The New Orleans 100

 

An Exercise in Personal Branding

To hone in on your personal brand, try this simple exercise with a friend or colleague. Simply jot down five adjectives or verbs that describe you. Ask your friend to do the same. Then compare notes. Once you understand how others see you (and how you see yourself), ensure your descriptors and actions sync. Then you are ready to market yourself.

Using this information, you can then write a 30-second positioning statement, highlighting your personal brand. You will understand which unique strengths you possess, allowing you to use them to authentically position yourself in the business world and beyond.

This is part two of a three-part video series on personal branding. Stay tuned for the next episode.

– Betsie Gambel, Gambel Communications

 

Karen’s Lighter Side

We all know WWL-TV’s anchor Karen Swensen for her award-winning journalism. Eyewitness News’ favorite journalist has covered everything from Hurricane Katrina to the most recent U.S. Senate and New Orleans mayoral debates. What many of us may not know is that her favorite festival is Jazz Fest, and her biggest career influence is Hoda Kotb (she was Hoda’s intern).

Karen also started her own T-shirt company, Life’s About Change, that helps raise funds for cancer research. She is also the author of “Catherine the Great and Her Teatime Tagalongs,” a children’s book inspired by her daughter.

– WWL-TV, Part of TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

Beyond Business

NOLA Chamber Ambassadors and Staff “giving back” at Beignet Fest 2016.

Doing good is good for business. As an organization connected to some of the city’s most philanthropic and socially conscious companies in the region, the New Orleans Chamber staff has seen firsthand just how much of an impact these organizations can make on our community.

Did you know that 64% of millennials won’t take a job if a company doesn’t have a focus on corporate social responsibility?

The Chamber wants to know what you and your company are doing to make NOLA a better place. Submit your community service news to info@neworleanschamber.org for a chance to be featured!

– Sandra Lindquist, The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce

 

Select Comfort Slides Into NOLA

Select Comfort Corp., parent company of the well-known Sleep Number beds, is expanding its footprint in Louisiana. (Photo courtesy of Glassdoor)

GNO Inc. is thrilled to welcome Select Comfort, an outstanding publicly traded company, to the greater New Orleans market. Business and government leaders from around the region and state worked in partnership to demonstrate the unbeatable business case of Louisiana.

Our combination of competitive costs and superior workforce will ensure great success for Select Comfort in Jefferson for years to come. The project will create 225 new direct jobs while Louisiana Economic Development estimates an additional 104 new indirect jobs will result from the project, for a total of more than 325 new jobs in the southeast region of Louisiana.

– Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc.

 

Work With Clients Who Share Your Vision

It's important to work with clients who share your ideals.

As a business owner, you should create a mission statement that you can firmly stand behind. Once you’ve articulated what you and your team believe in, align your company with clients who share the same vision.

Just like marriage and friendship, a shared set of values is a significant driver in successful relationships. It allows for easier communication and a better understanding of goals. When you understand and identify with how your client thinks, driving those business results will become easier.

By seeking clients with similar vision, you’re showing your commitment to those ideals, contributing to client retention and growth.

– Natalie Ghidotti, The Arkansas 100

 

5 Tips for Managing Multiple Social Media Accounts

How do you manage multiple social media accounts while keeping your sanity?

Juggling a ton of different Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages can drive an account manager crazy. I currently manage six Facebook, five Instagram and four Twitter accounts. To save time, I established methods to effectively administrator each account. Here are five tips to help you multi-manage:

1. Stay organized and establish a workflow

2. Use posting tools to save time

3. Schedule

4. Monitor activity on one dashboard

5. Have a photo library

It’s possible to be the social media guru behind the curtain without getting overwhelmed. Remember these tips, use your resources, and you can do it all.

— Leah Brown, The North Carolina 100

NC

 

Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose

Repurposing content can save time and resources when you are in a content rut.

