enthusiasm built around that culture will become obvious to customers. Invite people to see how excited your employees are to be there and to serve them. When customers see people who unequivocally love what they do, it helps them feel better about their decision to purchase products or services from that company. It may also lead them to share their experience with others which can lead to new business opportunities.

Apple, Starbucks and Google are examples of companies that market their culture successfully. As a result, they have built strong businesses in part because of that unique culture. However, having a great culture is not limited to large brand-name organizations. The same principles can just as easily be applied to any small or mid-sized entity as well.

At Mitchell, we keep an intense focus on those things that define who we are regardless of size: our values, our unwavering commitment to people, an atmosphere of caring, camaraderie and celebration. Not surprisingly, our unique culture has enabled us to assemble an all-star team of talented professionals, which in turn attracts all-star clients. You can’t have one without the other, and we’ve figured that out.

Have any great ideas on how organizations can improve their culture and market it to customers? Post a comment on our blog below or tweet us at #MCGblog. We would love to hear your thoughts!

What is it about Disney World that captivates the world? Why do people continue to fly Southwest with no option of first-class seating?

There is an intangible asset of these organizations that is visible through their employees. These organizations have great stories to tell, and their customers share great stories about them.

Some organizations have great cultures that help their organizations thrive, while others are struggling to survive. Cultures are usually created unconsciously and are based on the values of top management and founders of the organization. Your company’s culture is determined by your entire team’s beliefs and behaviors as they pertain to each other, your customers and your mission.

With that in mind, is your culture how you want it? Do you have an effective team culture? High-performing organizations pull together the intangible leadership issues that define their unique character and rally people around a deeper sense of purpose.

Disney World provides quality entertainment. Southwest Airlines offers great, on-time flights with no baggage fees.

What sets your organization apart? What do you dream of people saying about your organization? It is one thing to dream about what your culture could be; it is another thing to take a step toward that dream. If you are interested in learning more about how to take the next step in creating an effective team culture, we invite you to the Consortium on February 14.

Working in a team environment is often expected, but it is not always easy. An employee working on a team that does not function well often dreams of being moved to a different team because conflict is evident or they don’t believe they are empowered or valued. People want to work where they are valued and utilized.

Working on a team is difficult. Teams are groups of individuals with varying personalities, experiences, skill sets and roles. Teams are expected to make decisions, provide a high-quality product, and achieve excellence to impact the organization’s bottom line.

With that in mind, what is it that makes a team succeed? Is it the right vision statement, the most qualified team members, the expertise everyone offers? Or, is there something more to becoming a high-performing team? The tangible qualities are evident, but what about the intangible?

I had the privilege of talking to an executive director about how our trainings have impacted her organization. She shared that turnover is much lower and morale is much higher among her teams. Here is why: The teams feel valued, free to share ideas, and that they contribute to the goals of the team. What are the intangible qualities that impact a team to feel this way? Jim Collins in “Good to Great” shares that great leaders have humility. They listen, make their teams feel valued, and are open to challenge and innovation. This intangible quality of humility can be the differentiator between a team of individuals functioning as individuals or a team of individuals who become a high-performing team.

Imagine being excited about your next meeting. Imagine feeling like a key contributor to your team. Imagine loving where you work every day because of the people you work with. Imagine contributing to a high-performing team.

What if we did not just imagine? What if we began the shift to become a high performing team today? What would it take?

What expertise do you bring to your team that no one else does?

What are you most passionate about and how does your passion benefit your team?

What intangible quality do you find most important to high performing teams?

Tell us in the comment box below.

Michael Brown is a training manager for The Center for Training, Business and Leadership Excellence at Mitchell Communications Group. Learn more from Michael, here.