Repurposing content is taking content previously used for one purpose and reusing it for another. It’s a useful strategy that allows you to reach a broader audience and diversify your content while maintaining consistent messaging. Try these repurposing strategies:

Create a social post out of an underperforming newsletter to address your audience directly, possibly catching the eye of a follower who dismissed your previously sent newsletter.

Repurpose old photos for new creative graphics to use on social media, a blog or eNewsletter.

Repurpose videos by cutting them into short videos to create an innovative mini-series to post on Facebook.

To learn more tips, visit here.

– Haley Haas, The Atlanta 100

 

Just Who Do You Think You Are?

This is part one of a three-part video series on personal branding. Stay tuned for the next episode.

Everybody knows Barbie and what she stands for. A personal brand communicates who you are, what you are good at and how you can help others. A brand is important to tell others what you stand for, allowing you to advance.

How do you identify your personal brand? It starts with figuring out some key things about yourself and how you would like to convey them. Think about your values, mission and unique strengths. With these pieces, you can start to tell your story.

A word of advice: maintain authenticity and avoid empty socializing, and success will follow.

– Betsie Gambel, Gambel Communications

 

Dave Nussbaum’s ‘The Forecast of My Life’

WWL-TV’s meteorologist David Nussbaum has been a TV and weather enthusiast since fourth grade. He was his high school’s first weatherman and built upon that experience at California University of Pennsylvania where he earned a degree in Operational Meteorology.

Dave laughs, “I went from being very afraid of storms to chasing them!”

He worked in different cities and stations as a meteorologist before landing in NOLA. Dave started working at WWL-TV in 2014 and since, every hurricane season, he keeps viewers up to date on severe weather. He also visits local schools to teach students about weather patterns.

– WWL-TV, Part of TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

Naturally N’Awlins, With a Twist

Kevin is cooking up fun Naturally N'Awlins style.

Kevin Belton is a New Orleans native and an award-winning chef who makes regular appearances on the Eyewitness Morning News. He is also a great observer of all things New Orleans.

Kevin has taken the mantle of the revered “Naturally N’Awlins” franchise at WWL-TV, putting his original spin on the events, traditions and characters that make our area truly unique. His recipe for a good story starts with some enthusiastic curiosity mixed with the respect and appreciation of the ingredients that make the New Orleans area what it is. He then tops it off with fun, and serves.

– WWL-TV, Part of TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

GNO, Inc. Praised for Excellence in Economic Development

People and businesses continue to recognize NOLA and Louisiana for their economic growth.

Louisiana and Greater New Orleans continue to receive national recognition for our sustained economic turnaround. In the “Best to Invest Awards” issue of Site Selection Magazine, GNO, Inc. was awarded the Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development. The Award recognizes the top Economic Development Agencies across the United States.

In the same publication, the state of Louisiana was recognized as a top 10 state for economic development. States were ranked based on categories including new and expanded facilities, capital investment, job creation and state tax climate. This was Louisiana’s seventh top ten showing in the past nine years.

– Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc.

 

Millennial Madness This July

Join GNO, Inc. as we celebrate young minds in New Orleans.

GNO, Inc. will host the inaugural Emerge Summit, a one-day conference event for young professionals on July 14, in partnership with the Millennial Awards on July 15.

Emerge Summit will bring together hundreds of young professionals to learn from each other’s experiences across a variety of topics. The Summit will feature notable speakers and presenters, including Louisiana Musician Amanda Shaw, Adulting author Kelly Williams Brown and Twitch COO Kevin Lin.

The Millennial Awards, hosted by the Spears Group, celebrates its fifth year honoring young leaders in 18 professional categories. Visit the event website to learn more, sponsor or register.

– Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc.

 

Membership Drive Results Announced

Jodi, Alton and Ronald helped make the New Orleans Chamber stronger through their recruitment efforts.

Every year, the NOLA Chamber awards its members for recruiting businesses to the chamber through its membership drive. Thanks to community support, our chamber is now 1,300 members strong.

The 2017 Top 3 Recruiters are:

Jodi Archer – Keller Williams Realty

Alton McRee – Fidelity Bank

Ronald Marlow – Cogent Communications

Each top recruiter will receive a two-night stay at a luxury hotel in New Orleans.

“Referring new members to the New Orleans Chamber builds the business community, builds New Orleans and builds my business,” said top recruiter and chamber board member, Ronald Marlow. Learn more about our top recruiters here.

– Ashley Doubleday, The New Orleans Chamber

 

Battle of the Bots: How ‘Instafrauds’ Are Disrupting Trust

#Instafraud trended last month following an uproar over fake accounts.

The rise of ‘instafrauds’, Instagram users that use bots to boost their followers, is becoming an increased area of concern for the integrity of organically established influencers.

The problem continually arises when brands are attracted to the big shiny follower numbers and neglect to see a user’s relevance and engagement rates, paving the way for instafrauds to make money from a false following, and in return leave the brand connecting poorly to its audience.

Finally though, it seems Instagram is making efforts to battle the bots, closing down ‘Instagress’ recently – but there still remains a lot of unravelling to do.

– Rachel Evans, The Dubai 100

 

Tips to Improve Your Negotiating Skills

One of the keys to good negotiating is to be aware of the negotiating principles and review them ahead of time.

Sometimes it feels like life is just a series of negotiations, from business deals, to salary negotiations, to office politics, to dividing responsibilities with your spouse.

Negotiating is one of those skills that can always use more sharpening no matter how long you have been at it.

From the emotional reactions of anchoring, or loss aversion, to competitive negotiation tactics like nibbling, or the red herring, recognition is the first step to understanding and surpassing roadblocks.

Learn more about the psychology of negotiations, negotiating tactics, who should make the first offer and how to make concessions and other tips here.

– Local Louisiana Marketing Blog, TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

Your Working River – Celebrate Maritime Month!

The city of New Orleans grew up around the maritime activity at the Port. Join Port NOLA in celebrating our proud maritime heritage throughout the month of May.

Did you know…

– Port-related industries generate one in five jobs in Louisiana.

– The average salary at companies on Port of New Orleans property is $63,000/year, 37% higher than the local average.

– Port NOLA spent over $2.1 million on purchases with minority-owned businesses, and over $1.3 million on purchases with women-owned businesses in 2016.

Port NOLA has always been an economic engine for the region—supporting local businesses and creating jobs. Celebrate May as Maritime Month and salute the hard-working men and women in the maritime industry. Read more about the Port’s contributions.

– Renee Aragon Dolese, Port NOLA Director of Communications

 

Janella Newsome’s Dual Roles in New Orleans

Janella Newsome's sparkling smile and personality make it easier to be a morning person. (Photo courtesy of WWL-TV)

If Janella’s bright and inviting smile doesn’t make your mornings, we don’t know what will. She joined WWL-TV’s team in 2014 and can be seen broadcasting from around the city every day. Recently, she helped bring in the good news about GiveNOLA Day’s success, when our city came together to raise over $4.9 million for area nonprofits.

When she isn’t giving viewers the latest news on the Crescent City, Janella is working hard as Xavier University’s news manager at the Office of Institutional Advancement. Here, her role reverses as she serves as the university’s resource for the media.

– Sarah H. Centorino, The New Orleans 100

 

Customize YOUR Next Event!

You can customize every piece of your event to associate with your branding. Think outside the box and your event will surely stand out from the rest!

When it comes to planning events, creative customization can be as simple as integrating a company’s brand or product into the equation. We were recently tasked by Gillette to highlight their new razors at an event in their offices. Utilizing the product look and feel, the space became all about Venus.

Corinthian’s top customization tips:

1. Focus on the unique elements about your company and think about how to create it dimensionally.

2. Bring the color and shape of your branding into all aspects of your event.

3. Brainstorm with your team! All ideas are welcome and you’re sure to develop something amazing.

– Mary Douglas, Corinthian Events

 

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." -Warren Buffett

United Airlines is under fire for refusing to let young girls board wearing leggings, and forcibly removing a passenger unwilling to be bumped because the flight was overbooked. A company creates its image and solidifies its reputation with every statement it makes — verbal or otherwise. That is why communications strategists should be an integral part of the leadership team.

People are increasingly making decisions based on values, and millennials are more likely to support companies demonstrating social consciousness. It’s critical to think through every angle of policies, procedures and statements with a professional communications strategist. Your reputation is at stake.

– Lisa Cutter, The Colorado 100

 

The Scout Motto Is True: Be Prepared

Social media has changed everything. Be ready with a plan before crisis strikes.

In the wake of the public relations debacles with Pepsi and United Airlines, businesses – whatever size – should examine their own crisis communications plans, or work with a PR professional to develop one.

While the exact crisis may not be known, the fundamental framework can be put in place. Issues can take many forms: financial and cyber fraud, crime, injury, lawsuits, maritime and industry catastrophes, product recalls, sexual misconduct, weather disasters and more.

All require an understanding of the corporate culture, a crisis team, a strategic process including social media, a media-trained spokesperson and a public relations/media relations expert.

– Betsie Gambel, Gambel Communications

 

Tech Companies Swarm New Orleans

The top technology conference in the world begins May 2, right here in New Orleans. (Photo courtesy of Collision)

Greater New Orleans is playing host to top technology companies and thousands of industry professionals from across the world.

GNO, Inc. recently hosted Game Fête, a daylong event that attracted game professionals from across the country to participate in industry-focused panels and provide an entertaining atmosphere for networking.

From May 2-4, New Orleans will host Collision, the fastest-growing technology conference in the world. With over 20,000 attendees registered, 3,000 CEOs attending and over 4,500 companies participating, Greater New Orleans will solidify its reputation as one of the top technology markets in the country.

– Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc.

 

Fostering Our Future

Stop by the New Orleans Chamber event on June 27 to mix and mingle with the best.

By the year 2020, it is estimated that 50% of the global workforce will be made up of millennials.

“As young professionals continue to flock to New Orleans, it’s time for veterans of our local business community to continue to mentor this next generation of leaders,” said Ben Johnson, president and CEO of the New Orleans Chamber.

The New Orleans Chamber, 504ward, Young Leadership Council and Urban League of Louisiana are teaming up on Tuesday, June 27, to host a Young Professionals Night at Dave & Buster’s. Both young and seasoned professionals are invited to attend. For more information, visit here.

– Ashley Doubleday, New Orleans Chamber

 

Learn About Your Port, NOLA!

The Port NOLA is creating a Master Plan. Get in on the action.

The Port of New Orleans is planning for the future with the development of a Master Plan. As part of that process, the Port has created a brief survey intended to inform you about your Port and to better understand your interests — so we can design ways to keep you informed and engaged.

Please take 10 minutes to learn more about the Port NOLA and fill out the survey here. We anticipate many more Port initiatives that stakeholder and community and engagement will benefit — and we want to hear from you!

Learn more here or email us at masterplan@portno.com.

– Renee Aragon Dolese, Port NOLA Director of Communications

 

Why We Choose Louisiana

Celebrate the companies that make Louisiana home with the We Choose Louisiana campaign.

Louisiana’s economy is largely based on small- and medium-sized businesses, and home grown industry and talent. Each of these companies has a unique story to tell.

WWL-TV partnered with GNO, Inc. to create We Choose Louisiana, a multi-platform campaign celebrating the resurgence in Louisiana’s economy and the companies that have set a stake in the ground in Louisiana.

From the Port of New Orleans to GE Digital to The Stone Gallery, companies are telling their success stories and using their economic power to influence other business owners to help improve our way of life. Learn more here.

– WWL-TV, part of TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

WWL Welcomes its Newest Anchor

Kristin Pierce anchors WWL-TV's weekend news with style. (Photo courtesy of @kpiercetv)

Kristin Pierce joined the WWL-TV team as a weekend anchor this year, but she’s no rookie when it comes to broadcasting and reporting.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Kristin worked both in front of and behind the camera before moving to New Orleans. In Detroit, she covered national news stories as the country watched the Flint water crisis unfold. She also worked as an associate producer in Michigan and Ohio.

Since her arrival, Kristin has immersed herself in New Orleans culture, weather (she loves the sun!) and restaurants. She’ll be a New Orleans “native” before we know it.

– Sarah H. Centorino, The New Orleans 100

 

Using Smart Phones to Stay Safe This Summer

This summer, make sure you're up to date on the latest weather and traffic news so you can stay safe.

We’re only one quarter into 2017, and we have already had multiple tornadoes and several severe traffic accidents that shut down interstates for hours.

During the February tornadoes, many people credited severe weather alerts to helping them stay safe during the storm. Many local commuters rely on timely traffic updates so they can plan their route accordingly.

You can stay informed in emergency situations with alerts on your phone. Download the WWL-TV app from iTunes or Google Play, then turn on push notifications in the app settings. Then go to the app settings on your phone to set permissions.

– WWL-TV, part of TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

Tamica Lee, Renaissance Woman

Tamica Lee's position at WWL-TV is just one of her many areas of work.

Depending on your interests, you’ll know Tamica Lee from a myriad of different locations. You may have seen her on WWL-TV’s morning show, delivering traffic updates, or you may have seen her on Instagram, where she boasts nearly 20,000 followers. She is also the daughter of a Saints player, a former Saintsation and involved in her brother’s Son of Saint organization.

Tamica has always used her outgoing personality, athleticism and brains to take the stage and make the most of all situations, from hosting shows during the Super Bowl to scoring behind the scenes coverage of Saints games.

– Sarah H. Centorino, The New Orleans 100

 

Corporate Social Responsibility Communication Is Crucial to Gaining Trust

Build trust in your community and in your company.

Consumers recognize that businesses have as much impact on communities and quality of life as government. People expect businesses to improve communities beyond the product they create and the company’s bottom line.

While implementation of strategic Corporate Social Responsibility programs has risen, consumer awareness of these projects has not. Only 53% of people trust businesses. Over one-third of employees don’t trust their employers to act ethically.

To gain advocacy, companies must promote the impact of their business on the local community. This communication must be done externally cross-channel where employees and communities are spending their time. Learn more.

– Local Louisiana Marketing Blog, TEGNA Local Louisiana

 

Influencer Marketing: How to Do It Right

Research, commit, invest

It’s quite the buzzword around the world, but does influencer marketing work? If done right, it certainly can, but if done wrong, it’ll see you burning through cash with little to no return.

• Research – don’t only look at social influencers’ follower counts – find out their passions and interests, and check who their followers are too!

• Commit – this isn’t a hit-and-run exercise – be in it for the long haul to reap long-term returns.

• Invest – recognize the right influencer’s value by rewarding – payment, privileges and perks!

Done right, influencer marketing can create customers who create customers. Now that’s influence!

– Tara Rogers-Ellis, The Dubai 100

 

The Business of Community Involvement

Volunteering and engaging with your community is beneficial to your business.

One of the best things you can do for your brand is to actively volunteer in your community. Regular community participation yields benefits in multiple ways by improving brand awareness, better engaging employees, showcasing corporate social responsibility, building beneficial partnerships and finding new business opportunities.

Whether it is volunteering at a homeless shelter or donating your business’ time and resources to the local food bank, you’re helping strengthen the community. Strong communities generate loyalty, and your business should be in that loyalty mix. Most importantly, you’ll know the joy of helping those in need, which is something everyone should experience.

– Natalie Ghidotti, The Arkansas 100